Cyrus Samii is Associate Professor in the Wilf Family Department of Politics of New York University.
He writes and teaches on quantitative social science methodology, with an emphasis on causal inference. He is a prominent expert on the design of quantitative field research and field experiments. He also conducts applied research on governance in contexts where formal institutions are weak, the political economy of development, and social, economic, and psychological causes of violent conflict. He has designed and carried out field studies in Afghanistan, Burundi, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Israel, Liberia, and Nepal. This research has been conducted in collaboration with partners from various international agencies, including the World Bank, United Nations, US Agency for International Development, UK Department for International Development, and Danish International Aid Agency, as well as non-governmental and civil society organizations in the respective countries.
His work has appeared in leading peer-reviewed journals such as the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Annals of Applied Statistics, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Peace Research, Journal of Politics, Political Analysis, and Survey Methodology. He is a member of the Evidence in Governance and Politics network and co-convener of the Northeast Workshop in Empirical Political Science and the Contemporary African Political Economy Research Seminar. He received his PhD in political science from Columbia University, a master’s in international affairs from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and BA from Tufts University.
