He received a B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University in 1990 and a Ph.D. in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame in 2000. His research in comparative politics emphasizes European politics, political parties, democratic institutions, and national identity. In 2011 he became co-editor of the European Journal of Political Research's Political Data Yearbook, with responsibility for overseeing the digitization of the yearbook and its development as an interactive data-driven website. He is the recipient of Truman and Fulbright scholarships, as well as of IREX Individual Advanced Research Grants. He has served as a consultant for the U.S. Department of State on the politics of central Europe, and his ongoing research includes projects on party transformation, populism, and the sources of electoral support for authoritarian leaders.