Philipp Kerler

Welcome!

I do research in Political Economy and Development.

Currently, I focus on the political effects of structural transformations, especially how structural transformations relate to the rise of the far-right in non-WEIRD (Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic) countries. Structural economic explanations are at the heart of theories explaining the rise of the far right in advanced Western democracies. Yet, we observe the same phenomenon in some of the largest democracies in the world, where structural transformations are significantly different from, e.g., Europe or the US.

In other ongoing work, I focus on political participation and accountability issues in the Global South. Beyond its intrinsic value, people having a political voice underpins the development of inclusive institutions necessary to improve social welfare.

I seek to contribute on theoretical and empirical grounds, as I believe in a strong complementarity between both. To structure my theoretical thinking, I often resort to formal modeling. In my empirical work, I use quantitative methods to analyze a wide range of data. Being trained in Political Science and Economics, I aspire to foster the growing connection between both fields.