Institutions & Political Economy

Women’s power at home

What has economic research taught us about women’s power in the household?

Seema Jayachandran Alessandra Voena

Published

03.12.25

Why are richer families in India still choosing sons?

New evidence uncovers how institutional features of the marriage market are behind persistent sex selection in India.

Institutions & Political Economy

Girija Borker Jan Eeckhout Nancy Luke Shantidani Minz Kaivan Munshi Soumya Swaminathan

Published

05.12.25

Successful governments throughout history have taken many diverse forms, showing that effective statehood does not follow a single linear evolutionary path but instead depends on how societies organise themselves to provide public goods and mobilise ...

Institutions & Political Economy

Leander Heldring

Published

19.11.25

Rallying around the flag: How political narratives can turn conflict into votes

In India, conflict boosts electoral support for incumbents only when leaders and media make it politically salient, turning soldier deaths into narratives of national strength.

Institutions & Political Economy

Yatish Arya Apurav Bhatiya

Published

18.11.25

Academic vs policy incentives: What drives researchers, and why it matters for policy

What are academic incentives? How do they compare to incentives for policymakers and practitioners?

Institutions & Political Economy

Noam Angrist

Published

13.11.25

Can anti-corruption campaigns reduce vote buying? Lessons from Brazil’s municipal audits

In Brazil, anti-corruption audits substantially reduced vote buying and citizens’ demands for private favours – demonstrating how transparency initiatives can weaken clientelism and strengthen democratic accountability.

Institutions & Political Economy

Gustavo Bobonis Paul Gertler Marco Gonzalez-Navarro Simeon Nichter

Published

11.11.25

Can development aid counter insurgencies? Lessons from Afghanistan

Despite extensive investment in development initiatives aimed at building state legitimacy and countering insurgencies, evidence from Afghanistan suggests that such programmes can reduce violence when insurgencies are locally driven but may misalloca...

Institutions & Political Economy

Andrew Beath Fotini Christia Ruben Enikolopov

Published

10.11.25

How political hierarchy shaped a millennium of development in China

Over a thousand years, China’s political hierarchy reshaped regional prosperity – provincial capitals flourished through bureaucracy and market access, but these benefits faded once they lost administrative status.

Institutions & Political Economy

Ying Bai Ruixue Jia

Published

30.10.25

How religion shapes economic development

Contrary to popular belief, economic development does not necessarily lead to secularisation. Instead, religion often adapts and persists, providing social support, identity, and stability amid uncertainty – while interacting dynamically with states,...

Institutions & Political Economy

Sara Lowes Eduardo Montero Benjamin Marx

Published

29.10.25

Supported by