I study how material inequality and social identity interact to shape democratic representation and redistribution. My dissertation investigates why political inclusion for marginalized groups translates into substantive representation, and when it fails to do so. Related projects examine accountability in weakly institutionalised democracies, and the causes and consequences of dynastic politics. To investigate these questions, I apply quasi-experimental methods to newly assembled administrative datasets and explore mechanisms using text analysis, survey evidence, and qualitative fieldwork. I am also interested in how asset risks and credit access shape identity preferences and demand for social insurance.
