I am PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of California, Merced. I study the Political Economy of Development in Democratizing States, with a regional focus on Africa.  My research focuses on how political institutions shape distributive politics. I am also interested in how the public interact with political institutions and organizations. 

My dissertation focuses on how  bureaucratic embeddedness (bureaucrat ties and connections to groups in society) affects distributive politics. I study this in the context of the Nigerian Federal Civil Service, using historical and contemporary data on bureaucrat composition. 

Previously, I earned  an M.A and a B.A in Economics both from the University of Akron. I am Nigerian, and a proud supporter of the Super Eagles and Falcons!


Contact:
ajohnson-kanu@ucmerced.edu

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