My research focuses on peacebuilding, primarily on democratic tools for promoting the peaceful resolution of violent conflicts within countries. In my research, I have examined the conditions under which decentralization (or federalism) is more likely to prevent violence and secessionism within countries. I have examined the factors that cause protests and violence to arise in response to elections, including the timing of postconflict elections, the observability of electoral violence, electoral observers, and so forth. I have also examined factors that lead people to challenge authoritarian regimes, demand democratic reforms, and promote democracy in other countries. In other research, I have examined the relationship of natural disasters and public health measures to violence within countries.

I am the author of two books on these subjects - Peace by Design: Managing Intrastate Conflict through Decentralization (Oxford UP) and Democracy Protests: Origins, Features, and Significance (Cambridge, UP), a research methods textbook - Social Scientific Research (Sage LTD), and scores of articles in leading academic journals. These journals include: American Political Science Review, Annual Review of Political Science, British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, International Organization, Journal of Conflict Resolution, and Journal of Politics, among others. I am also the author of the Global Elections Database, a widely used database for international election results. To see my research and impact at a glance, check out my Google Scholar Profile.

I strive to connect my research to the broader public and policy community. To this end, I have written articles linking my research to contemporary issues in policy journals and magazines, such as Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy, news outlets, such as NPR and the Washington Post, as well as academic blogs. I also have contributed commentaries to many news outlets and podcasts. I have further advised various institutions, including (inter)governmental institutions, including the CIA and USAID, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, US State Department, and World Bank, and non-governmental institutions, such as International IDEA and the Kofi Annan Foundation.

I have been fortunate enough to have received awards, grants, and visiting fellowships from various institutions, including the American Political Science Association, the National Science Foundation, as well as Columbia, Harvard, and Yale Universities, where I also taught. I teach courses on security, and democracy, with an emphasis recently on digital technologies, as well as research methods. I earned my PhD and MA in political science from Columbia University with distinction and my BA in government, magna cum laude with distinction in all subjects, from Cornell University.