Area of research:
My dissertation asks how autocrats control bureaucrats' careers. My research looks to contribute to studies of loyalty, co-optation, and public administration under authoritarianism.
In my thesis, I ask:
- How do autocrats keep bureaucratic managers loyal through shuffling?
- How do managers appoint subordinates, and when do appointments violate meritocracy rules for political gain?
How do personal connections between managers and appointees affect service delivery?
My regional focus is on the former Soviet Union, with my thesis drawing on evidence from Kazakhstan. Empirically, I use computational social science techniques to collect novel trace data to study the inner workings of closed regimes.
College: Somerville
Supervisor: Katerina Tertytchnaya
Thomas's CV
Thomas's personal website