About Me

Career

Before joining King’s in 2020, I was a program director at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University (2018-20) and the associate director of the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University, Bloomington (2015-18). At IU, I was also a visiting assistant professor in Political Science and Law.

I hold a BA and MA in Philosophy from the University of Bologna, and a joint PhD/MA in Classics and Political Science from Stanford University.​

Research 

My research focuses on two interrelated topics: first, the development of political, legal, and economic institutions in pre-modern, citizen-centered governments; and second, the lessons that the emergence, configuration, and breakdown of such institutions hold for the theory and practice of institution building in the modern world.

I approach these questions from the perspective of both a historian and a social scientist: For this reason, I often find myself writing and thinking about methodology and the pros and cons of different ways to use and misuse historical evidence, methods, and theory.

Grants

My work has received support from many institutions and foundations, including the Center for the Study of Governance and Society, the British Academy, the Ethereum Foundation, the Eutopia Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation.​

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Outside Academia

Half a lifetime ago, I was a somewhat professional basketball player. These days I love rock climbing, cycling, and going on walks with my dog, Alma.