I am an Associate Professor of Political Science at Macalester College. I have been a Fulbright Scholar at Sciences Po Bordeaux and a Residential Fellow at the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study. I received my PhD from UCLA, specializing in political economy of development, empirical research methods, and social movements.

My first book, Political Protest in Contemporary Africa (Cambridge University Press) received an honorable mention for Best Book of 2018 from the African Politics Conference Group. It explores how class politics drive African protests, with an emphasis on Niger and Senegal.

My current work investigates why protests succeed or fail around the world. My next book, forthcoming from Beacon Press in fall 2024, translates my scholarship for the general public. It is tentatively titled Data-Driven Protest: How the New Science of Social Movements Can Empower Activists. 

I am a regular consultant for governmental and non-governmental organizations, focusing on impact evaluation and policy analysis.

You can reach me at lmueller@macalester.edu. For inquiries about Data-Driven Protest, please contact Jennifer Thompson (Nordlyset Literary Agency).