Dr. Hartman's research focuses on the political economy of institutions in fragile states. Her work uses a range of research designs and data collection strategies, including large-scale randomized control trials, surveys, and in-depth interviews and observation. She studies how changing property rights shape political and economic outcomes. Other projects also explore how changing access to women’s property rights shape political, social, and economic dynamics within households. Dr. Hartman also studies the politics of forced displacement, including the institutional and individual factors that shape decision-making during humanitarian crises.