Stanford Graduate School of Business associate professor Saumitra Jha has been selected as a finalist for the 2026 Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year in the Social Sciences & Humanities category. The recognition honors his research into how societies divided along ethnic lines can become trapped in cycles of limited economic development and political conflict.
Jha’s research, titled “Breaking through the Ethnic Growth Trap,” explores the relationship between social divisions, political tensions and economic investment. His work examines why some ethnically diverse societies continue to experience poverty and instability despite opportunities for development.
According to his research, communities can become locked into a cycle in which political divisions discourage investment and economic cooperation, while weak economic links between groups can further deepen mistrust and conflict. Jha studies potential ways to break this pattern and create conditions that support broader economic progress.
Stanford GSB acknowledged his selection in a post on X, congratulating Jha on becoming a finalist for the Social Science Breakthrough of the Year. The nomination adds to his academic work examining conflict, political polarization and economic development.
Jha is also a senior fellow at Stanford’s Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies and the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. He leads Stanford’s Conflict and Polarization Lab, which focuses on understanding political violence and exploring strategies that could help reduce polarization.
His research combines historical evidence with findings from field studies conducted in contemporary settings. Among the approaches examined in his work are business partnerships that connect different ethnic communities, financial relationships that encourage cooperation and institutional arrangements designed to strengthen stability.
While a significant portion of Jha’s research centers on South Asia, his studies also compare experiences across other countries facing political and economic change. His academic contributions have appeared in prominent economics and political science journals.
Jha also holds editorial responsibilities with publications including the American Political Science Review and Journal of Development Economics. His teaching has received recognition as well, with Stanford GSB’s Sloan/MSx program naming him Teacher of the Year.
The Falling Walls Foundation is scheduled to announce category winners later this month. The final awards will be presented during the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin from November 6 through November 9, with winners revealed across different categories.
