Welcome to my webpage. Currently, I am a Ph.D student in Economics at Berkeley. I hold a M.A. in Economics from Universidad del Rosario and a B.A. in Economics from Universidad Industrial de Santander.

Broadly, my research seeks to understand the interactions between powerful economic and political actors (e.g., criminal organizations, armed groups, large corporations) and vulnerable communities with low political power (e.g., the unhoused, victims of violence, poor communities, immigrants). I study how these asymmetrical interactions shape everyday life.

In particular, my previous work has examined how armed groups affect electoral competition for victimized political parties, showing how legacies of violence can distort democracy and the allocation of public goods. I have also analyzed strategies to weaken criminal organizations by disrupting their recruitment channels.

My ongoing projects focus on the modernization of criminal organizations, with particular attention to how technological change and globalization reshape their organizational structures and market strategies. In parallel, I study the capture of judicial systems by organized crime, the impact of authoritarian state reforms, and the resilience of communities facing international funding shocks. 

Here you can find my CV.

Email: felipecoy[at]berkeley.edu