Lavery, Jerry

Jerry Lavery started his PhD at Michigan State in the fall of 2009. His three great passions in life are Africa, democracy, and the Boston Red Sox (in no particular order).  His principal field of interest is comparative politics. His research interests include identifying the causes and consequences of electoral violence, public opinion, and understanding the impact of development policy on democratization in Africa. Prior to MSU, Jerry was senior program manager for East Africa at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (www.ndi.org) where he implemented democracy assistance programs in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda for more than three years. Jerry also worked for Chemonics International (www.chemonics.com) as a business development manager for the Africa region, coordinating new business activities and establishing alliances with local institutions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania. Earlier, as a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship recipient, he researched the process, prospects, and constraints of democratization in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Jerry obtained his M.A. in regional economic and social development from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. While earning his B.A. in government and philosophy from Connecticut College, he studied at the University of Dar es Salaam and served as an election monitor for Tanzania’s first multi-party elections.