His research focuses on African politics with specific attention to democratization issues. His most recent book, Judicial Politics in New Democracies: Cases from Southern Africa, examines judicial development in new Southern African democracies. His other published work appears in a variety of peer-reviewed journals and several edited volumes. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Fulbright-Hays program. He received his PhD from the University of Florida. He served as a sub-Saharan Africa adviser for Freedom of the Press.