Hi!

I am a PhD Candidate in Political Economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Graduate Fellow at the Immigration Policy Lab. My research agenda has two main strands. The first focuses on the impacts of forced displacement, including how displaced people navigate life in host societies and which policies alleviate their hardships. The second examines political participation in non-democracies, investigating the causes and indicators of protests and revolutions.

My work on displacement provides insights into several pressing questions. How do forcibly displaced people integrate into their host societies? What factors explain their desire to return home? What policies are effective in improving the integration outcomes of the displaced? Are there any gender gaps? How does the experience of displacement shape political attitudes?

In my research on non-democracies, I study how opposition parties and citizens challenge restrictive regimes. My work addresses questions such as: Why and when are election results contested? What role does foreign support play in regime stability? What are examples of non-cooperation with the government, and how do these acts contribute to revolutionary movements?

I also have regional expertise in Eastern Europe and Post-Soviet states. Separately, I study how foreign policy attitudes (e.g., wars) shape voting and party affiliation. 

Prior to my doctoral studies, I got my bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester, where I did a triple major (cum laude) in political science (higher honors), mathematics, and economics, a minor in German, and received a certificate of mathematical modeling in political science and economics.

Beyond academics, I am passionate about learning new languages. I speak English, German, Russian, Georgian, and Mingrelian fluently, and I am learning French in my free time. I am also an avid swimmer and runner.

I’d be delighted to connect and discuss research! You can reach me at mariami@stanford.edu.