My research revolves around the causes and effects of democratization. My latest book, International Aid and Democracy Promotion: Liberalization at the Margins, studies state to state bargaining in order to advance democracy with foreign aid. My current focus on the impact of democratization in context of rivalry as the way to test for the effects of the democratic peace. Other tertiary research interests include the politics of aid, the political economy of natural disasters, aid in decentralization and resurgent authoritarianism.

I received my PhD in Political Science from City University New York (CUNY), Graduate Centre. Before Ashoka, I was a tenure track assistant professor at Bogazici University (Turkey). I also held visiting positions at William and Mary and at New York University. I have also taught at Hunter and Queens college, CUNY before.