My research is at the intersection of macroeconomics, development/ political economics, and urban/ regional economics. Some of the larger questions I try to answer in my research are: Why is economic activity more concentrated in some places than others? Do politics and international linkages influence the growth of cities? How do ethnic politics and the geography of ethnic groups interact with economic growth? Which political factors influence the dominance of some ethnic groups over others and how do these factors shape regional development?

To tackle these questions, I usually combine manually collected data, remotely-sensed data, state-of-the-art methods, geospatial analysis, and—where suitable—formal theory.  I am often interested in aggregate implications but often rely on microeconometric methods to identify the relevant effects.

Head over to my faculty page if you want to get in touch or click here to download my full CV (PDF).