Research Initiative

Political Economics Initiative

Exploring how economic decision-making is influenced by political factors

Leonardo Bursztyn and Konstantin Sonin

Description

The Political Economics Initiative is an interdisciplinary research program that focuses an economic lens on the questions, incentives, and choices that shape political decision-making in the United States and around the world. Scholars employ the latest in theoretical and empirical techniques to explore how economic decision-making is influenced by political factors. In doing so, they investigate a broad range of issues, including media and communications, social networks, ideology, identity, social norms, political institutions, and many others. By applying economic tools to questions surrounding the business of political systems, this Initiative sheds new light on politics and its impact on society.

RESEARCH GRANTS FOR UCHICAGO SCHOLARS

The Political Economics Initiative regularly initiates a call for proposals to the full Chicago Economics community for innovative research ideas. We are excited to support cutting-edge research on campus through seven grants to date.

Rafael Jimenez (Student Award)
Proposed Project Title: Haters Gonna Hate: The Micro Effects of Censoring Hate Speech in Social Media

Scott Behmer (Student Award)
Proposed Project Title: Willingness to Provide Biased News

Mateusz Stalinski (Student Award)
Proposed Project Title: Mitigating Affective Polarisation and ‘Echo Chambers’: Experimental Study of Mechanisms

Luis Martinez
Proposed Project Title: Fiscal Rules and Local Development in Colombia

Raul Sanchez de la Sierra
Proposed Project Title: Who Joins Armed Organizations? Moral Sentiments, Economic Incentives, and Social Norms

Daniel Kashner (Student Award)
Proposed Project Title: Disrupting Polarization

Shaoda Wang (Staff Award)
Proposed Project Title: The Selection and the Making of Civil Servants: Evidence from China’s College Graduate Civil Services Program

Associated Scholars

UChicago Scholar

Scott Ashworth

Homer J. Livingston Professor, Harris Public Policy and the College
UChicago Scholar

Maria Angélica Bautista

Assistant Professor, Harris Public Policy
UChicago Scholar

Marianne Bertrand

Chris P. Dialynas Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and Willard Graham Faculty Scholar, Chicago Booth
UChicago Scholar

Christopher Blattman

Ramalee E. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies, Harris School of Public Policy; Deputy Director of BFI Development Economics Center
UChicago Scholar

Leonardo Bursztyn

Saieh Family Professor, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics; Co-Director of BFI Political Economics Initiative
UChicago Scholar

Emanuele Colonnelli

Associate Professor of Finance and MV Advisors Faculty Fellow, Chicago Booth
UChicago Scholar

Oeindrila Dube

Philip K. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies, Harris Public Policy; Director of BFI Initiative for the Study of Gender in the Economy
UChicago Scholar

Wioletta Dziuda

Deputy Dean and Associate Professor, Harris Public Policy
UChicago Scholar

Scott Gehlbach

Elise and Jack Lipsey Professor, Department of Political Science, Harris School of Public Policy and the College
UChicago Scholar

Emir Kamenica

Richard O. Ryan Professor of Economics and Neubauer Family Faculty Fellow, Booth School of Business

Associated Research

BFI Working Paper·Oct 1, 2024

Fear and Dreams: Understanding the Non-Institutional Sources of Leader Strategy

Maria Angélica Bautista, Juan Sebastián Galán, James Robinson, Rafael F. Torres, and Ragnar Torvik
Topics: Uncategorized
BFI Working Paper·Sep 27, 2024

Social Interactions, Information, and Preferences for Schools: Experimental Evidence from Los Angeles

Christopher Campos
Topics: Early Childhood Education
BFI Working Paper·Sep 26, 2024

Economic Mobility and Parents’ Opportunity Hoarding

Mesmin Destin, Ivan Hernandez, Ariel Kalil, Marlis Schneider, David Silverman, and Rebecca Ryan
Topics: Economic Mobility & Poverty

Associated Past Events

Oct 2
Event·Oct 2, 2024, 4:30 PM·Saieh Hall 203

Charaiveti: An Academic’s Global Journey

Sep 30
Seminar·Sep 30, 2024, 12:00 PM·Charles M. Harper Center | Room 3B

Fall 2024 Behavioral Economics Seminar Series

by Leonardo Bursztyn and Alex Imas
Seminar·Sep 27, 2024, 1:30 PM·Saieh Hall 203

Fall 2024 Trade and Spatial Afternoons Seminar Series

by Rodrigo Adão, Milena Almagro, Juanma Castro-Vincenzi, and Esteban Rossi-Hansberg
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Associated Upcoming Events

Oct 7
Seminar·Oct 7, 2024, 12:00 PM·Charles M. Harper Center | Room 3B

Fall 2024 Behavioral Economics Seminar Series

Organizers: Rodrigo Adão, Milena Almagro, Juanma Castro-Vincenzi, and Esteban Rossi-Hansberg
Oct 10
Becker Brown Bag·Oct 10, 2024, 12:30 PM·Keller Center, Classroom 0001

BFI Student Lunch Series – National Wage Setting

Organizers: Leonardo Bursztyn and Alex Imas
Oct 11
Workshops·Oct 11, 2024, 10:30 AM·Saieh Hall for Economics, Rm 021 , 5757 S. University, Chicago, IL, United States, 60637

Development Lunch Workshop – Fall 2024

View All

Associated Insights

Research Briefs·Oct 2, 2024

Moving to Opportunity, Together

Seema Jayachandran, Lea Nassal, Matthew J. Notowidigdo, Marie Paul, Heather Sarsons, and Elin Sundberg
When heterosexual couples in Germany and Sweden relocate, men’s earnings increase by 5-10%, while women’s do not change. Couples are more likely to relocate when the man, rather than the woman, is laid off. These gaps appear at least in...
Topics: Employment & Wages
Research Briefs·Oct 1, 2024

Why Do Workers Dislike Inflation? Wage Erosion and Conflict Costs

Joao Guerreiro, Jonathon Hazell, Chen Lian, and Christina Patterson
Why do people hate inflation? Employers do not automatically give workers raises when inflation is high. Instead, workers have to fight for raises, leading to conflict with employers. Accounting for this conflict meaningfully changes the costs of inflation to workers.
Podcast Oct 1, 2024

What Can the North Dakota Railroad War of 1905 Tell Us About Regulating Modern Monopolies?

Tess Vigeland and Chad Syverson
When the Soo Line threatened to expand into the Great Northern Railway’s territory in 1905, the two companies entered a fierce competition for marketshare in which the they rapidly constructed nearly 500 miles of rail tracks and over 50 new...
Topics: Industrial Organization

Associated News

BFI News·Sep 26, 2024

Aldermen weigh lawsuit, push for replacement after ShotSpotter: ‘It’s life or death’

BFI News·Sep 26, 2024

In Chicago, The Odds Of Surviving A Shooting Are Getting Worse

BFI News·Sep 24, 2024

AI Chatbot To Give Stock-Picking Advice: How Does AI Perform In The Markets?

Topics: Technology & Innovation

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