Maya Sen Photo
Professor of Public Policy

Maya Sen is a political scientist whose interests include law, political economy, race and ethnic politics, and statistical methods. Her research has been published in journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, and The Journal of Politics, and has been covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Public Radio, and other outlets. She has testified before Congress and presidential commissions on issues pertaining to the federal courts.

Professor Sen's latest book, The Judicial Tug of War: How Lawyers, Politicians, and Ideological Incentives Shape the American Judiciary, is available from Cambridge University Press. Sen's first book, Deep Roots: How Slavery Still Shapes Southern Politics, is available from Princeton University Press and won the 2019 William H. Riker Book Award for best book published in political economy.

Sen graduated in 2012 with a Ph.D. from the Department of Government, Harvard University. She also holds an A.M. in Statistics and an A.B. in Economics, both from Harvard University, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.

Professor Sen's CV can be found here. Additional information, publications, and working papers, can be found on Professor Sen's faculty webpage and Google Scholar profile. Media coverage of her research can be found here. For research updates, please follow her on Twitter.

Academic Journal/Scholarly Articles

Book Chapters

HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series

Research Papers/Reports

Transparent Engagement 

Harvard Kennedy School is proud of its energetic involvement in the world. To better understand how to solve public problems by improving policy and leadership, we engage directly with policymakers, public leaders, governments, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses whose activities affect those problems. However, we recognize that such engagement can raise questions about perceived and potential conflicts of interest, so we disclose publicly the key professional activities of our faculty outside the Kennedy School. The activities disclosed below are for the most recent reporting period, as defined by University policy. Some may be paid, some may be unpaid, and others may be in exchange for expense reimbursement only.

Outside Professional Activities For Maya Sen

Organization Relationship
American Academy of Arts and Sciences Consulting

Mailing Address

Harvard Kennedy School
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138