Research

I study international and comparative political economy. My primary research interests lie in the domestic political consequences of globalization for emerging economies, with an empirical focus on South Asia. I am also engaged in several projects related to the political economy of migration, both internal and international. At Texas A&M, I am a Research Fellow in the Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy and a Faculty Associate of the Lab for Economic Development Research (LEDR).

See below for a list of my publications, articles under review, and works in progress.

Book

Leblang, David and Benjamin Helms. 2023. The Ties That Bind: Immigration and the Global Political Economy (with David Leblang). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Click here to order from Cambridge University Press, or click here to order on Amazon.

Peer-reviewed articles

Helms, Benjamin and Junghyun Lim. 2025. "Globalization, Internal Migration, and Public Goods Provision in Emerging Economies." American Journal of Political Science, Early View.

Helms, Benjamin, Sonal Pandya, and Rajkumar Venkatesan. 2025. "War on Aisle 5: Casualties, National Identity, and Consumer Behavior." Journal of Conflict Resolution, 69 (2-3): 434-462.

Helms, Benjamin. 2024. "Global Economic Integration and Nativist Politics in Emerging Economies." American Journal of Political Science, 68 (2): 595-612.

Helms, Benjamin. 2023. "Exit or Voice? Corruption Perceptions and Emigration." Studies in Comparative International Development, 59: 138-175.

Helms, Benjamin and David Leblang. 2022. "Labor Market Policy as Immigration Control: The Case of Temporary Protected Status." International Studies Quarterly, 66 (3), sqac042.

Helms, Benjamin and David Leblang. 2019. "Global Migration: Causes and Consequences." Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford University Press.

Under review

"Foreign Direct Investment Liberalization Increases Local Corruption" (with Sonal Pandya and Sheetal Sekhri). Revised and resubmitted to The Journal of Politics.

In progress

"Global Economic Integration and the Political Economy of Education Provision." In preparation for submission.

"Electoral Consequences of Nativist Policy: A View from the States" (with David Leblang). In preparation for submission.

"Global Economic Integration and Electoral Change in Emerging Economies" (with Junghyun Lim). Draft in progress.

"Historic Marginalization and Support for Globalization in Emerging Economies." Draft in progress.

"Citizens without Representation? Internal Migrants in Local Politics" (with Rithika Kumar). Analysis in progress.

"Migrant Networks as Economic Shock Absorbers" (with Zerah Lamorena, David Leblang, and Margaret Peters). Analysis in progress.

"Globalization and Human Capital Decisions of Marginalized Groups." Analysis in progress.

"Trade, Consumption, and Political Polarization" (with Sonal Pandya and Melle Scholten). Analysis in progress.