I'm an assistant professor of Social Research and Public Policy at New York University Abu Dhabi.  Broadly, I am a generalist whose sociological research addresses fundamental questions about the dynamics of social life.  My work, which follows from the tradition of analytical sociology, is concerned with the contextual and situational sources of beliefs and preferences, as well as the psychological and cognitive underpinnings of social institutions and social organization.  Detailing in clear and precise ways the causal mechanisms through which micro- and macro-level social outcomes are brought about is central to my research program. To accomplish this task, I use a battery of methods and techniques that dissect the interactive and multi-level nature of social life.  I explore these dynamics and implement this research program through the study of trust and trustworthiness, social norms, collective action, and network formation. 

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