Introduction
I am an applied economist with research interests at the intersection of political economy, economic history, and organizational economics. I recently completed my Ph.D. in Business & Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. Before my doctoral studies, I earned a master’s degree in economics from the Barcelona School of Economics and undergraduate degrees in economics and philosophy from the University of Munich (LMU).
Research
My current research explores two related themes: 1) The historical development of state capacity, and (2) personnel selection and performance in public organizations and political parties. I combine novel data sources (archival, administrative, or proprietary) with modern econometric methods. Examples of my current projects include papers examining the electoral return to patronage jobs in early 20th century New York City, the competition between colonial companies in Canada’s early modern fur trade, the rise of Britain’s fiscal state on the eve of the industrial revolution, and the role of political parties in selecting competent candidates in contemporary Finland.