
Biography
Dmitry is a PhD candidate doing research in historical political economy. His doctoral thesis considers the case of village governance in the Russian Empire after the abolition of serfdom in 1861. He constructed a new database of communal institutions based on analysing the records of communal regulations he collected during extensive archival work in Russia. He studies how peasants exploited legal opportunities to self-govern their affairs, the typology and characteristics of the institutions they used, and the role of the village self-governance in the agricultural development of the Russian Empire. Dmitry hopes that the insights from the past can inform modern debates about the importance of institutions and self-governance for development.
Dmitry earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Lomonosov Moscow State University, his Graduate Diploma in Economics from Lancaster University, and his MA in Political Economy from King’s College London. Before coming to the UK for post-graduate studies, Dmitry worked outside academia for three years, first as a financial analyst in a law firm and later in a bank.
Upon completing his PhD, Dmitry will join the Department of Anthropology at University College London as a postdoctoral research fellow to study the governance of finances in religious organisations.
Office hours
Tuesdays: 10.30-11.30
Thursdays: 12.30-13.30
My office hours are by appointment only. Please book a slot here: https://dmitryismagilov.youcanbook.me
I can meet both face-to-face and online on MS Teams. Please specify how you would like to meet in the booking form.
Doctoral thesis
Political Economy of Rural Self-governance: the Case of the Village Communities in the Russian Empire after the Emancipation
Supervisors: Dr. Gabriel Leon-Ablan and Prof. Mark Pennington
Research interests
- Political Economy
- Economic History
- Governance
- Economics and Anthropology of Religion
- Church Finances
Teaching
- Studying Economics (4SSPP112)
- Political Economy (5SSPP201)
- Advanced Topics in Economic History (6SSPP363)
- Development Economics (6SSPP333)
Research

Politics, Philosophy and Economics Research Group
The PPE research group studies questions spanning the disciplines of politics, philosophy, and economics.
News
Staff and students honoured at annual awards
Outstanding students and staff from across the School of Politics and Economics (SPE) were honoured at an awards ceremony.
Research

Politics, Philosophy and Economics Research Group
The PPE research group studies questions spanning the disciplines of politics, philosophy, and economics.
News
Staff and students honoured at annual awards
Outstanding students and staff from across the School of Politics and Economics (SPE) were honoured at an awards ceremony.