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About
Guy joined the Department of Social Policy as an LSE Fellow in 2026 after completing his PhD in Political Economy at King’s College London.
His research concentrates on the political economy of development, taxation, and the welfare state. In this context, Guy is interested in exploring how individuals’ perceptions and preferences shape and are shaped by politics and public policies, as well as how political conditions and institutions interact with economic outcomes. His doctoral thesis contributes to our understanding of the political foundations of fiscal capacity using both micro-level and macro-level analyses. It focuses primarily on developing democracies, where improving the ability of governments to raise revenues is essential for reducing inequalities and expanding access to social protection.
Prior to joining the LSE, Guy held teaching positions at King’s College London and University College London. He also worked in the technology sector, mainly in the fields of data analysis and business intelligence.
Publications
Heilbrun, G. (2026). Perceived inequality as an impediment to mass taxation: Evidence from Latin America. Comparative Political Studies, 59(2), 370–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/00104140251328028
Heilbrun, G. (2026). Political power and the global expansion of the value-added tax. European Journal of Political Research, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1475676526101558