Jonathan Andrew Harris

Associate Professor of Political Science Affiliation: NYU Abu Dhabi
Education: PhD in Government, Harvard University

Research Areas: Institutions and political behavior in Africa


Andy received his PhD in Government from Harvard University in 2012 and was a Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford from 2012-2014.

Andy studies institutions and political behavior in Africa, with a focus on Kenya. His current research examines (1) the electoral incentives underpinning the distribution of local development projects, (2) the causes and consequences of ethnic violence, and (3) the effect of technical and informational interventions on voter registration. Andy's research draws on a wide variety of evidence, from archival records to randomized control trials to satellite data. Future work examines the functioning of judicial institutions in Kenya, with an aim at improving the quality and quantity of legal judgments heard by local magistrates.

Courses Taught