I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California. Previously. During the academic year 2022-23, I was the inaugural Gerhard Casper Postdoctoral Fellow in Rule of Law at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law in Stanford University. I obtained my PhD in political science at the University of Rochester in 2022. 

My primary research interest lies in the political economy of development. I use an institutional lens and a wide range of methods to analyze bias and discrimination, including their causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Specifically, I study topics such as the judiciary, women in politics, political representation, political parties, and bureaucracies in the developing world, with a regional focus on South Asia. You can find a copy of my CV here.

If you want to talk more about my work, or just say hi, please get in touch. My email is: varun.rama [AT] usc [DOT] edu.

I go by my first name, Varun (V-uh-r-uu-n). Officially, my last name is Karekurve-Ramachandra (Cur-ey-coor-way -- Raam-uh-chund-ra).