I am a development economist with a particular interest in how social and cultural factors influence the process of economic development. My research agenda has focused on Africa, and has drawn heavily from economic history, behavioural economics, and political economy. My work can be broadly grouped as follows: 1) the roots of conflict and process of reconciliation; 2) the nature of the agreements that people make when institutions are imperfect; 3) The roots of diversity and the history of language evolution. Methodologically, I rely on quasi-experimental and experimental research designs, and tend to prioritize investments in novel sources of data.

Publications