Margaret Hanson

Margaret Hanson is an Assistant Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies. Her research focuses on authoritarian politics and factors which stabilize or, conversely, undermine dictators’ (and aspiring dictators’) control, with an emphasis on the former Soviet Union. More specifically, she is interested in how formal and informal institutions interact to shape governance in autocracies; her work centers on the role of law, courts, and corruption. She teaches classes in comparative politics, authoritarian politics, political economy, and research methods.