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Becker Friedman Institute for Economics
  • About
        • About the Becker Friedman Institute
          The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) serves as a hub for cutting-edge analysis and research across the entire University of Chicago economics community, uniting researchers from the Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the...
        • Our Legacy
          Inspired by our namesakes, Nobel Laureates Gary Becker and Milton Friedman, who believed that economics research could help improve the world, BFI works with the Chicago Economics community to turn its evidence-based research into real-world impact.
        • Pre-Doctoral Research Professionals
          The Predoctoral Research in Economics Program (PREP) is intended to serve as a bridge between college and graduate school for students interested in empirical economics. The program offers unique research and professional training opportunities at the University of Chicago.
        • Expanding Discovery in Economics+
          Expanding Discovery in Economics+ (EDE+) brings together a diverse group of early undergraduate students to hone their research abilities and technical skills.
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        • Group Beliefs
          Benjamin Brooks and Songzi Du

          We extend the frameworks of Harsanyi (1967) and Mertens and Zamir (1985) to study the higher-order beliefs that groups of individuals obtain by pooling their information. A universal group type space is constructed, which contains all of the belief hierarchies...

          Participation Security and Elementary Mechanisms
          Benjamin Brooks and Songzi Du

          A mechanism is participation secure if each agent has an action that guarantees them a payoff better than their outside option, no matter how other agents behave and no matter how uncertainty about preferences is resolved. Participation security implies that...

          Crime in Covid Times
          Jens Ludwig

          What caused the historically unique volatility in American homicides since 2019, driven by gun homicides? While there is no shortage of candidate explanations, a coherent understanding has been elusive because of the widely held view that gun violence, like other...

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  • Insights
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          The AGI Race and Existential Risk
          Evaluating the Spatial Consequences of a Climate Tipping Point
          How Disability Benefits in Early Life Affect Adult Outcomes
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        • BFI Data Studio

          Sticky Wage Norms and the Real Wage Cost of Unexpected Inflation
          The Impact of Pay Period Reporting on Improper Redeterminations for Medicaid: Problems and Implications for Implementation
          Carbon Prices, Forest Conservation and Reforestation in the Brazilian Amazon
        • View All caret-right
        • Podcasts

          Why Your Raise Didn’t Keep Up with Inflation
          But the Cool Kids are Still Online: Behind Australia’s Failed Social Media Ban
          Cut Off: How US Sanctions are Reshaping the Global Payment System
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        • Videos

          BFI Youtube Channel external
          Captivating and informative videos on the latest insights and trends as well as the tested stock of knowledge in economics from leaders in academia, policy, business, and the media.
  • Events
        • Upcoming Events

          Oct 2

          2026 IOG Fall Conference

          Oct 2

          Fall 2026 Development Lunch Workshop

          Oct 5

          Fall 2026 Behavioral Economics Seminar Series

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© 2026 Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago

  • About
        • About the Becker Friedman Institute
          The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) serves as a hub for cutting-edge analysis and research across the entire University of Chicago economics community, uniting researchers from the Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the...
        • Our Legacy
          Inspired by our namesakes, Nobel Laureates Gary Becker and Milton Friedman, who believed that economics research could help improve the world, BFI works with the Chicago Economics community to turn its evidence-based research into real-world impact.
        • Pre-Doctoral Research Professionals
          The Predoctoral Research in Economics Program (PREP) is intended to serve as a bridge between college and graduate school for students interested in empirical economics. The program offers unique research and professional training opportunities at the University of Chicago.
        • Expanding Discovery in Economics+
          Expanding Discovery in Economics+ (EDE+) brings together a diverse group of early undergraduate students to hone their research abilities and technical skills.
        • Visitors & Fellows
        • Our Team
        • BFI Employment Opportunities
        • Contact
  • Network
        • Research Initiatives
          • Big Data Initiative
          • Health Economics Initiative
          • Industrial Organization Initiative
          • International Economics and Economic Geography Initiative
          • Macroeconomic Research Initiative
          • Political Economics Initiative
          • Price Theory Initiative
          • Public Economics Initiative
          • Ronzetti Initiative for the Study of Labor Markets
          • Socioeconomic Inequalities Initiative
        • View All caret-right
        • Global Initiatives
          • BFI-China
          • BFI-Latin America
          • Tata Centre for Development
        • View All caret-right
        • Programs & Centers
          • Development Economics Center
          • Expanding Discovery in Economics+ (EDE+)
          • Experimental Economics Program
          • Global Center for Economic Growth - Growth Academy
          • Gracias Center for Human Sciences and Well-Being
          • Macro Finance Research Program
          • Program in Behavioral Economics Research
          • TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health
        • View All caret-right
  • Scholars
    • UChicago Scholars
    • Visiting Scholars
    • Saieh Family Fellows
    • Predoctoral Research Professionals
  • Research
        • Group Beliefs
          Benjamin Brooks and Songzi Du

          We extend the frameworks of Harsanyi (1967) and Mertens and Zamir (1985) to study the higher-order beliefs that groups of individuals obtain by pooling their information. A universal group type space is constructed, which contains all of the belief hierarchies...

          Participation Security and Elementary Mechanisms
          Benjamin Brooks and Songzi Du

          A mechanism is participation secure if each agent has an action that guarantees them a payoff better than their outside option, no matter how other agents behave and no matter how uncertainty about preferences is resolved. Participation security implies that...

          Crime in Covid Times
          Jens Ludwig

          What caused the historically unique volatility in American homicides since 2019, driven by gun homicides? While there is no shortage of candidate explanations, a coherent understanding has been elusive because of the widely held view that gun violence, like other...

        • View All caret-right
  • Insights
        • Research Briefs

          The AGI Race and Existential Risk
          Evaluating the Spatial Consequences of a Climate Tipping Point
          How Disability Benefits in Early Life Affect Adult Outcomes
        • View All caret-right
        • BFI Data Studio

          Sticky Wage Norms and the Real Wage Cost of Unexpected Inflation
          The Impact of Pay Period Reporting on Improper Redeterminations for Medicaid: Problems and Implications for Implementation
          Carbon Prices, Forest Conservation and Reforestation in the Brazilian Amazon
        • View All caret-right
        • Podcasts

          Why Your Raise Didn’t Keep Up with Inflation
          But the Cool Kids are Still Online: Behind Australia’s Failed Social Media Ban
          Cut Off: How US Sanctions are Reshaping the Global Payment System
        • View All caret-right
        • Videos

          BFI Youtube Channel external
          Captivating and informative videos on the latest insights and trends as well as the tested stock of knowledge in economics from leaders in academia, policy, business, and the media.
  • Events
        • Upcoming Events

          Oct 2

          2026 IOG Fall Conference

          Oct 2

          Fall 2026 Development Lunch Workshop

          Oct 5

          Fall 2026 Behavioral Economics Seminar Series

        • View All caret-right
  • News
    • BFI News
    • Media Mentions
    • Press Releases
  • Info For
    • Scholars
    • Students
    • Media
    • Pre-Doctoral Research Professionals
  • Subscribe
    • Join Our Weekly Briefing Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
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