Kiran Auerbach
PhD
Currently:
I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Political Science at the University of Zürich, Switzerland.
I am a political scientist specializing in comparative democratization, political parties, corruption, and local governance.
What drives political actors to be more or less accountable to citizens? My research draws on in-depth field work and incorporates quantitative and qualitative methods.
My current research explores territorial political divisions. How do rural-urban and center-periphery cleavages affect political discontent and lead to polarization? How do politicians and parties respond, and what are the consequences for democratic stability?
From 2018 to 2022 I was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Bergen Department of Comparative Politics.
I obtained my Ph.D. and M.A. in political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I also hold an M.A. in Democracy and Human Rights in South-East Europe from the University of Bologna (Italy) and the University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). I earned my B.A. in international relations from Stanford University. I am originally from the United States, but currently live in Zürich.
I am available for media engagements, educational and professional trainings, and consulting services.