Varun Karekurve-Ramachandra

Varun Karekurve-Ramachandra is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California (USC), affiliated with the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Previously, he held the inaugural Gerhard Casper Postdoctoral Fellowship in Rule of Law at Stanford University (2022-23). He earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Rochester in 2022.

His research focuses on the political economy of development in South Asia, with an institutional lens analyzing discrimination, judiciary reform, women in politics, and electoral systems. Key themes include gender quotas, bureaucratic dynamics, and the impact of political institutions on marginalized groups. Methodologically, he employs mixed approaches including field experiments and qualitative analysis.

His work explores topics like internet governance in rural India, electoral accountability, and the unintended consequences of political reforms. Recent studies address public support for internet shutdowns, the efficacy of gender quotas in local governance, and the interaction between politicians and bureaucrats.

Varun’s research has been published in top journals, with a focus on India’s socio-political landscape. He actively collaborates on projects addressing development challenges and institutional reforms in South Asia.