Here is a bit of an overview of what I’m reading and listening to, academic or otherwise.

Reading Lists

I’ve put together a bunch of Excel sheets on different topics I am reading about. Perhaps they will be useful for you as well.

• Read inspiring article here.
• View my own CSED spreadsheet here.

Favourite Papers

• The Development Effects of the Extractive Colonial Economy: The Dutch Cultivation System in Java
• Tilly Goes to Church: The Religious and Medieval Roots of European State Fragmentation
• Urban Public Works in Spatial Equilibrium: Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia
• Identification of and Correction for Publication Bias
• Does UN Peacekeeping Prevent Communal Violence? Evidence from Disputes in Burkina Faso and Mali
• Nested Analysis as a Mixed-Method Strategy for Comparative Research

I’m also compiling documentation on things (mostly datasets) that I often find myself searching for. Hopefully this will speed up the process for others.

Nightlight Datasets

• AfroGrid
• Data in Space
• Blackmarbler
• nightlightstats

What I’m Reading for Fun

I Know why the Caged Bird Sings: Maya Angelou: Catching up on essential reads that I missed out on in my early education, there’s not really anything I can say about the gravity of this book that has not been said before.

The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman: Angela Carter: Definitely the strangest book I have read in a while. Jeff VanderMeer cited Carter’s work as a big influence when writing Annihilation and it shows.

Fathers and Sons: Ivan Turgenev: A story of generational divides, Fathers and Sons is a brief but immersive read that serves as a microcosm for the burgeoning nihilist movement in Russia in the mid to late 1800s.

Jihadists of North Africa and the Sahel: Alexander Thurston: Another example of excellent social science research. Predominantly qualitative, but supported by an array of evidence, Thurston’s work on clandestine movements in Northern Africa is a great read.

The Art of Not Being Governed: James C. Scott: Scott addresses “stateless” peoples and their tactics to avoid integration into the state. Why do certain groups wish to remain stateless? Is it because these people are inherently anarchistic and barbarous? Perhaps, but it is also about the preservation of culture and identity.

Passing: Nella Larsen: Tragic and, like much of the literature I have been consuming recently, shockingly applicable to current affairs.

Regarding the Pain of Others: Susan Sontag: While Sontag discusses war photography from a moral, ethical, and feminist perspective, I think her most profound discussion is on our collective memory of horrific events.

Essays in Idleness: Yoshida Kenkō: Beautifully written and serving as a unique window into medieval Japan, Essays in Idleness is let down by some of Kenkō’s musings, particularly about women, which are, though a product of their time, pretty outmoded.

The Wretched of the Earth: Frantz Fanon: Fanon’s discussion of the impacts of colonialism and imperialism on collective mental health are both ahead of their time and upsettingly prescient of current affairs. This was my foray into Fanon’s work, and I have been hooked ever since.

The My Struggle Hexalogy: Karl Ove Knausgård: Across six engrossing volumes, Knausgård recounts his childhood, adolescence, and adult life through to the present day. It is scandalous, joyous, and often difficult to wrestle with.

The Southern Reach Trilogy: Jeff VanderMeer: Annihilation, the first in the trilogy, is certainly the high point, but VanderMeer’s surreal and evocative description of Area X and the Southern Reach organization makes the trilogy difficult to put down.

Notes from Underground: Fyodor Dostoevsky: Whether this is the first work of existential fiction is up for debate, but in any case this is a gripping novella, and a good introduction to Dostoevsky for those who haven’t read his work before.

Conservative Parties and the Birth of Democracy: Daniel Ziblatt: What I consider to be the embodiment of exceptional social science research, Ziblatt’s book gives an excellent set of comparative case studies intertwined with rigorous empirical analysis.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland: Patrick Radden Keefe: A fantastic and thorough piece of research on the Troubles, Keefe is a true wordsmith, able to navigate difficult and intense moments with finesse.

Working: Studs Turkel: A really unique, but quite harrowing, read—Turkel listens to the real America tell it’s story.

Euphoria: Lily King: A sort of fictionalized version of pioneering anthropologist Margaret Mead’s life, Euphoria describes the flora, fauna, and people of Papua New Guinea in vivid detail.

The Africa Trilogy: Chinua Achebe: Three generations of African life—from pre- to post-colonialism—are covered in Achebe’s devastating but essential trilogy.

What I’m Listening To

DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ: Charmed: DJSTTDJ’s 2020 record is mammoth; 33 tracks and a run time of over three hours, this record sucks you in with its layered, nostalgic, and hypnotic house beats.

Herbie Hancock: Thrust: Four tracks of synthy, groovy, spacey keyboards—one of Hancock’s lesser known records, but an absolute journey nonetheless.

Little Simz: GREY Area: British rapper Little Simz manages to traverse the entire spectrum of emotions in her dense and rewarding 30-minute record—101 FM and Flowers are particular highlights.

The Physics House Band: Incident on 3rd: Brighton-based experimental rock outfit evoke the thrills and anxieties of roaming a big city at night.

Laura Mvula: Pink Noise: I love the 80’s aesthetic of Mvula’s new record—it manages to balance homage and authenticity with ease.

Allan Holdsworth: Live in Japan 1984: The much-missed fusion virtuoso and his band, I.O.U., melt faces in one of my favourite live performances of any band ever.

Flowered Up: A Life with Brian & Weekender: Savagely underrated London rock quartet Flowered Up brought Madchester down to London with a punchy debut (A Life with Brian) and epic swansong single Weekender (the accompanying short film directed by W.I.Z. is also a must-watch).

Dinner Party: Dinner Party: Some of the hottest names in jazz/RnB conform to create a relaxed, minimalist, and highly enjoyable, if a little brief, album.

Haru Nemuri: Haru to Shura: J-rock artist Haru Nemuri is exhilarating—catchy vocal lines, blistering guitar work, and very well-paced.

Stargazer: Perihelion: 8-bit synths, quintuplet swings, and constant polyrhythms, Stargazer’s second album is a marked improvement over their first outing and a really fun listen.

JPEGMAFIA: Veteran: Aggressive and progressive, Peggy’s second full length is a overwhelming but highly addictive adventure.

Jean-Luc Ponty: Cosmic Messenger: 70’s prog rock and electric violin are a surprising but wonderful pairing.

Hugh Masekela: Pure Sounds of Africa: A collection of Masekela’s greatest tunes—Don’t Go Lose It is an absolute jam that is way ahead of it’s time—that are sure to lift your spirits.

Three Trapped Tigers: Numbers: 1-13: Cinematic instrumental math rock that really stands out from the pack; 5 and 6 are particular highlights for me.

My own music

In addition to doing political science research and data analysis and such, I like to write and record music. I’m currently recording through an Axe-Fx II, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, and Cubase 10.