His research focuses on democratic transitions and the evolution of non-democratic rule in cross-regional perspective. He is best known for his work on hybrid or competitive authoritarian rule. His book, Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War (with Steven Levitsky), was published in 2010 by Cambridge University Press. He has also published articles in Comparative Politics, Journal of Democracy, Perspectives on Politics, Politics & Society, Slavic Review, Studies in Comparative and International Development, World Politics, as well as in a variety of area studies journals and edited volumes. He is completing a book: Pluralism by Default and the Sources of Political Competition after the Cold War and is beginning a new project exploring the impact of violent revolutionary origins on authoritarian durability . He is on the Editorial Board of Journal of Democracy.