Welcome new members

We would like to welcome the following new members of the InsTED network.

Prof.Lee J. Alston (Indiana University) His research interests have focused on the important roles of institutions, beliefs, and contracts in shaping economic and political outcomes in multiple domains.

Prof.Tibor Besedes (Georgia Institute of Technology ) His research interests include international trade and experimental/behavioral economics.

Prof. Amrita Ray Chaudhuri (University of Winnipeg) Her research interests are industrial organization, environmental economics, and international trade.

Pramila Crivelli (University of Geneva) Her research interests are international trade, development economics, and applied econometrics.

Dr.Fariha Kamal (U.S. Bureau of the Census) Her research interests are international trade and investment, economic geography, and development.

Prof.Volodymyr Lugovsyy (Indiana University) His research interests are international trade, applied microeconomics, and experimental economics.

Dr.Assaf Zimring (University of Michigan) His research interests are international economics, and economics of innovation.

International
Economics
, Economics of Innovation

Social Networks and Development Outcomes

In countries where property rights and the rule of law are poorly enforced, and markets fail or are missing, social networks play a fundamental role.  Social connections solve information and commitment problems, which enable individuals to have access to credit and insurance or employers to find employees better suited for the jobs that become available.

But showing that the social networks improve the economic outcomes of their members is a challenge.  Recently, richer datasets and new models started to provide greater precision in distinguishing social forces, such as diffusion of information, norms, and peer pressure and different ways that they affect economic decisions.  These social forces all depend in different ways on the network structure.

Regarding the analysis of the network structures themselves, a promising research area is the study of small communities in developing countries.  They tend to be relatively closed, thus yielding a holistic view of the patterns of interaction and an unusual degree of control in field experiments.  The diffusion of microfinance, education, and vaccination are examples of research topics that have been explored recently in field experiments. But many questions are still unanswered. For example, the mechanism through which the network structure affects decisions on migration, social mobility, income inequality, and job allocation are not fully understood and could benefit from further investigation.

Alatas, Vivi, Abhijit Banerjee, Arun G. Chandrasekhar, Rema Hanna, and Benjamin A. Olken (2012) “Network Structure and the Aggregation of Information: Theory and Evidence from Indonesia.NBER Working Paper 18351[Working paper version]

Banerjee, Abhijit, Arun G. Chandrasekhar, Esther Duflo, and Matthew O. Jackson (2013) “The Diffusion of Microfinance.” Science 341(6144).

Beaman, Lori (2012) “Social Networks and the Dynamics of Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from Refugees Resettled in the U.S.” Review of Economic Studies, 79(1): 128–61.[Working paper version]

Bloch, Francis, Garance Genicot, and Debraj Ray (2008) “Informal Insurance in Social Networks.” Journal of Economic Theory, 143(1): 36–58.[Working paper version]

Dhillon, Amrita, Vegard Iversen, and Gaute Torsvik (2013) “Employee referral, social proximity and worker discipline: Theory and evidence from India.” CESifo Working Paper 4309.

Fafchamps, Marcel, and Susan Lund (2003) “Risk Sharing Networks in Rural Philippines.” Journal of Development Economics 71(2): 261–87.[Working paper version]

Jackson, Matthew O. (2014) “Networks in the Understanding of Economic Behaviors.” Journal of Economic Perspectives, 28(4): 3-22.

Karlan, Dean, Markus Mobius, Tanya Rosenblat, and Adam Szeidl (2009) “Trust and Social Collateral.” Quarterly Journal of Economics, 124(3): 1307–61.[Working paper version]

McKenzie, David, and Hillel Rapoport (2007) “Network Effects and the Dynamics of Migration and Inequality: Theory and Evidence from Mexico.” Journal of Development Economics, 84(1): 1–24.[Working paper version]

McKenzie, David, and Hillel Rapoport (2010) “Self-Selection Patterns in Mexico–U.S. Migration:The Role of Migration Networks.Review of Economics and Statistics, 92(4): 811–21.

McMillan, John, and Christopher Woodruff (1999) “Interfirm Relationships and Informal Credit in Vietnam.Quarterly Journal of Economics, 114(4): 1285–1320.[Working paper version]

Munshi, Kaivan. 2003. “Networks in the Modern Economy: Mexican Migrants in the U.S. Labor Market.” Quarterly Journal of Economics, 118(2): 549–97.[Working paper version]

Munshi, Kaivan. 2014. “Community Networks and the Process of Development.” Journal of Economic Perspectives, 28(4): 49-76.

Transatlantic postdoctoral fellowship for international relations and security

Fritz Thyssen Stiftung – Fritz Thyssen Foundation, DE and other funders

The Fritz Thyssen Stiftung along with other institutions invite applications for their transatlantic postdoctoral fellowship for international relations and security. This enables candidates who have recently received their doctorate in social and political sciences or economics, and whose work focuses on international relations, peace or security issues, to spend three eight-month stays at participating research institutions or think tanks.

At least one stay must be on the Eastern side of the Atlantic and one on the Western side. Each candidate must have successfully defended their PhD by 1 October of this year and must either be a citizen of the US, Canada or Europe or must have resided in the US, Canada or Europe for at least two and a half years in the five years before the application deadline.

Up to seven fellowships will be awarded. Funding provides a monthly stipend worth €1,800, a monthly health insurance allowance worth €200 and a one-time travel allowance worth €3,500 for travel to and from the host institutions.

Closing date: July 10th 2015

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Visiting professorships

Weizmann Institute of Science, IL

The Weizmann Institute of Science invites applications for its visiting professorships. These support scientists from institutions of higher learning and research institutions in any country who wish to undertake research in Israel.

Applicants must have achieved appropriate recognition in their fields of activity and hold the rank of full professor or equivalent in their home institutions.

Funding may include financial remuneration, round trip airfare and rent free housing for two months to one year during the academic year of 2016-2017.

Closing date: Dec 31st 2015

Click here for original call

Anti-corruption evidence partnership

British Academy, GB and other funders

The British Academy and the Department for International Development invite expressions of interest for their anti-corruption evidence partnership. Funding enables leading international research teams to research and identify the most successful ways of addressing corruption in developing countries. Successful applications must provide the evidence needed by DFID country offices and other policymakers to make a practical impact in reducing corruption and strengthen the evidence base for best practice in what works in addressing corruption across different contexts. Areas of interest include:

•reform of public financial management;

•procurement reform;

•tax reform;

•civil service reform;

•audit institutions;

•community monitoring initiatives;

•anti-corruption initiatives involving the media;

•anti-corruption laws;

•gender and social exclusion;

•anti-corruption conditionalities in aid-allocation decisions.

Worldwide researchers may apply. Research groups must be led by PIs who have at least three years postdoctoral research experience.

Eight grants, worth up to £400,000 each, are available. Funding may cover salaries for PIs, postdoctoral research assistance, travel and related expenses, networking costs, and a contribution to university costs in hosting and supporting the research team.

Closing date: June 24th 2015

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ESRC/NSFC call for collaborative research on urban transformations in China

Economic and Social Research Council, GB and other funders

The Economic and Social Research Council and the National Natural Science Foundation of China invite proposals for their collaborative research on urban transformations in China, under the Newton Fund. This supports collaborative projects between the UK and China that address urban transformations, and the economic development and welfare of China. Proposals must address the following topics:

•urban systems and hierarchies;

•migration and public services;

•land use, housing and infrastructure;

•inequalities and everyday life;

•urban environment and sustainability.

Proposals should also consider the economics and governance of urban transformation as cross-cutting issues.

Applicants based at UK higher education institutions, research council institutes or independent research organisations eligible for RCUK funding, may apply.

ESRC provides up to £3 million to support UK researchers, with matched funding from NSFC to support Chinese researchers. Grants are worth between £500,000 and £750,000 at 80 per cent full economic cost for UK applicants. Approximatively four to six proposals may be funded for projects lasting up to three years, starting on 1 January 2016.

Closing date: 28th May 2015

Click here for original call

 

EIB Prize

The EIB Prize is an annual economics award created by the European Investment Bank Institute to recognise and stimulate excellence in economic and social research, and its implementation and diffusion. Research should be of specific relevance to European development and integration. It consists of an “Outstanding Contribution Award” of EUR 40 000 and a “Young Economist Award” of EUR 25 000.

The topic for the 2015 EIB Prize is “Economics of Inequality and Economic Growth”. The Prize will be awarded for applied research conducted on the interaction of economic performance/growth and inequality. Research may focus on the effect of income and wealth inequality on GDP as well as broader concepts of well-being. Special consideration will be given to work comparing the European experience (including between EU member countries) with that of other large advanced economies.

Eligibility criteria for candidates

Nominees for the EIB Prize must be researchers that have made substantial empirical contributions based on solid theoretical foundations in areas covered by this year’s topic. Both awards are open to all economists regardless of nationality or work location.

The Outstanding Contribution Award honours scholars for their lifetime scientific contribution of specific relevance to the prize’s topic, including academic excellence and publication record and impact on public policy or society at large.

The Young Economist Award honours scholars under the age of forty at the end of the current year. It recognises influential research or a significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge that is of specific relevance to the prize’s topic and demonstrates great promise for the future.

Nominations

Nominations can be submitted between 30 March until 20 May 2015. Self nominations are not accepted. Please click here to nominate a candidate for the Outstanding Contribution Award and click here to nominate a candidate for the Young Economist Award. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. The submission must include your contact details, a brief motivation statement and a copy, or link to, the candidate’s CY. You may propose no more than one candidate for each award.

Selection

The winners are selected by a jury composed of distinguished scholars and chaired by Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides, LSE, Nobel Prize laureate in economics (2010).

Click here for original announcement.

Kiel Institute Advanced Studies in International Economic Policy Research

Advanced Studies Program 2015/16 the Kiel Institute will again offer several one-week and two-week courses from  August 1, 2015 – May 31, 2016 with outstanding teachers:

Macroeconomics in Open Economies

Cedric Tille (Geneva)

Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy

Tommaso Monacelli (Bocconi)

Monetary Policy: Theory and Practice

Lawrence Christiano (Northwestern)

International Trade: Gravity and Geography

Gianmarco Ottaviano (LSE)

Firms in International Trade

Kalina Manova (Stanford)

Globalisation and Labour

David Dorn (Zurich)

International Migration

Hillel Rapoport  (Bar-Ilan)

Economic Growth

Oded Galor (Brown University)

 Economic Development

Rohini Pande (Harvard)

Detailed course outlines are available at Kiel Institute’s website.