You are here

› › Neil Malhotra

Neil Malhotra
Neil Malhotra
Professor, Political Economy
Contact Info
Email
Personal Website
NeilMalhotra
The Edith M. Cornell Professor of Political Economy
Professor of Political Science (by courtesy), School of Humanities and Sciences
Susan Ford Dorsey Faculty Fellow for 2019-2020
Academic Area: 
Political Economy

Additional Administrative Titles

Louise & Claude Rosenberg Jr. Director, Center for Social Innovation

Bio

Neil Malhotra is the Edith M. Cornell Professor of Political Economy in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. He also holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Political Science. He serves as the Louise and Claude N. Rosenberg, Jr. Director of the Center for Social Innovation at the Stanford GSB.

He has authored over 60 articles on numerous topics including American politics, political behavior, and survey methodology. His research has been published in the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, among other outlets. He currently serves as an Associate Editor of Public Opinion Quarterly and the Journal of Experimental Political Science.

He received his MA and PhD in political science from Stanford University, where he was the Melvin & Joan Lane Stanford Graduate Fellow. He received a BA in economics from Yale University.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD in Political Science, Stanford University, 2008
  • MA in Political Science, Stanford University, 2005
  • BA in Economics, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Distinction in the Major, Yale University, 2002

Academic Appointments

  • At Stanford University since 2008

Professional Experience

  • Visiting Scholar, Russell Sage Foundation

Awards and Honors

  • Susan Ford Dorsey Faculty Fellow for 2016-2017
  • Philip F. Maritz Faculty Scholar, Stanford GSB, 2013-2014
  • Jewell-Loewenberg Award for the Best Article in Legislative Studies Quarterly, American Political Science Association
  • Invited Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences

Publications

Journal Articles

The Effect of Distributive Politics on Electoral Participation: Evidence from 70 Million Agricultural Payments
Gabor Simonovits, Neil Malhotra, Raymond Ye Lee, Andrew Healy. Political Behavior (early access). October 15, 2019, Pages 1-14.
Political Legacies: Understanding Their Significance to Contemporary Political Debates
Christian Fong, Neil Malhotra, Yotam Margalit. Political Science & Politics. July 2019, Vol. 52, Issue 3, Pages 451-456.
Does Private Regulation Preempt Public Regulation?
Neil Malhotra, Benoît Monin, Michael Tomz. American Political Science Review. February 2019, Vol. 113, Issue 1, Pages 19–37.
Economic Reasoning with a Racial Hue: Is the Immigration Consensus Purely Race Neutral?
Benjamin J. Newman, Neil Malhotra. The Journal of Politics. January 2019, Vol. 81, Issue 1.
Predispositions and the Political Behavior of American Economic Elites: Evidence from Technology Entrepreneurs
David Broockman, Gregory Ferenstein, Neil Malhotra. American Journal of Political Science. January 2019, Vol. 63, Issue 1, Pages 212-233.
The Economic Consequences of Partisanship in a Polarized Era
Christopher McConnell, Yotam Margalit, Neil Malhotra, Matthew Levendusky. American Journal of Political Science. January 2018, Vol. 62, Issue 1, Pages 5-18.
Perceptions of Health Risks of Cigarette Smoking: A New Measure Reveals Widespread Misunderstanding
Jon A. Krosnick, Neil Malhotra, Cecilia Hyunjung Mo, Eduardo F. Bruera, LinChiat Chang, Josh Pasek, Randall K. Thomas. PLoS ONE. August 14, 2017, Vol. 12, Issue 8.
Research: Political Polarization Is Changing How Americans Work and Shop
Neil Malhotra, Christopher McConnell, Yotam Margalit, Matthew Levendusky. Harvard Business Review. May 19, 2017, Pages 2-4.
Political Homophily in Social Relationships: Evidence from Online Dating Behavior
Neil Malhotra, Gregory Huber. The Journal of Politics. January 2017, Vol. 79, Issue 1, Pages 269-283.
Social Exclusion and Political Identity: The Case of Asian American Partisanship
Neil Malhotra, Alexander Kuo, Cecilia Hyunjung Mo. The Journal of Politics. January 2017, Vol. 79, Issue 1, Pages 17-32.
Natural Disasters and Political Engagement: Evidence from the 2010–11 Pakistani Floods
C. Christine Fair, Patrick M. Kuhn, Neil Malhotra, Jacob N. Shapiro. Quarterly Journal of Political Science. 2017, Vol. 12, Issue 1, Pages 99-141.
(Mis)perceptions of Partisan Polarization in the American Public
Neil Malhotra, Matthew S. Levendusky. Public Opinion Quarterly . April 29, 2016, Vol. 80, Pages 378-391.
Expectation Setting and Retrospective Voting
Neil Malhotra, Yotam Margalit. Journal of Politics. October 2014, Vol. 76, Issue 4, Pages 1000–1016.
Explaining Explanations: How Legislators Explain Their Positions and How Citizens React
Christian R. Grose, Neil Malhotra, Robert Parks Van Houweling. American Journal of Political Science. September 2014, Vol. 00, Issue 0, Pages 1 – 20.
Childhood Socialization and Political Attitudes: Evidence from a Natural Experiment
Neil Malhotra. Journal of Politics. 2013.
Economic Explanations for Opposition to Immigration: Distinguishing Between Prevalence and Conditional Impact
Neil Malhotra. American Journal of Political Science. 2013.
Poverty and Support for Militant Politics: Evidence from Pakistan
Neil Malhotra. American Journal of Political Science. 2013.
Electoral Incentives and Partisan Conflict in Congress: Evidence from Survey Experiments
Neil Malhotra. American Journal of Political Science. 2011.
Irrelevant Events Affect Voters' Evaluations of Government Performance
Neil Malhotra. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2010.
Short-Term Communication Effects or Longstanding Dispositions? The Public's Response to the Financial Crisis of 2008
Neil Malhotra. Journal of Politics. 2010.
Myopic Voters and Natural Disaster Policy
Andrew Healy, Neil Malhotra. American Political Science Review. July 2009, Vol. 103, Issue 3, Pages 387-406.
Attributing Blame: The Public’s Response to Hurricane Katrina
Neil Malhotra, Alexander G. Kuo. The Journal of Politics. 2008, Vol. 70, Issue 1, Pages 120-135.
The Law of k/n: The Effect of Chamber Size on Government Spending in Bicameral Legislatures
Jowei Chen, Neil Malhotra. American Political Science Review. 2007, Vol. 101, Issue 4, Pages 657-676.

Other Publications

Valuing Social Impact Expertise in Impact Investing
Bernadette Clavier, Neil Malhotra. Stanford Social Innovation Review. Stanford University, November 1, 2017.

Working Papers

What Do Donors Want? Heterogeneity by Party and Policy Domain (Research Note) | PDF
David Broockman, Neil Malhotra, November 302018
Economic Reasoning with a Racial Hue: Is the Immigration Consensus Purely Race Neutral? | PDF
Neil Malhotra, Benjamin Newman, August 282017
Natural Disasters and Political Engagement: Evidence from the 2010–11 Pakistani Floods
C. Christine Fair, Patrick Kuhn, Neil Malhotra, Jacob Shapiro, May 312017
Dimensions of Political Homophily: Isolating Choice Homophily along Political Characteristics | PDF
Gregory Huber, Neil Malhotra, October 2013
Are Polls and Probabilities Self-Fulfilling Prophecies?
David Rothschild, Neil Malhotra, March 232013
Personal Emotions and Political Decision Making: Implications for Voter Competence | PDF
Neil Malhotra, Andrew Healy, Cecilia Mo2009
Can October Surprise? A Natural Experiment Assessing Late Campaign Effects | PDF
Neil Malhotra, Marc Meredith2008

Teaching

Degree Courses

2019-20

GSBGEN 208: Ethics in Management

With leadership comes responsibility. This course explores the numerous ethical duties faced by managers and organizations. It combines analytical frameworks with the latest findings on human behavior to inform a wide range of ethical decisions...

2018-19

GSBGEN 208: Ethics in Management

With leadership comes responsibility. This course explores the numerous ethical duties faced by managers and organizations. It combines analytical frameworks with the latest findings on human behavior to inform a wide range of ethical decisions...

2017-18

GSBGEN 208: Ethics in Management

With leadership comes responsibility. This course explores the numerous ethical duties faced by managers and organizations. It combines analytical frameworks with the latest findings on human behavior to inform a wide range of ethical decisions...

Executive Education & Other Non-Degree Programs

Stanford Case Studies

Facebook: Hard Questions (A) | ETH15-A
Ken Shotts, Neil Malhotra, Sheila Melvin2018
Facebook: Hard Questions (B) | ETH15-B
Ken Shotts, Neil Malhotra, Sheila Melvin2018
‘The Nut Behind the Wheel’ to ‘Moral Machines:’ A Brief History of Auto Safety | ETH4
Neil Malhotra, Ken Shotts, Sheila Melvin2014

Service to the Profession

Member

  • American Political Science Association, 2004-2009

In the Media

The Great Recession has influenced populist movements today, say Stanford scholars
Stanford News, December 26, 2018
Silicon Valley’s Politics: Liberal, With One Big Exception
The New York Times, September 6, 2017
Inside Trumpsingles.com, The Exclusive Dating Site For Donald Supporters
GOOD, June 14, 2016
Political Momentum: Is That a Real Thing?
Discovery News, April 15, 2016
The World’s Best 40 Under 40 Business School Professors
Poets & Quants, April 16, 2015
Researchers: How Divided Is the U.S. Electorate?
Washington Post, March 12, 2014
Writing in the Washington Post, two political scientists explore how media coverage of political polarization shapes public opinion.
Does Having Sisters Make You Conservative?
Politico, December 22, 2013
Writing in Politico, Andrew Healy and Stanford GSB's Neil Malhotra say "gender of children can have powerful consequences for a family's political attitudes."

Insights by Stanford Business

written9 Top Videos of 2019
December 9, 2019
Hear career advice from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella or learn how to build your startup team.
written8 Most-Read Stories of 2019
December 6, 2019
Communication mistakes, job-stealing robots, and career-gap explanations captured reader attention this year.
videoWhat Tech Leaders Really Want
September 13, 2019
They’re an influential group that’s hard to pin down politically — until now. Meet the Liberaltarians.
writtenWhy Self-Regulation Can Pay Off
April 24, 2019
Companies that try to fix problems on their own may sidestep more onerous regulations in the future.
writtenHow the Great Recession Influenced Today’s Populist Movements
January 11, 2019
Stanford political scientists explain why populist messages emerged in contemporary politics and how they spurred larger political movements.
writtenHere’s What You Should Read over the Holidays
December 3, 2018
Seven Stanford business professors recommend their favorite books.
writtenAre You an Ethical Leader?
October 18, 2018
Good intentions and gut instinct won’t take you far enough, say two Stanford GSB professors.
writtenDo You Discriminate Along Party Lines?
May 7, 2018
A Stanford study hints at the broad consequences of political polarization.
writtenWhat to Read over the Holidays
December 5, 2017
15 Stanford business professors recommend books for those long winter nights.
writtenWhy Aren’t More Americans Ditching Their Cigarettes?
August 23, 2017
A Stanford study finds that people understand smoking can lead to deadly diseases like lung cancer, but many underestimate those risks.
writtenNonprofits Are Not Immune From Data Breach Risks
March 8, 2016
Digital tools bring privacy challenges to social enterprises.
writtenPolitical Machinations: How Candidates Cater to — and Shape — Public Opinion
February 8, 2016
Four Stanford GSB professors show how our elected officials win over voters.
writtenA Look Back at 2015
December 19, 2015
Explore Stanford Business stories from 2015, including pieces on technology, finance, and work-life balance.
writtenThe Serious Side of the Donald Trump Phenomenon
November 2, 2015
Immigrant resentment has built among Americans who feel left behind.
writtenExploring the Ethics Behind Self-Driving Cars
August 13, 2015
How do you code ethics into autonomous automobiles? And who is responsible when things go awry?
writtenNeil Malhotra: How Politicians Change Their Message to Appeal to Constituents
March 31, 2015
A Stanford professor of political economy dissects an elemental political instinct.
writtenNeil Malhotra: Debunking the Myth of the Liberal Supreme Court
March 17, 2015
A political economist looks at the relationship between public opinion and the high court.
writtenNeil Malhotra: Do Americans Really Want Bipartisanship?
September 8, 2014
A study shows that political identity often trumps a voter’s desire for compromise.
writtenNeil Malhotra: We May Not Be as Color Blind as We Think
April 7, 2014
New research shows that when it comes to dating and marriage, race still matters.
writtenNeil Malhotra: Are Americans’ Fears of Immigration Overstated?
September 30, 2013
A new study explores the evidence behind the idea that people oppose immigration because they fear losing their job.
writtenNeil Malhotra: Having Sisters Makes Men More Likely to Be Republican
July 23, 2013
Research suggests that childhood inexperience with household chores may help shape political views.
writtenNeil Malhotra: Political Polarization Even Extends to Romance
February 13, 2013
New research reveals that political affiliation rivals education level as one of the most important factors in identifying a potential mate.
writtenDisaster Relief Helps the Incumbent
October 30, 2012
Research shows that President Obama may get a bump in the polls from Hurricane Sandy.
writtenHow Polls Influence Behavior
October 30, 2012
New research says polling data helps voters get the information they need to make decisions.
writtenNeil Malhotra: What Does a Hollywood Blockbuster Look Like?
February 16, 2012
A study of the film industry examines discrepancies between estimated and actual box office performance.
writtenNeil Malhotra: Incumbents Thrive When the Home Team Wins
July 1, 2010
Research shows how voting decisions can be influenced by otherwise irrelevant events, such as football scores.
writtenFraming Obama's Stimulus Package
February 1, 2009
A study explores how peoples' backgrounds influence their opinions of the president's plan to boost the economy.

School News

writtenArjay Miller, Former Dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Dies at 101
November 8, 2017
Miller, who left the presidency of Ford Motor Company to lead Stanford GSB, oversaw a significant expansion of the school’s endowment and faculty and helped diversify the student body.
writtenFrom Conflict to Connection: Stanford Students Step Outside Their Comfort Zone
June 2, 2017
In the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election, a workshop series was launched to help students move beyond political conflict.
writtenTwo Stanford MBAs Join Ranks of Stanford GSB Social Innovation Fellows
November 9, 2016
Rajan Patel and Ronnie Washington have been named 2016 Social Innovation Fellows, joining a select group of emerging social entrepreneurs who have received grants since 2009.