Matthew K. Ribar

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the department of political science at Stanford University. I study the political economy of land, development, and violence with a regional focus on West Africa. In my dissertation project, I explore an empirical puzzle in African politics: why do formal property rights for land remain rare across the continent? Empirical research suggests that households who formalize their agricultural landholdings benefit relative to households that do not. Written land titles are available on-demand in many African countries. However, few households actually apply to formalize their land. A parallel track of my research agenda explores strategies to reduce political violence in the African Sahel, including a randomized control trial in Niger in collaboration with Mercy Corps.

I am the recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship. My work has also been supported by the United States Agency for International Development, the Structural Transformation and Economic Growth Initiative, the Stanford King Center on Global Development, the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, and a SurveyCTO data collection grant.

Before coming to Stanford, I worked as a program associate at Mathematica Policy Research; I supported impact evaluations of Millennium Challenge Corporation programs in Senegal, Benin, Liberia, and Cabo Verde. I also worked for the Teaching, Research, and International Policy (TRIP) project and for the Pacific Small Arms Action Group. I hold an MA in political science from Stanford University and a BA in International Relations jointly from the College of William & Mary and the University of St. Andrews.

I am on the 2024-2025 academic job market.