Institutions & Political Economy

Who wins wars? The role of economics in military success

It is widely agreed that deep pockets are crucial for military success. Yet, quantitative evidence on the connection between resources and the probability of winning wars is all but missing. Our research seeks to understand the causal relationship be...

Jonathan Federle Dominic Rohner Moritz Schularick

Published

06.03.25

Bangladesh’s path forward: Leveraging evidence-based policy for economic and political reform

What is Bangladesh's path to improving governance and promoting economic development post-revolution?

Institutions & Political Economy

Imran Matin

Published

26.02.25

Development Dialogues: The future of evidence-based policymaking and international development

Is evidence-based policymaking dead? In an age of populism, how can we ensure that facts and evidence still matter in policymaking and international development?

Institutions & Political Economy

Stefan Dercon Trudi Makhaya Rory Stewart

Published

24.02.25

Coins with Liberian flag, symbolizing tax collection

Know your citizens, increase your revenues: Improving tax payment in Liberia

Legibility—systematised information about citizens—and legal enforcement can produce sustained, cost-effective increases in tax collection.

Institutions & Political Economy

Oyebola Okunogbe

Published

11.02.25

dove representing peace, reflecting this podcast's focus on peacebuilding

Peacemaking, peacebuilding and post-war reconstruction

What has economic research taught us about the aftermath of conflict? Which policies can effectively rebuild communities and create a lasting peace?

Institutions & Political Economy

Salma Mousa Lisa Hultman

Published

05.02.25

outline of Afghanistan border, reflecting this articles focus on Afghanistan

Building state capacity in fragile states: Evidence from Afghanistan

The Mobile Salary Payment (MSP) reform in Afghanistan was an ambitious effort to build administrative capacity in one of the world’s most fragile states. Evidence on its impacts sheds light on what helps to improve state performance, and how fragilit...

Institutions & Political Economy

Joshua Blumenstock Michael Callen Anastasiia Faikina Stefano Fiorin Tarek Ghani Saipremnath Muthukumaran

Published

28.01.25

How does interacting with other ethnicities shape political attitudes?

Living closer to the resettlement sites of ethnic minorities in Malaysia reduced voter’s preference for ethno-nationalistic politics by improving economic outcomes and enhancing the frequency of casual inter-ethnic contact in shared public spaces.

Institutions & Political Economy

Chun Chee Kok Gedeon Lim

Published

15.01.25

Accurate information can correct misperceptions and drive public demand for democracy

Authoritarian regimes cultivate misperceptions about the quality of democratic institutions and the value of democracy. How did an intervention, providing accurate information to voters in Türkiye, address these misperceptions and affect demand for d...

Institutions & Political Economy

Daron Acemoğlu Cevat Giray Aksoy Ceren Baysan Carlos Molina Gamze Zeki

Published

16.12.24

Climate change causes conflict: How can policy respond?

Climate change is projected to cause an increase in numerous forms of violent human behaviour. Policies like a robust social safety net and political inclusion can help ensure a more peaceful future.

Institutions & Political Economy

Marshall Burke Joel Ferguson Solomon Hsiang Edward Miguel

Published

13.12.24