Nicolás Idrobo is a postdoctoral scholar in the Program for Quantitative and Analytical Political Science (QAPS) at Princeton University. His research examines how economic sanctions on authoritarian regimes can backfire: rather than weakening incumbents, sanctions depress the economy in ways that disproportionately encourage opponents to emigrate, ultimately reinforcing the regime’s hold on power.

Beyond this focus, he studies political economy and methodology, with a regional emphasis on Latin America. His work has appeared in the Journal of Politics and Cambridge Elements, among other outlets, and will soon appear in World Development. He received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania in 2025.