Broadly, he investigates the politics of promoting economic development that is both equitable and sustainable. He has studied labor regulation in global supply chains for over a decade and continues to conduct research on how to improve working conditions in supplier factories around the world. His first book, Politicized Enforcement in Argentina: Labor and Environmental Regulation, published by Cambridge University Press, investigates the politics of enforcement in contexts of weak institutions. His second book project is on the local politics of mining in Latin America, exploring the varying outcomes of direct contestation between social actors and firms over the employment, contracts, and public goods provision.
Matthew received his AB in Environmental Studies at Brown University, MCP from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT, and PhD in Political Science from MIT.