Nathaniel D.F. Allen
School for Advanced International Studies
1740 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (301) 281-5001
EDUCATION:
Ph.D. Candidate, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (exp. 2017)
Dissertation: The Role of the Armed Forces in the Politics of African Democratization
Advisor: Peter M. Lewis
Subfields: Strategic Studies, Political Economy, African Studies
M.P.A., Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs, 2014
Field: Development Studies
B.A. in Political Science, with Honors, Swarthmore College, 2008
School for International Training, 2007, Bamako, Mali
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY:
2015-Present, Contributor, Economist Intelligence Unit
2013, Rosenthal Fellow, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State
2009-2012, Research Analyst, International Projects, NORC at the University of Chicago
2009, Armed Services Committee, U.S. House of Representatives
2008, Intern, Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. House of Representatives
2007, Intern, U.S. Agency for International Development, Mali, West Africa
RESEARCH:
Published Papers
2015. “Down, Not Out: How to Fight Back Against Boko Haram’s Newest Strategy.” With Peter M. Lewis
and Hillary Matfess. Foreign Affairs. June 18, 2015.
2013. “Misreading Mali’s Collapse: Foreign Aid, Governance and Political Instability in Emerging
Democracies.” Journal of Public and International Affairs 24.
Book Reviews
2015. A Carl Levan (2015). Dictatorships and Democracy in African Development: The Political Economy
of Public Goods Provision in Nigeria. Africa Today 61(4). Forthcoming September 2015.
Commentary
2015. “The Islamic State, Boko Haram, and the Evolution of International Jihad.” Washington Post. March
27, 2015.
2014. “The Boko Haram Insurgency by the Numbers.” Washington Post. With Peter M. Lewis and Hillary
Matfess. October 6, 2014.
In Progress
“Process Peace: A New Evaluation Framework For International Diplomacy.” With Travis Sharp.
“A Contingent View of the Evolution of Boko Haram.” With Peter M. Lewis and Hilary Matfess
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HONORS AND AWARDS:
2014 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention
2013 Harold Rosenthal Fellow, Association of Professional Schools of Public and International Affairs
2013 Eleanor Lansing Dulles Fellowship, Princeton University
2013 Certificate of Appreciation, U.S. Department of State
2012 Graduate Fellowship, Princeton University
2007 Maimonides Leaders’ Fellowship, Swarthmore College
2007 Public Policy Field Research Grant, Swarthmore College
2006 New Linkages Miller Fellowship, Swarthmore College
2004 Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship, U.S. Department of Education
PRESENTATIONS:
2015. “A Contingent View of Boko Haram.” To be presented at the American Political Science Association
Annual Meeting, San Francsico, CA. With Peter M. Lewis and Hilary Matfess.
2014. “Process Peace: A New Evaluation Framework for Unofficial Diplomacy.” Presented at Princeton
University’s Minefields for Mediation conference, Princeton , NJ. With Travis Sharp.
2010. “Enumerative Survey Design for Analytical Research.” Presentation to the Washington Statistical
Society, Washington, DC. With Fritz Scheuren.
POLICY REPORTS:
2014. Bridging Divides: Track II Diplomacy in the Middle East. Woodrow Wilson School Policy Research
Report. With Princeton Policy Research Workshop Led by Former Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer.
2012. Morocco Olive Sector Assistance Program: Baseline and Midterm Reports. Two reports submitted to the
Millennium Challenge Account- Morocco. With Sarah Hughes, Mawadda Damon, & Yvonne Cao.
2010-2011. Competitive African Cotton for Pro-Poor Growth Baseline Surveys in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and
Malawi: Data Analysis and Findings. Three reports submitted to German Development Bank.
LANGUAGES
French (fluent), Arabic (proficient), Spanish (proficient).
FIELD EXPERIENCE
Residence: Morocco (June 2011 – July 2012), Mali (February – August 2007)
Fieldwork: Nigeria, Zambia, Cote D’Ivoire, Lesotho, Turkey, Qatar, Germany
Other: Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Israel, Germany, France
STATISTICAL SOFTWARE SKILLS
Proficient with SPSS, STATA, R, and SAS.
ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS:
2014-Present, Member, American Political Science Association
2014-Present, Member, African Studies Association
2012-2014, Associate Editor, Journal of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University
2010-2011, Member, Society for International Development, Washington, DC
2007-2008, Swarthmore College Hillel President
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SELECTED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND CONSULTANCIES:
2013 - 2014. U.S. Department of State. Track II Diplomacy and the Middle East – Graduate Workshop
(Princeton University).
Policy workshop led by former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Daniel Kurtzer assessing the viability of Track II
diplomacy as an instrument for conflict resolution in the Middle East. Served as co-drafter of report and
participated in briefings of high level U.S. government officials.
2013. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. Nigeria Engagement
Evaluation (Harold W Rosenthal Fellow).
Played key role in the design of an evaluation for an ongoing Department of State effort to stabilize the
Niger Delta region of Nigeria. A first for the Bureau, the evaluation combined baseline, midterm, and endline survey data, cell-phone monitoring surveys, and qualitative data to assess the impact of an antiviolence themed mass media campaign. Received Certificate of Appreciation signed by Assistant
Secretary Rick Barton in acknowledgement of contributions.
2011 - 2012. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Impact Evaluation – Kingdom of Morocco (Research
Analyst, NORC at the University of Chicago).
Worked as NORC’s first field-based Resident Advisor in Morocco. Managed the design of relational
database, conducted performance evaluation, and analyzed first and second round data for RCT of MCC
technical assistance to the olive sector.
2010 - 2012. German Development Agency (GIZ) Evaluation of Competitive African Cotton and Cashew
Initiatives for Pro-Poor Growth (Research Analyst, NORC at the University of Chicago).
Traveled to program countries to train partners on NORC’s instrumentation and quality control
techniques. Worked closely with the project statistician and director to design an analytical approach
appropriate to each country. Wrote SPSS syntax and drafted baseline reports for Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina
Faso and Malawi. Presented cross-country findings at stakeholder conference in Germany.
2009 - 2012. MCC Impact Evaluation - Kingdom of Lesotho (Research Analyst, NORC at the University of
Chicago).
Worked with NORC statisticians and experts to design the sample, draft the questionnaire, and analyze
data from the project’s main survey of 3900 households. Drafted technical section and coordinated
winning proposal for competitive rebid, worth $ 3.3 million.
2009 - 2011. MCC Impact Evaluation - Republic of Honduras (Research Analyst, NORC at the University of
Chicago).
Analyzed data and wrote midterm trend analysis evaluation of agricultural assistance component of MCC
program. Wrote trend analysis of traffic data for NORC’s final evaluation report and prepared datasets for
public use.
2009. U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee (Intern).
Wrote report on military officer retention which was presented to the Committee Chairman Ike Skelton
and several other members of Congress. Supported senior-level staff and members of Congress in the
planning, organization and execution of multiple oversight hearings.
2008. U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee (Intern).
Drafted opening statement and questions for Subcommittee Chairman Brad Sherman for hearing on
leveraging foreign aid in the fight against terrorism. Helped write legislation to strengthen and
modernize U.S. exports controls, which passed the House as part of FY 2009 Foreign Relations
Authorization Act.
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