Michael Becher, political scientist

About me

I am Professor of Political Science in the School of Politics, Economics, and Global Affairs at IE University. I obtained my Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University in 2013. Before joining IE University, I held faculty positions at the University of Konstanz and the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse. Recently, I was an external Senior Fellow at the Konstanz Cluster of Excellence on “The Politics of Inequality.”

My primary research interests are in political economy and the comparative study of democratic politics in Europe and North America. Broadly speaking, my research focuses on the design of democratic institutions, political accountability, representation, and labor unions. Most of my recent work examines how democratic politics responds to, and is shaped by, economic inequality and disruptive shocks related to globalization, automation, and public health crises, and how institutional reforms can make democracy work better in terms of equitable, accountable, and responsive government. I use a combination of formal theory, behavioral insights, and empirical analysis—drawing on both observational and experimental data.

My work is published in academic journals, such as the American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, International Organization, or PNAS.  Some of the findings of my research are disseminated more broadly (e.g., Le Monde, Washington Post, Euronews, The Conversation).

Email: michael.becher@ie.edu