I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California. Previously, I was the inaugural Gerhard Casper Postdoctoral Fellow in Rule of Law at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law in Stanford University. I obtained my PhD in political science at the University of Rochester in 2022

My primary research interest lies in the political economy of development. I use an institutional lens and a wide range of methods to analyze the causes, consequences, and potential solutions proposed to mitigate bias and discrimination. Specifically, I study topics such as the judiciary, women in politics, political representation, political parties, and bureaucracies in the developing world, with a regional focus on South Asia.

My work has appeared (or is forthcoming) in the American Journal of Political Science, The Quarterly Journal of Political Science, and Comparative Political Studies. If you want to talk more about my work, or just say hi, please get in touch. My email is: varun.rama [AT] usc [DOT] edu

My CV is available here