David Epstein

David Epstein is Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. He received an A.B. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Political Economics from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Prof. Epstein applies game theory and statistical modeling to the analysis of political institutions. His research includes such diverse topics as racial redistricting, legislative organization, inter-branch delegation of authority, internet voting, democratic transitions, ethnic politics, the market for terrorist services, and the dynamics of state failure.

Prof. Epstein, along with Prof. O’Halloran, served as a consulting expert and expert witness in the state of Georgia’s redistricting efforts following the year 2000 census. Their efforts culminated in the Supreme Court case Georgia vs. Ashcroft, in which the Court cited both their testimony and their published work in its opinion, which revolutionized the judicial interpretation of the Voting Rights Act. Their forthcoming book on the subject is titled Dividing Lines: Racial Redistricting and Substantive Representation.

Prof. Epstein is the co-author of Delegating Powers (Cambridge University Press), as well as over 20 articles in leading journals, including American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, and International Organization, with consulting engagements at the Pew Foundation, the CIA’s Political Instability Task Force, and the World Bank.