Professor Timothy J. Power is Head of the Social Sciences Division and Professor of Latin American Politics at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) and the Department of Politics. He previously directed the Latin American Centre from 2008 to 2012 and has been a leading scholar in comparative politics since 2005. Research Interests: Democratization, political institutions (parties, legislatures, elections), coalitional presidentialism, Brazil, Latin America, new democracies. Awards: None listed in provided text. Advising: No specific students mentioned. Grants: No explicit grants listed, but research involves long-term projects like the Brazilian Legislative Surveys. Labs/Teams: Co-directs the Brazilian Legislative Surveys with Fundação Getúlio Vargas and contributes to cross-regional comparative studies at OSGA. His work analyzes democratization in Latin America, particularly Brazil, focusing on legislative dynamics, coalition governments, and political institutions. Recent articles explore cabinet proportionality, portfolio allocation, and ideological shifts in post-authoritarian settings.
Rahul Mukherji is a Professor at the Department of Political Science, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University. He has held visiting positions at institutions including the University of Goa, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Fudan University. His research spans Indian politics, political economy, international relations, and climate policy. Education: PhD in Political Science, Columbia University (1999) M.Phil and MA in South Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (1992, 1990) Bachelor in Economics (Honours), Delhi University (1988) Mukherji examines democratic backsliding , climate governance , and political economy of reforms in India. His recent work explores the intersection of COVID-19 and authoritarian trends , alongside state capacity in welfare delivery. Scientific Awards NUS Award for Research Excellence (2014, 2012) President’s Fellow, Columbia University (1997-1999) Ambedkar Overseas Fellow in International Relations (1993-1996) Mukherji serves on the editorial boards of journals like India Review , Pacific Affairs , and Governance . He is series editor for Oxford Institutions and Development in South Asia and editor of Indian Politics and Policy .
Haruka Nagao is an Assistant Professor at the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages within the University of Oregon . Their research focuses on health governance , Africa-China relations , gender dynamics , public opinion , soft power diplomacy , and East Asia . Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary trends: (1) Public Health and Health Governance (e.g., mental health in rural China, prenatal care, vaccine distribution), (2) Political Science and Policy Analysis (e.g., grassroots elections, women's leadership, immigration policy), and (3) International Relations and Diplomacy (e.g., China's global soft power, Africa-China collaborations). Their work integrates China studies with comparative analysis , addressing intersections between social networks , democratic understanding , and global health politics .
Professor Gabrielle Lynch is a leading scholar in Comparative Politics and African Studies at the University of Warwick. She holds the academic rank of Professor and serves as PAIS Impact Director, Comparative Politics cluster lead, and Warwick UCU Equalities Officer. Her research focuses on ethnic identities, elections, transitional justice, and social media's role in African politics. Lynch earned her BA, MPhil, and DPhil from the University of Oxford. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda, supported by grants from the ESRC, Warwick Policy Support Fund, and others. Her awards include the ESRC Award for Outstanding International Impact (2019) and the Market Research Society’s President’s Medal. Lynch is editor of African Affairs and a member of the African Studies Association of the UK and British Institute in Eastern Africa. Lynch’s work bridges academia and public engagement, including columns in The Saturday Nation and The East African . She founded the African Judiciaries Research Network and co-authored influential books like Performances of Injustices and The Moral Economy of Elections in Africa . Her research emphasizes democratization challenges, electoral integrity, and the intersection of technology and politics in Africa.
İBRAHİM ERDEM SEÇİLMİŞ is a Professor of Economics at Hacettepe University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. His research focuses on experimental economics, public goods theory, behavioral economics, and tax policy with notable contributions to understanding risk perception, social discount rates, and creative industries in Mediterranean economies. He has authored/co-authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications and edited several academic volumes. Key research areas include: Experimental analysis of public goods provision Behavioral responses to environmental policies Comparative analysis of social discount rates in transition economies Evaluation of tax reforms through behavioral lenses Impact of cultural industries on regional development Notable publications include seminal works on Turkish presidential election policies (2025), risk aversion in public goods (2019), and Mediterranean creative industries (2016). His work frequently bridges theoretical economics with policy applications, particularly focusing on sustainability and social equity. He has presented at international conferences such as the Regional Studies Association European Conference (2014) and contributed to edited volumes on game theory applications and economic philosophy. Current research trends emphasize behavioral tax policy design and the socio-economic consequences of rising inequality.
Laverne Jacobs, PhD, is a Full Professor at the University of Windsor's Faculty of Law where she holds the Research Chair in Disability Equality & Administrative Justice. She serves as the founder and Director of the Law, Disability & Social Change Project, a research and public policy center dedicated to fostering inclusive communities. Notably, Professor Jacobs was elected to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2022, becoming the first Canadian to serve on this UN Human Rights Treaty Body. She also serves as Co-Director of the Disability Rights Working Group at Berkeley Law's Center for Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law and previously held the position of Associate Dean (Research & Graduate Studies) for the Faculty of Law from 2018-2021. B.A. (Honours), McGill University, 1994 LL.B., McGill University, 1999 B.C.L., McGill University, 1999 Ph.D., Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 2009 Professor Jacobs' research sits at the intersection of disability equality law and administrative law and justice, characterized by an interest in the everyday work of the administrative justice system and the lived experiences of people who use it, particularly persons with disabilities. Her work spans disability rights, administrative justice, human rights law, socio-legal theory, and empirical research methodologies. She has made significant contributions to understanding accessibility legislation, transportation inequality, post-secondary education access for students with disabilities, and the implementation of disability equality principles in administrative decision-making. Her scholarship bridges theoretical legal frameworks with practical applications, emphasizing citizen participation in policy development and the importance of inclusive design in legal systems. Analysis of Professor Jacobs' recent publications reveals a consistent focus on how administrative law can better serve persons with disabilities through inclusive design and accessible processes. Her work demonstrates growing attention to intersectional issues, particularly how women with disabilities experience administrative systems, and increasingly examines the implementation challenges of accessibility legislation across Canadian jurisdictions. She frequently employs empirical research methods to ground her legal analysis in real-world experiences of marginalized communities. Scientific Awards and Honors: Canadian Bar Association Touchstone Award (2021) Canadian Association of Law Teachers (CALT) Academic Excellence Award (2022) Hummingbird Award from the Disabled Women's Network of Canada (DaWN), 2022 Election to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2022) Professor Jacobs has held significant leadership roles including service on the Board of Directors of the Income Security Advocacy Centre and the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice. Through her role as Director of the Law, Disability & Social Change Project, she has secured research funding to support policy-relevant scholarship on disability rights and administrative justice. Her work has influenced accessibility legislation development across Canada, particularly through her annotated version of the Accessible Canada Act. She provides expert consultation to government bodies and international organizations on disability rights implementation. The Law, Disability & Social Change Project serves as Professor Jacobs' primary research hub, bringing together interdisciplinary scholars, disability advocates, and policy makers to develop practical solutions for creating more inclusive legal and administrative systems. The project has produced numerous research reports, policy briefs, and public resources that translate academic research into actionable recommendations for improving accessibility and disability equality in Canadian society.
Dr. Jonathan Bright is a Senior Research Fellow and Associate Professor at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford , specializing in computational approaches to the social and political sciences. His research explores how digital technologies reshape political participation and how new data sources enhance governmental decision-making. Research Interests: Focused on social media, political behavior, computational social science, and big data , Bright’s work addresses digital governance, algorithmic bureaucracy, and the dynamics of political fragmentation online. His empirical studies span open government data usage, crowdsourced geographical information, and the impact of neighborhood effects on data completeness. Scientific Contributions: Leading studies on algorithmic governance in UK local authorities (2020) Investigating geodemographic biases in crowdsourced platforms like OpenStreetMap (2018) Mapping political fragmentation in social media ecosystems (2018) Grants & Collaborations: Funded by UK taxpayers, ESRC, and Google, his work intersects with projects on vaccine misinformation, hate speech monitoring, and digital economies. Formerly held positions as Research Fellow and Research Associate at OII from 2013 to present.
Ruth Mostern is Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh and Director of the Institute for Spatial History Innovation (ISHI). She is Vice-President and President-Elect (2025-2026) of the World History Association and leads the award-winning World Historical Gazetteer project. Education Ph.D. in History, University of California, Berkeley, 2003 Research Interests Mostern is an interdisciplinary historian specializing in world, Chinese, environmental, and spatial history. She investigates long-term human–environment interactions at continental and millennial scales, focusing on how societies organize space, resources, and risk. Her work integrates GIS, digital gazetteers, and environmental science to reconstruct historical geographies of empire, water management, and ecological change. Current projects include: Place: A Global History – a study of itineraries, gazetteers, and databases as technologies of spatial knowledge. The Medieval Climate Anomaly and the Global Medieval Era – cultural adaptations to climate change c. 950-1250 CE. Research Trends Her recent publications span digital environmental humanities, historical GIS, Song-dynasty political economy, and pre-industrial Asian political ecology. A dominant theme is the coupling of state power with environmental transformation, exemplified by her 2021 book The Yellow River: A Natural and Unnatural History (Yale), winner of the 2023 Joseph Levenson Prize. Awards & Honors Joseph Levenson Prize, Association for Asian Studies, 2023 NEH Digital Humanities Advancement Grant, 2023-2025 Digital Humanities Awards 2021 – Best DH Tool (World Historical Gazetteer) Fudan University Fellowship for Studies of Chinese Civilization, 2019 NEH Humanities Connections Implementation Grant, 2018-2020 Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation Summer Institute Grant, 2015-2016 NSF Collaborative Research Grant, 2013-2015 ACLS Digital Innovation Fellowship, 2011-2012 Advising & Grants Mostern welcomes graduate students interested in environmental, global, Asian, or digital history. She has directed multiple externally funded projects, including the NSF-funded Center for Historical Information and Analysis and NEH-supported initiatives on water in Central Asia and global historical gazetteers. Labs & Teams She directs the Institute for Spatial History Innovation (ISHI) at the University of Pittsburgh, a hub for interdisciplinary research integrating spatial technologies with historical inquiry. ISHI hosts the World Historical Gazetteer , providing open tools and datasets that link knowledge about historical places across world regions.
Stephen Billings is an Associate Professor of Finance at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, where he holds the Global Real Estate Capital Markets Chair position. He serves as the faculty director of the MS in Real Estate program and research director for the CU Real Estate Center. His work spans multiple research centers including the Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making and the Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate. Billings received his PhD in Economics from the University of Colorado, a MS in urban planning from the University of North Carolina, and a BS in economics from Georgetown University. Prior to joining CU Boulder in 2016, he was faculty at the University of North Carolina Charlotte with appointments in both economics and public policy, where he also served as faculty director for the real estate center. His research focuses on the intersection of housing, schools, neighborhoods and crime, addressing critical policy issues including the impact of public investment in light-rail transit on neighborhoods, school segregation's influence on academic achievement and crime, neighborhood gentrification causes, lead-based paint in low-income housing, and the effects of sea level rise and natural disasters on neighborhood sorting and household finances. Billings employs sophisticated analysis of large micro-datasets with studies based on data and policies in Charlotte, NC and Denver, CO. His work connects urban economics with public policy, demonstrating how neighborhood environments shape individual outcomes across multiple dimensions. Billings' recent publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on neighborhood effects, school choice impacts, crime economics, and housing market dynamics. His work frequently examines the intersection of race, housing, and economic outcomes, with particular attention to policy implications. He has developed innovative methodological approaches to studying residential amenities and neighborhood spillovers, with increasing attention to climate change impacts on housing markets. His research appears in top journals including The Quarterly Journal of Economics, American Economic Review: Insights, and Journal of Urban Economics. As an educator, Billings teaches undergraduate and masters classes in real estate finance and economics, as well as doctoral and masters level courses on cost-benefit analysis and statistical methods. He has extensive consulting experience conducting economic impact studies, including assessments of North Carolina's public higher education system, affordable housing needs in Colorado communities, and the economic effects of marijuana legalization on property markets. His practical policy work complements his academic research, creating a bridge between theoretical insights and real-world applications. Billings leads significant research initiatives through the CU Real Estate Center, where he directs studies examining the impact of business improvement districts and other urban development policies. His work bridges academic research with practical policy applications, making substantial contributions to our understanding of how housing, education, and neighborhood environments shape individual outcomes and community development. His December 2023 memo on the HUD Officer Next Door Program exemplifies his engagement with current housing policy issues.
Alena Thiel is an Associate Professor at the Centre of African Studies within the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. Her research examines digital technologies' impact on state formation and knowledge systems across Africa, with primary field sites in Ghana, Senegal, Botswana, and Kenya. Her core research areas include: State knowledge systems (biometric ID, census histories, DHIS2 health records) Digital governance (addressing systems, payment solutions, disaster risk datafication) African/feminist AI development and implementation Anthropology of the state through Science and Technology Studies (STS) frameworks Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal concentrated analysis of health data infrastructures in Ghana, trust dynamics in Africa's global networks, and critical sociological examinations of digital identification. Her work consistently bridges anthropological theory with practical governance challenges in African contexts. As an active member of the Centre of African Studies, she maintains interdisciplinary collaborations across multiple African countries and European institutions, with particular emphasis on Ghanaian research partnerships and editorial leadership for Africa Spectrum journal.
Adam Bonica is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Stanford University . His research integrates data science and politics , focusing on money in politics , campaigns and elections , judicial politics , and political methodology . Research Interests : Data Science, Political Ideology, Campaign Finance, Judicial Polarization, Quantitative Modeling Contact : Encina Hall West, Room 307, Stanford, CA 94305-6044 | Email : bonica@stanford.edu | Phone : (650) 725-7987 His work has been published in leading journals such as the American Journal of Political Science , Political Analysis , Journal of Economic Perspectives , Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization , and JAMA Internal Medicine . Bonica co-authored The Judicial Tug of War , which explores the politicization of the American judiciary. He has developed comprehensive databases like DIME (Database on Ideology, Money in Politics, and Elections) to advance research on political ideology and campaign finance. Recent publications include analyses of ideological persuasion in U.S. elections, judicial reform dynamics, and supervised machine learning applications in political methodology. His research spans topics such as clerk hiring as ideological indicators , professional networks in fundraising , and polarization trends among physicians and legal professionals .
Daniele Caramani is a Part-time Professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute, where he holds the Ernst B. Haas Chair in European Governance and Politics and co-directs the European Governance and Politics Programme. He also serves as a professor and Head of Department at the University of Zurich, holding the Chair of Comparative Politics. His academic journey began with BA and MA degrees from the University of Geneva, followed by a PhD from the European University Institute. Dr. Caramani's research focuses on comparative politics, European integration, and globalization, with particular emphasis on political cleavages, electoral systems, and democratization processes. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary political challenges, examining how territorial and functional divisions shape political landscapes across different eras and regions. His approach combines theoretical innovation with empirical rigor, drawing connections between 19th century mass democratization and current debates about European integration and global governance. Caramani's publications reveal a consistent trajectory of increasingly complex analyses, moving from national political systems to European integration and then to global comparative frameworks. His work demonstrates strong methodological expertise in comparative and quantitative analysis, with a particular focus on large cross-national datasets and historical electoral results. The evolution of his research shows a clear progression from national-level analysis to transnational and global comparative frameworks. Stein Rokkan Prize for Comparative Social Science Research (for The Nationalization of Politics ) APSA Lijphart-Przeworski-Verba Dataset Award (for Constituency-Level Elections Archive) As an educator and academic leader, Caramani has supervised numerous students and edited influential textbooks in comparative politics. His leadership extends to directing major research projects, including an ERC Advanced Grant on global cleavages across world regions. At the University of Zurich, he serves as Head of Department, demonstrating administrative leadership alongside his research and teaching responsibilities. His Constituency-Level Elections Archive (CLEA) represents a significant contribution to the field, providing essential data for comparative electoral research.
Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. His research focuses on policies and institutional designs that enhance democratic governance, particularly in areas of public participation, deliberation, and transparency. He co-directs the Transparency Policy Project and leads democratic governance programs at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. Fung has authored five books, including Full Disclosure: The Perils and Promise of Transparency and Empowered Participation: Reinventing Urban Democracy , and over fifty articles. He holds degrees from MIT: two S.B. degrees in philosophy and physics, and a Ph.D. in political science. Affiliations: Director of the Ash Center, Faculty Associate of the Ethics Center, Member of the Faculty Committee since 2009. Research Interests: Democratic innovation, participatory governance, transparency in public policy, and institutional design for equitable decision-making. His recent work explores democratic erosion, AI's impact on elections, and inclusive governance frameworks. Fung teaches courses on participation, ethics, and social innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School. He co-founded Participedia, a global platform documenting participatory governance practices. Sponsored projects include initiatives on institutional antiracism, transparent engagement, and sustainable governance reforms. His work emphasizes bridging theory and practice to strengthen democratic institutions globally.
Sean F. Reardon is the Professor of Poverty and Inequality in Education and a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) at Stanford University . He also holds a Professor (by courtesy) of Sociology . His work focuses on social and educational inequality, including residential and school segregation, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in academic achievement, and causal inference methods. Education: Ed.D., Harvard University, Educational Administration, Planning, and Social Policy (1997) M.Ed., Harvard University, Educational Administration, Planning and Social Policy (1992) M.A., University of Notre Dame, International Peace Studies (1991) B.A., University of Notre Dame, Program of Liberal Studies; Minor in Honors Mathematics (1986) Research Interests center on the causes and patterns of educational and racial inequality, the effects of school integration policies, and income inequality's social consequences. His Stanford Educational Opportunity Research Lab analyzes achievement gaps and segregation trends across U.S. school districts using large-scale datasets. Recent Publications highlight cross-national achievement gap comparisons, pandemic recovery disparities, and methodological advancements in segregation measurement. His work often integrates Data Sciences and Sociology to address policy-relevant questions. Awards Elected Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences Elected Member, National Academy of Education Advising includes mentoring Doctoral Students like Tyler McDaniel and Postdoctoral Researchers like Farah Mallah. His Stanford Interdisciplinary Doctoral Training Program in Quantitative Education Policy Analysis (2009–2021) trained future scholars in rigorous policy methods.
Noah Nathan is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology , with faculty affiliation at MIT’s Global Diversity Lab . He previously taught at the University of Michigan and earned his PhD in Government from Harvard University (2016) . Research Interests: Political economy of development Comparative political behavior Urban politics State-building Distributive politics and clientelism Political parties African political systems Article Trends: His recent work integrates urban built environments into political behavior analysis, with empirical studies across African cities. Key themes include state-building legacies in inequality, clientelist electoral systems, and architectural impacts on political engagement. Earlier work (2013-2020) focused on ethnic politics, leadership dynamics, and institutional design. Scientific Awards: 2024 William Riker Award for Best Book in Political Economy 2024 African Politics Conference Group Best Book Award 2023 Foreign Affairs Best Books recognition 2015 Heinz I. Eulau Award (APSR) 2024 Political Ties Best Paper Award (APSA) Advising & Grants: He has advised multiple published studies in top journals and secured research funding for field experiments in Ghana. Current work explores vernacular architecture’s political impact and state capture mechanisms. Labs & Teams: Affiliated with MIT’s Global Diversity Lab and collaborative networks across African politics research institutions.
