Leonardo Arriola
Leonardo R. Arriola is currently Dean of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts at University of California, Merced.
As a political scientist, he studies the challenges associated with representation and governance in multiethnic societies. He focuses on inter-ethnic political cooperation, political violence in divided societies, and strategies of human rights advocacy. His award-winning research has been published in outlets such as the American Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, and Journal of Politics along with books published by Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. His work has been funded by grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Research Council of Norway, Carnegie Corporation of New York, U.S. Department of Defense, Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, and Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP). He is an associated senior researcher at the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) in Norway. He is a past recipient of the Carol D. Soc Distinguished Graduate Student Mentoring Award from Berkeley’s Graduate Division and the Graduate Council of the Academic Senate. He was the recipient of the 2023 Graduate Student Mentorship Award from Berkeley's Political Science Department as well as the 2024 Beatriz Manz Award for scholarship, teaching, and service from Berkeley's College of Letters & Science.
Arriola, Leonardo R., Lise Rakner, and Nicolas van de Walle, editors. 2023. Democratic Backsliding in Africa? Autocratization, Resilience, and Contention. Oxford Studies in African Politics and International Relations. Oxford University Press. [Open Access]
Arriola, Leonardo R., Martha C. Johnson, and Melanie L. Phillips, editors. 2021. Women and Power in Africa: Aspiring, Campaigning, and Governing. Oxford Studies in African Politics and International Relations. Oxford University Press.
Honorable mention (2022) for the best Africa-focused anthology or edited collection from the African Studies Review.
Arriola, Leonardo R. 2012. Multiethnic Coalitions in Africa: Business Financing of Opposition Election Campaigns. Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics. Cambridge University Press.
Best book award from the African Politics Conference Group, the organized section of the American Political Science Association (APSA) and the African Studies Association (ASA).
Honorable mention for the Gregory Luebbert Prize for best book from the Comparative Politics section of the American Political Science Association (APSA).
Arriola, Leonardo R., Donghyun Danny Choi, and Matthew K. Gichohi. 2022. "Increasing Intergroup Trust: Political Endorsements and Voting in Divided Societies." Journal of Politics 84(4): 2107-2122.
Arriola, Leonardo R., Donghyun Danny Choi, Justine Davis, Melanie Phillips, and Lise Rakner. 2022. "Paying to Party: Candidate Resources and Party Switching in New Democracies." Party Politics 28(3): 507-520.
Arriola, Leonardo R., Jed DeVaro, and Anne Meng. 2021. “Democratic Subversion: Elite Cooptation and Opposition Fragmentation.” American Political Science Review 115(4): 1358-1372.
Arriola, Leonardo R., David D. Dow, Aila M. Matanock, and Michaela Mattes. 2021. "Policing Institutions and Civil Conflict." Journal of Conflict Resolution 65(10): 1738-1763.
Arriola, Leonardo R. and Allison Grossman. 2021. "Ethnic Marginalization and (Non)Compliance in Public Health Emergencies." Journal of Politics 83(3): 807-820.
Arriola, Leonardo R. and Terrence Lyons. 2016. "Ethiopia: The 100% Election." Journal of Democracy 27(1): 76-88.
Arriola, Leonardo R. and Martha C. Johnson. 2014. "Ethnic Politics and Women’s Empowerment in Africa: Ministerial Appointments to Executive Cabinets." American Journal of Political Science 58(2): 495-510.
Arriola, Leonardo R. 2013. "Capital and Opposition in Africa: Coalition Building in Multiethnic Societies." World Politics 65(2): 233-272.
Arriola, Leonardo R. 2013. "Protesting and Policing in a Multiethnic Authoritarian State: Evidence from Ethiopia." Comparative Politics 45(2): 147-168.
Arriola, Leonardo R. 2009. "Patronage and Political Stability in Africa." Comparative Political Studies 42(10): 1339-1362.
Best article award from the African Politics Conference Group, the organized section of the American Political Science Association (APSA) and the African Studies Association (ASA).