How does the central state affect public goods provision by local actors? I study the effect of
state capacity on local governance in sub-Saharan Africa, which I argue depends on …

In rural settings, community leaders play important roles in mobilizing resources and
delivering public goods and services. However, little is known about their attributes and …

This study develops energy for adapting customary institutional policies in creating food
security for coastal communities. This development has not been on target under the village …

We surveyed 2,919 community leaders across seven regions of Mali to provide insights on
the prevalence and severity of shocks and crises across localities; which types of shocks …

The three essays in this dissertation explore how weak states can build fiscal capacity,
which is essential for economic development and political stability. In Chapter 2, I argue that …

How do religious institutions affect long-run development? Most studies of the role of
religious institutions in long-run development focus on centralized institutions and their …