Welcome! I am a PhD Candidate in Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh.

My research examines electoral accountability under economic shocks, focusing on how the political context shapes whether voter punishment for economic hardship produces meaningful changes in who governs. While voters tend to punish incumbents when conditions deteriorate, this does not always translate into seat losses or shifts in governing control.

In my dissertation, I study how the structure of electoral competition, including the fragmentation of opposition, the availability of credible alternatives, and the level of government where voters perceive accountability to be most direct, conditions the consequences of economic shocks across democracies. I explore these dynamics by leveraging causal inference methods to identify both the effects of economic shocks and the mechanisms that shape incumbent punishment.

I hold a BA in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2022) and an MA in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh (2024).

Please feel free to contact me at laura.chelidonopoulos@pitt.edu. Thank you for visiting!