My name is Jaclyn Davis and I'm a PhD Candidate in Political Science at Columbia University. My research examines the role of historical legacies in shaping conflict dynamics and reinforcing social divisions today. I am primarily interested in understanding the different ways that local justice systems such as courts, police, or informal norms take shape over time, and the ways that these local systems perpetuate or alleviate inequalities. I conducted fieldwork for my dissertation in the Philippines, including time in person in Manila and the southern region of Mindanao, as well as remote fieldwork through phone surveys and qualitative interviews. Prior to doctoral fieldwork, I conducted interviews in US prisons, jails, courts, and communities on the topic of community reintegration after incarceration. I employ archival research, semi-structured interviews, survey experiments, and administrative records to generate new datasets and novel measures.

My work is supported by the Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund, Center for Development Economics and Policy, Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life, Weatherhead East Asia Institute, and the Columbia Political Science Department. I am also currently an AC4 Fellow, SEAREG Fellow, and graduate student researcher at the Columbia Justice Lab.

You can reach me by email at jaclyn.davis[at]columbia.edu