Shaikh, Matthew

Matthew is a quantitative researcher focusing on the intersection of socioeconomic inequality, social mobility, and public policy. He is a Teaching and Research Associate at the Institute for Political Economy of Public Policy, having completed his PhD in February 2026 at the WU, including a research stay at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá. His doctoral dissertation evaluates the long-term evolution of inequality of opportunity and social mobility in Colombia, alongside the health consequences of economic inequality and industrial policy. Matthew’s multidisciplinary academic background includes an MSc in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy (SEEP) from WU, a Graduate Diploma in Economics and Development from the University of London, and a Master of Physics from The University of Manchester. At WU, he teaches empirical social research methods and supervises bachelor theses centred on socioeconomic inequality and social mobility. Since 2023, he has supported the organisation and execution of the European Political Science Association (EPSA) annual international conference.

Prior to his academic career, Matthew spent over a decade in international leadership and analysis roles in the NGO sector, including Head of Global Strategy and Analysis at SOS Children’s Villages International, and analyst positions at UNICEF Spain and Greenpeace UK. Fluent in English and Spanish, he has also operated as a freelance consultant in development and fundraising.

Curriculum Vitae

Research interests

• Socio-economic inequality

• Poverty and deprivation

• International development

Publications

Shaikh, M., (2024). The health legacy of coal mining: Analysis of mortality rates over time in England and Wales (1981–2019), SSM - Population Health. 27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2024.101706 

Neumayer, E., Plümper, T., & Shaikh, M. (2021). The logics of COVID-19 travel restrictions between European countries. Social Science Quarterly, 102(5), 2134–2154. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13016

Room D4.3.058

Publications