Bio
PhD Student, Sociology & Social Policy
Research Interests: Political economy, welfare states,
markets and inequality, quantatitive methods
I am a doctoral student in Sociology & Social Policy and Malcolm H. Wiener Scholar in Poverty and Justice at Harvard University.
Broadly, my research asks how material inequalities are produced, reproduced, or mitigated through various institutional arrangements and class relations. My current focus is U.S. housing markets, examining the intersection of local politics, financialization, and inequality.
I hold a BA in Economics and Quantitative Social Science (interdisciplinary) from Vanderbilt University in Middle Tennessee, where I grew up. In my spare time I am a pick-up basketball enthusiast.
Research
Publications
Forster-Benson, N. and Nchare, K. (2025). “Upzoning and Residential Transaction Price in Nashville.” Journal of Housing Economics, 70: 102104.
Works in Progress
Forster-Benson, N. “Corporate Ownership Density and Rent in the United States: An Analysis from 2012-2022.” Working paper.
Forster-Benson, N. “Upzoning, Density, and the Financialization of Space in Nashville.” Under Review.
Forster-Benson, N. “Towards a Relational Understanding of Zoning Conflict.” In Preperation.
Forster-Bensonn, N. and Nchare, K. (2025). “Trade Distortions and Colonial Legacy: Evidence from Portugal and Its Former Colonies.” Revise & Resubmit, Journal of International Development.
Teaching
Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University:
• Economic Statistics (ECON 1500), Teaching Assistant, Fall 2024
Introduction to probability and inference — Syllabus
Department of Sociology, Vanderbilt University:
• Contemporary American Society (SOC 3233), Teaching Assistant, Fall 2022, Fall 2023
Changes in political economy, geography, and social class stratification in the United States (1940s-present) — Syllabus
• Cultural Production and Institutions (SOC 3202), Teaching Assistant, Fall 2023
Examining the production of art and authenticity within various fields, from the production of drill music to 15th-century Italian painting — Syllabus
