Institutions & Political Economy

How colonial segregation policies impact land values in Mexico today

Colonial segregation policies in Mexico City entrenched divisions between Spaniards and indigenous communities, shaping modern economic inequalities because of weak property rights, unequal provision of public goods and enduring social stigma.

Luis Baldomero-Quintana Guillermo Woo-Mora Enrique de la Rosa Ramos

Published

20.12.24

Why do protests matter? Exploring their causes and lasting impacts

How can we measure protests and their impact? How has social media changed the nature and frequency of protests? Where is more research needed?

Institutions & Political Economy

David Yang Noam Yuchtman

Published

12.12.24

The history of cash transfers

What can history teach us about cash transfers? How have societies used cash transfers through the ages and what role have they played in countries’ development process?

Institutions & Political Economy

Ugo Gentilini

Published

03.12.24

The lasting impact of war on trust: Evidence from Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone's civil war not only left a legacy of lost lives and damaged infrastructure, but changed the way trust is formed, showing how early-life trauma can shape long-term economic decision making.

Institutions & Political Economy

Niklas Buehren Markus Goldstein Imran Rasul Andrea Smurra

Published

28.11.24

How a documentary film fostered interethnic harmony in Bangladesh

A documentary film, shown to a majority group, portraying the daily lives, cultural practices, and socioeconomic struggles of a minority group in Bangladesh, increased prosociality and reduced complaints against the minority.

Institutions & Political Economy

Abu Siddique Michael Vlassopoulos Yves Zenou

Published

11.11.24

How do voters respond to information on local politicians’ performance?

Voters that received information about municipal education outcomes in Chile punished mayors with poor performance at the ballot box.

Institutions & Political Economy

Loreto Cox Sylvia Eyzaguirre Francisco Gallego Maximiliano Garcia

Published

08.11.24

Harriet Tubman Memorial Statue - Harlem, New York

Why history continues to shape racial inequality in the US

Nearly 160 years after the end of slavery, significant disparities persist between Black and white Americans. Those whose ancestors were enslaved until the Civil War have less education, income, and wealth than Black families whose ancestors were fr...

Institutions & Political Economy

Lukas Althoff Hugo Reichardt

Published

01.11.24

Can we use experiments to understand institutions?

A growing body of research uses experimental methods to study institutional quality and change, offering important policy implications.

Institutions & Political Economy

Michael Callen Jonathan Weigel

Published

23.10.24

Can social media be harnessed to bolster electoral accountability?

Digital information campaigns on social media can be used to disseminate objective information about government performance and bolster electoral accountability. Targeting information at a larger share of the electorate can raise the effectiveness of...

Institutions & Political Economy

José Ramón Enríquez Horacio Larreguy John Marshall Alberto Simpser

Published

21.10.24