Publications

This project builds on a replication analysis of a nationwide audit experiment in Indian cities to argue that minority status mediates the supply of constituency services in contexts marked by high levels of ethnic diversity and intergroup inequality. The initial research examined why politicians in host societies discriminate against migrants in providing constituency services and found that politicians’ beliefs about migrants’ low turnout propensity undermine the ability of migrant groups to secure basic services from the state. In my replication, I extend the analysis to specifically examine differences between local elected officials of majority Hindu and minority Muslim faiths. I find that minority Muslim councilors are more likely to respond to consistency service requests from non-co-ethnics than majority Hindu councilors. Additionally, my findings reveal that minority councilors are more likely to respond to requests for help from unregistered migrants, despite lacking a compelling electoral incentive to do so. I explain these results as indicative of social-psychological motivations among minority representatives.

Migration, Identity Attachments, and Political Preferences

[Draft]

This study uses observational and experimental data collected in two Indian states, Bihar and Kerala, to examine how exposure to migration affects social norms, identity attachments, and political preferences among migrants and left-behind family members. Drawing on insights from an original conjoint experiment (n=2,912), a citizen survey (n=1725), and 28 in-depth interviews, I find that migrants prefer more educated politicians, place less importance on co-ethnicity when evaluating candidates for local council positions, and exhibit a stronger preference to vote for national parties over regional ones compared to non-migrants. These findings are consistent with classical modernization theories in which increasing spatial mobility through rural-urban migration heightens national identification, eroding the influence of local ethnic attachments in shaping political preferences.

Disasters and Local Politics

with Ritwika Basu

This project examines how exposure to slow-onset disasters, such as recurrent floods and droughts, reshapes citizen-state relations. Evidence from qualitative fieldwork and citizen surveys in two Indian states, Bihar and Gujarat, indicates that exposure to slow-onset disasters mediates citizen claim-making practices in climate-vulnerable regions. Specifically, we find that households that are more severely exposed to recurrent disaster events engage at higher rates in collective claim-making on state institutions (via protests and community meetings) than similar households that are less severely exposed. These results reveal how climate risks intersect with household political strategies to shape demand-side accountability mechanisms in contexts where formal institutions are weak.

Publications

Working Papers

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Book Chapters

Work in Progress

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