Alumnus Leonardo Carella wins prize for best doctoral thesis

Alumnus Leonardo Carella has won the DPIR’s inaugural prize for the best doctoral thesis in Government.

Leonardo’s thesis is entitled “Essays on Electoral Institutions” and was completed in the academic year 2022-23. It asks whether – and how – electoral systems affect the outcomes of democratic politics ‘beyond their well-know relationship to party systems’. To help answer this question, it presents three studies on the consequences of electoral institutions. 

In his research, Leonardo uses quantitative methods and says he says has a ‘keen interest’ in the use of statistical techniques. 

Responding to news of his prize, he said:

"I'm thrilled to receive this prize for my DPhil thesis. I am part of a cohort of doctoral students whose degree was heavily affected by Covid-19: if my thesis has seen the light of day, it's in no small part due to the DPIR's community of doctoral students, whose support through tough times was invaluable. I am also very grateful to my supervisor Ben Ansell and to Andy Eggers for their mentorship." 

A Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow in Politics at Nuffield College since October 2022, Leonardo completed his DPhil in Politics at Mansfield College, Oxford, and the DPIR. As Leonardo’s supervisor, DPIR’s Professor Ben Ansell is named as a contributor to the thesis.