New at the MZES: Nan Zhang, Ph.D., head of Emmy Noether research group "Making Diversity Work"

Nan Zhang, Ph.D. is head of the Emmy-Noether research group "Making Diversity Work."  Using innovative field experimental methods, this project aims to create novel behavioral indicators of social cohesion across multiethnic German neighborhoods. A key contribution is to focus explicitly on important unexamined differences between highly-diverse contexts in order to understand the conditions under which diversity may undermine or, conversely, promote cooperation.

More broadly, Nan is interested in the study of group relations, language and identity, social norms, and civic behavior. Major applications of this research agenda include immigration, ethnic diversity, and state- and nation-building. His work has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and the European Sociological Review, amongst other outlets.

Nan holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and a double B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining the MZES, he held positions at the Max-Planck-Institute for Research on Collective Goods and the European University Institute.

(14 September 2021)