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on Urban and Real Estate Economics |
| By: | Gurran, Nicole; Werner, Greta; Buckle, Caitlin; Yanotti, Maria B.; Baker, Emma; Han, Hoon |
| Abstract: | What this research is about? This research Inquiry investigated different ways to predict local population growth and change. It looked at what drives people to move between urban and regional Australia and what this migration means for planning infrastructure and housing to support population growth and change. The Inquiry included four separate research projects. Why this research is important? Understanding how people move between cities and regions in Australia is crucial for good planning. Policy makers especially need accurate data for fast-growing areas in order to support population increases with transport, health and education infrastructure as well as new homes. |
| Date: | 2025–03–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:nh57c_v1 |
| By: | Chapelle, Guillaume (Université de Paris); Gobillon, Laurent (Paris School of Economics); Vignolles, Benjamin (CREST) |
| Abstract: | We study the effects of the SRU law introduced in France in December 2000 to support scattered development of public housing in cities and favor social mixity. This law imposes 20% of public dwellings to all medium and large municipalities of large-enough cities, with fees for those not abiding by the law. Using exhaustive fiscal data, we evaluate the effects of the law over the 1996-2008 period using a difference-in-differences approach at the municipality and neighborhood levels. We find that the law stimulated public housing construction in treated municipalities, but only slightly increased the presence of low-income households. Indeed, new public dwellings enter categories to which medium-income are eligible and most additional occupants are not poor. Within municipalities, the policy decreased public housing segregation but it barely decreased low-income segregation. This comes from local authorities increasing over time the presence of public dwellings in neighborhoods away from existing public housing but in places concentrating low-income households. |
| Keywords: | construction, policy evaluation, public housing, segregation |
| JEL: | R31 R38 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17854 |
| By: | Rüttenauer, Tobias |
| Abstract: | This handbook chapter provides an essential introduction to the field of spatial econometrics, offering a comprehensive overview of techniques and methodologies for analysing spatial data in the social sciences. Spatial econometrics addresses the unique challenges posed by spatially dependent observations, where spatial relationships among data points can significantly impact statistical analyses. The chapter begins by exploring the fundamental concepts of spatial dependence and spatial autocorrelation, and highlighting their implications for traditional econometric models. It then introduces a range of spatial econometric models, particularly spatial lag, spatial error, and spatial lag of X models, illustrating how these models accommodate spatial relationships and yield accurate and insightful results about the underlying spatial processes. The chapter provides an intuitive understanding of these models compare to each other. A practical example on London house prices demonstrates the application of spatial econometrics, emphasising its relevance in uncovering hidden spatial patterns, addressing endogeneity, and providing robust estimates in the presence of spatial dependence. |
| Date: | 2024–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:mq7te_v2 |
| By: | Han, Hoon; Ng, Matthew Kok Ming (University of New South Wales); Crommelin, Laura; Searle, Glen; Lee, Brian; Hoseini, Parian |
| Abstract: | What this research is about? This research looked at why people move between urban and regional Australia, and identified the social, economic, demographic and policy factors driving these population shifts. Why this research is important? Understanding population movements between Australia's capital cities and regional areas is crucial for accurate population forecasting, planning, supporting regional growth and managing community changes. |
| Date: | 2025–03–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:3khps_v1 |
| By: | Fernando Cascão; Katja Neugebauer |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the determinants of house prices in Portugal, where nominal prices have doubled over the past decade. Using asking prices for residential properties from 2018 to 2022, we compare the accuracy of several machine learning techniques and select gradient tree boosting as the optimal model for analyzing the complex dynamics of the housing market. Structural property characteristics and neighborhood factors – such as proximity to amenities, demographics, and household financial standing – emerge as significant determinants, with their influence varying across price quantiles and districts. Furthermore, we introduce prediction intervals using conformalized quantile regression, providing a more robust measure of estimation uncertainty. |
| JEL: | R21 R30 C14 C21 C55 O18 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ptu:wpaper:w202506 |
| By: | Devos, Louise (Ghent University); Lippens, Louis (Ghent University); Claus, Dagmar (Ghent University); Baert, Stijn (Ghent University) |
| Abstract: | Regional mobility is crucial for addressing labour shortages, as jobseekers from one region may fill vacancies in another region with few local candidates. However, this requires a willingness amongst employers to consider candidates from across regional borders. This study examines the influence of regional identity on hiring decisions in the Belgian labour market, focusing on perceptions of Flemish recruiters towards Flemish and Walloon candidates. Through a state-of-the-art vignette experiment, genuine Flemish recruiters evaluated fictitious resumes of school leavers that signalled regional identity through their name, place of birth, residential address, secondary school location, and/or language proficiency. Walloon candidates consistently score lower on key hiring metrics. Structural equation modelling reveals that Flemish employers hold negative perceptions of Walloon candidates, particularly regarding availability, interpersonal competency, attitude, and willingness of employers, employees, and clients to cooperate with them. These findings highlight the persistent role of regional identity stereotypes in reinforcing labour market inequalities and impeding mobility as a strategy to mitigate labour market tightness. |
| Keywords: | perceptions, culture, regional mobility, labour market, discrimination, Belgium |
| JEL: | J61 J68 J71 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17855 |
| By: | Tommaso Agasisti (Politecnico di Milano School of Management); Pietro Massaggia; Teo Miserocchi |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the relationship between local government efficiency and Quality of Life (QoL) across Italian Provinces with 2019 as reference year. The study aims to assess whether local governments (municipalities within a certain province) that achieve higher technical efficiency in delivering public services also present a higher QoL for citizens. The method developed to address the research question employs bootstrapped Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to generate efficiency (first-stage) and QoL scores (second-stage), followed by a third-stage regression to examine the relationship between these two dimensions, also considering contextual factors. The analysis reveals significant regional disparities, with Northern Italian provinces generally displaying higher QoL outcomes compared to their Southern counterparts. We propose an innovative specification less dependent on municipal spending to measure efficiency. The results suggest that higher technical efficiency does not always translate equally into higher QoL, as this relationship might also depends on the wealth level of the areas analyzed or by the action of other government levels. Specifically, municipalities’ efficiency appears to be more relevant in less prosperous regions. The analysis is conducted both for global efficiency and for single services separately. |
| Keywords: | Quality of Life, Technical Efficiency, Local Government, Municipalities, Public Services, Data Envelopment Analysis. |
| JEL: | H72 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipu:wpaper:120 |
| By: | Gregory Camilli |
| Abstract: | The third National Charter School Study (NCSS III) aimed to test whether charter school were effective and to highlight outcomes on academic progress. The results showed that typical charter school students outperformed similar students in noncharter public schools by 6 days in mathematics and 16 days in reading. The key metric used to claim better performance in charter schools is "days of learning." In this report, the origin of the days-of-learning metric is explored with NAEP data, and the interpretation of days of learning as within-year growth is considered. |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2503.22739 |
| By: | Hyland, Michael F. PhD; Pike, Susan PhD; Hu, Siwei; Berkel, Jacob Julius; Xing, Yan PhD; Saha, Ritun; Vander Veen, Geoffrey Hans; Yang, Dingtong PhD |
| Abstract: | Public transit ridership has declined in major US cities over the past decade. Integrating traditional fixed-route transit with flexible microtransit has been proposed to enhance ridership, mobility, accessibility, and sustainability. This project surveyed California transit agencies on their microtransit services to identify challenges to integrating them with fixed-route services. An agent-based model combining the two modes of transit was developed to evaluate different operational designs. FleetPy, an open-source simulation tool, modeled microtransit dynamics. The study examined design impacts, such as fixed route headways and microtransit fleet size, in downtown San Diego and Lemon Grove, California. Results showed that while microtransit reduces fixed-route ridership and requires higher subsidies, it significantly boosts job accessibility. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Public transit, Microtransit, Demand responsive transportation, Transit operating agencies, Travel demand, Ridership, Operating subsidies, Accessibility |
| Date: | 2025–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt32v3x9mw |
| By: | Singh, Ranjodh; Ong, Rachel; Leishman, Chris; Hewton, Jack |
| Abstract: | What this research is about? This research looks at what shapes the investment behaviour of small-scale, residential landlords. It presents new evidence on rental investment behaviour and examines the potential impacts of policy changes on landlords’ costs of supplying rental housing, along with the effects on affordability for tenants. Why this research is important? Understanding what motivates landlords and their investment goals can help build a private rental sector that benefits more Australians. With the fast and ongoing growth of the private rental sector, this study makes a timely contribution to policy debates on the supply of rental housing by uncovering new evidence on patterns and drivers of rental property investment behaviour. |
| Date: | 2025–04–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:u9fgr_v1 |
| By: | Pagani, Anna; Macmillan, Alex; Savini, Federico; Davies, Michael; Zimmermann, Nici |
| Abstract: | The shortage of social housing is a crucial element of the UK housing crisis. In England, social rented housing provision significantly relies on market homes construction, with detrimental impacts on residents and the environment. Moratoria are often cited in the degrowth literature as policy tools supporting strategies to break free from growth-driven mechanisms and achieve high levels of well-being while reducing environmental pressures. However, the systemic effects of such a policy on housing and its potential drawbacks are at present understudied. This study explores the extent to which a moratorium on new construction in the housing sector would be an effective, desirable, and feasible policy to address the shortage of good quality social housing. We used existing causal loop diagrams (CLDs) to formulate qualitative hypotheses on the effects of a moratorium on the structures underpinning the construction and demolition of social housing estates. We then explored perceived obstacles or opportunities to its uptake in a workshop with four housing associations, the largest providers of social housing in England. Our CLDs suggest that a moratorium could help to address the growth-dependent mechanisms of social housing provision, with systemic benefits for both social tenants and housing associations. However, the workshop revealed that its adoption would depend on whether the maintenance, repair, and retrofit of the existing stock could offset the perceived advantages of new construction (e.g., quality, quantity, adequacy). Through the use of systems thinking tools, our findings support dialogue around alternatives to the growth-dependent paradigm undermining housing provision within planetary boundaries. |
| Date: | 2025–03–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:f6suj_v3 |
| By: | Mari Rege; Edvin Bru; Ingeborg F. Solli; Maximiliaan W. P. T. Thijssen; Kjersti B. Tharaldsen; Lene Vestad; Sigrun K. Ertesvåg; Terje Ogden; Paul N. Stallard |
| Abstract: | Effective and scalable strategies for promoting youth mental health are urgently needed. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of school-based, teacher-led coping skills instruction on youth mental health and academic achievement. The trial included 84 classes and 1, 879 ninth-grade students (ages 14–15) in Norway. Findings indicate improved mental well-being and reduced emotional distress at a one-year follow-up, particularly among students with low baseline well-being. The intervention also enhanced academic motivation and increased the likelihood of choosing an academic high school track. Additionally, it had a positive effect on math performance among students with initially low academic motivation, but no significant effects on performance in English or Norwegian. |
| Keywords: | social and emotional skills, preventive mental health policy, school-based intervention, teacher led intervention, education policy |
| JEL: | I20 J00 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11742 |
| By: | Elbro, Carsten (University of Copenhagen); Kristensen, Nicolai (VIVE - The Danish Centre for Applied Social Science); Skov, Peter Rohde (Rockwool Foundation Intervention Unit) |
| Abstract: | Many studies have documented that a phonics approach is an essential component in the teaching of reading for beginning readers, especially for students at risk of reading disabilities. We study whether phonics approaches, as indicated by the choice of basal readers (materials for the initial teaching of reading) in Grade 1, have long-term effects on adult education levels and labour market outcomes 23 years later. The study shows evidence of a causal link between the choice of basal reader in primary school and school results at the end of lower secondary school as well as labour market outcomes at age 30. Choosing a basal reader that is easily compatible with a phonics approach is a highly cost-effective policy choice. |
| Keywords: | long-term outcomes, basal reader, reading |
| JEL: | H52 I28 I38 J13 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17815 |
| By: | Pesce, Simone; Zhang, Liang |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the role of mortgage refinancing in shaping the estimates of marginal propensity to consume (MPC) and its implications for fiscal policy. Using U.S. household data, we find that MPCs decrease during the year of mortgage refinancing and stabilize afterwards, particularly among households with lower liquid assets, higher debtto-income ratios, and valuable illiquid assets. The empirical evidence suggests that refinancing provides extra liquidity, reducing MPCs. We leverage on a partial equilibrium model to quantitatively assess these effects and to explore the role of home-equity extractions for fiscal policy. Our findings highlight a new dimension for the efficacy of cash transfers: targeted programs that consider higher MPCs of no-refinancers generate savings between 4 and 12% compared to non-targeted programs. These estimates imply approximately $30 billions in potential savings under the CARES Act of March 2020. JEL Classification: E21, E62, G21, G51, H31 |
| Keywords: | fiscal policy, fiscal transfers, households heterogeneity, housing, marginal propensity to consume, mortgage refinance |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:20253051 |
| By: | Stoyanov, Andrey (York University, Canada); Zubanov, Nick (University of Konstanz) |
| Abstract: | Existing evidence points to a positive correlation between specific regulations and income inequality at a country or regional level, but little is known about how overall regulatory burden affects inequality at the local labor market level. Our study fills this gap by measuring local exposure to regulation from the industry-relevant articles of U.S. Code of Federal Regulation linked to local industry employment structure in 741 commuting zones (CZs) in the U.S. over the period 1970-2019. Relating our exposure to regulation measure to the CZ-level income inequality, computed from the Census records, we find that heavier regulation is followed by higher income inequality, lower average income and higher unemployment in the affected CZs. The implied effect estimates are sizeable and robust to various checks. We contribute to inequality research by identifying previously unknown, local effects of regulation on income inequality, exploring mechanisms through which they may occur, and demonstrating how available data can be used to produce more granular measures of exposure to regulation. |
| Keywords: | regulation, income, inequality, employment, local labor market |
| JEL: | L5 D63 E24 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17820 |
| By: | Gino Sturla; Benedetto Rocchi; Oscar Melo |
| Abstract: | Chile exhibits significant heterogeneity in both water availability and economic structure throughout its territory. Water-intensive industries that generate high value added are concentrated mainly in areas with low water availability. In this context, estimating virtual water flows within the Chilean economy becomes essential, yet this has not been previously addressed in the literature. This study propose a methodology to estimate virtual water flows between Chilean regions using an environmentally extended multiregional input-output model, identifying the pollution, value added, and scarcity embedded in these flows. Furthermore, by incorporating regional water supply and applying the hydroeconomic equilibrium framework with methodological innovations, this study characterizes the opportunity costs (in terms of value added) of water overexploitation in regions with scarcity. The main results indicate that the central region of the country is the primary destination of virtual water flows and the pollution embedded in them (water footprint). However, when considering scarcity into the water footprint, the central-northern and northern regions gain significant importance. When considering the value added transported in these flows, the Antofagasta north region emerges as a key area, given its importance as both a producer and consumer of value added generated with water. Regarding hydroeconomic equilibrium, the findings reveal high unitary costs associated with water overexploitation in the Antofagasta and Metropolitan regions. The constructed model has also been applied to estimate the contribution of aquifers and reservoirs to regional value added. This opens an important research avenue for employing input-output models in the valuation of ecosystem services. The study provides valuable insights for the spatial targeting of policies and the design of public interventions aimed at mitigating water scarcity without imposing significant economic costs at the national level. |
| Keywords: | Input-output, extended water demand, feasible water supply, extended water exploitation index, Chile |
| JEL: | C67 Q25 Q50 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:frz:wpaper:wp2025_09.rdf |
| By: | Motta Café, Renata |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the fiscal and extra-fiscal effects of decentralizing the collection of Brazil's rural land tax from the federal level to local governments. Using a difference-in-differences research design, we assess the impact of local tax enforcement on revenue, land use, and environmental outcomes. Decentralization led to sustained revenue gains, increased agricultural production, expanded reported environmental protection areas, and slightly decreased land concentration. Our findings highlight the role of property taxation as a policy instrument for environmental conservation and sustainable development. |
| Keywords: | fiscal decentralization;extra-fiscality;Land use;sustainable develop-ment;rural property tax |
| JEL: | H23 H30 H77 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:14081 |
| By: | Hirao, Tomotaka (Setsunan University); Iida, Seira |
| Abstract: | Using newly available data on academic performance garnered for a survey conducted by a local government in Japan, this study analyzes the effects of class size on test scores (specifically on the subjects of English, Japanese, and mathematics). Empirical results show that class size has a negative correlation on test scores in mathematics and English. In short, smaller class size was associated with higher test scores in mathematics and English. However, this was low-impact variable compared to other variables such as scholastic year and gender. Additionally, estimation results that investigate the relationship between class size and test scores in Japanese studies lack consistency. Moreover, the relationship between class size and test scores in mathematics has a quadratic function which is convex downward. The extreme value of this quadratic function is 36.2; math test scores decrease as class size increases up to this point, and increase beyond it. |
| Date: | 2025–04–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:7jvhn_v1 |
| By: | Klara Kantova (Institute of Economic Studies, Charles University, Prague); Tomas Havranek (Institute of Economic Studies, Charles University, Prague, Centre for Economic Policy Research, London, Meta-Research Innovation Center, Stanford); Zuzana Irsova (Institute of Economic Studies, Charles University, Prague, Anglo-American University, Prague) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents the first comprehensive meta-analysis of the elasticity of substitution between native and immigrant labor. Drawing on 1, 091 estimates from 41 studies, we examine whether immigrants and natives compete in the same labor markets, and to what extent published estimates are shaped by methodological choices and publication bias. We find strong evidence of small-study effects: less precise estimates are associated with lower elasticities, which is consistent with selective reporting. Correcting for these biases using a wide array of techniques (linear, nonlinear, and selection models) raises the mean implied elasticity from 13 to approximately 20. Model averaging techniques reveal that data features, such as experience level, wage definition, and region, explain much of the heterogeneity in reported results. Notably, the often-cited discrepancy between using log(mean wages) and mean(log wages) largely disappears once publication bias is accounted for. Our findings imply that immigrants and natives are imperfect substitutes but more substitutable than is commonly assumed. |
| Keywords: | elasticity of substitution, immigration, native labor, metaanalysis, publication bias |
| JEL: | J15 J61 C83 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fau:wpaper:wp2025_08 |
| By: | Sulin Sardoschau (Humboldt University Berlin); Annali Casanueva-Artis (Paris School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | Freedom of speech is central to democracy, but protests that amplify extremist views expose a critical trade-off between civil liberties and public safety. This paper investigates how right-wing demonstrations affect the incidence of hate crimes, focusing on Germany’s largest far-right movement since World War II. Leveraging a difference-in-differences framework with instrumental variable and event-study approaches, we find that a 20% increase in local protest attendance nearly doubles hate crime occurrences. We explore three potential mechanisms—signaling, agitation, and coordination—by examining protest dynamics, spatial diffusion, media influence, counter-mobilization, and crime characteristics. Our analysis reveals that large protests primarily act as signals of broad xenophobic support, legitimizing extremist violence. This signaling effect propagates through right-wing social media networks and is intensified by local newspaper coverage and Twitter discussions. Consequently, large protests shift local equilibria, resulting in sustained higher levels of violence primarily perpetrated by repeat offenders. Notably, these protests trigger resistance predominantly online, rather than physical counter-protests. |
| Keywords: | protest, signal, hate crime, refugees, right-wing |
| JEL: | D74 J15 D83 Z10 D72 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:2508 |
| By: | Frederico Godinho; Katja Neugebauer |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we build a Housing Search Index (HSI) based on Google searches made within Portugal that are related to the house-buying process. We find that this index performs well in predicting house price changes in the short-term, especially in comparison to other predictors usually applied in this literature. The predictive model also suggests that supply indicators are not as strong predictors as the HSI, and that incorporating Google search-based foreign demand HSIs to the model adds significant predictive power. |
| JEL: | C53 R21 R30 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ptu:wpaper:w202507 |
| By: | Daryl Fairweather; Matthew Kahn; Robert Metcalfe; Sebastian Sandoval-Olascoaga |
| Abstract: | Climate change presents new risks for property in the United States. Due to the high cost and sometimes unavailability of location-specific property risk data, home buyers can greatly benefit from acquiring knowledge about these risks. To explore this, a large-scale nationwide natural field experiment was conducted through Redfin to estimate the causal impact of providing home-specific flood risk information on the behavior of home buyers in terms of their search, bidding, and purchasing decisions. Redfin randomly assigned 17.5 million users to receive information detailing the flood risk associated with the properties they searched for on the platform. Our analysis reveals several key findings: (1) the flood risk information influences every stage of the house buying process, including the initial search, bidding activities, and final purchase; (2) individuals are willing to make trade-offs concerning property amenities in order to own a property with a lower flood risk; (3) the impact of the flood risk information on behavior is more pronounced for users conducting searches in high flood risk areas, but does not differ significantly between buyers in Republican and Democrat Counties; and (4) the information resulted in changes to property prices and altered the market's hedonic equilibrium, providing a new finding that climate adaptation can be forward-thinking and proactive. |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:feb:natura:00818 |
| By: | Ding, Kaijing; Hansen, Mark |
| Abstract: | A major criticism of California’s high-speed rail project is that it will mainly serve urban elites and that low-income people and people of color likely won’t be able to afford the fares.2 Also, the project may benefit the middle-income group the least since the proposed station locations, usually in or near city centers, will probably serve high- and low-income populations better than middle-income families.2 Besides these arguments, however, there are very few studies that have analyzed the equity impacts of California’s high-speed rail project. Current studies have either focused on benefits to California residents as a whole with little consideration to the specific opportunities for how high- speed rail will improve the lives of marginalized groups; or only studied the disproportionate adverse impacts received by marginalized groups. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt5m44m6zm |
| By: | Luis Alonso-Armesto (University of Oxford); Julio Caceres-Delpiano (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.); Warn Lekfuangfu (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) |
| Abstract: | This study examines the impact of increasing the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (from 16 to 18 years old) on the academic performance, substance use, and peer behaviours of teenagers. Using a difference-in-discontinuities design, we exploit regional MLDA reforms in Spain and PISA data to identify significant improvements in mathematics and science performance, particularly among male teenagers and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. A complementary analysis using data from the Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education in Spain indicates that these academic gains coincide with reductions in alcohol consumption, intoxication, smoking, and marijuana use, suggesting a link between substance use and educational outcomes. Moreover, the reform led to less drinking and less use of illicit drugs within peer networks, highlighting the amplifying role of peer effects in policy impact. |
| Keywords: | minimum legal drinking age, education, risky behaviour, alcohol, difference-in-discontinuities, PISA, ESTUDES, Spain, teenagers |
| JEL: | I18 I12 I21 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:2509 |
| By: | Amélie Allegre; Oana Borcan; Christa Brunnschweiler; Christa N. Brunnschweiler |
| Abstract: | We examine colonial-era primary education as a determinant of modern-day attainment and gender disparities in education. We construct a novel dataset from the French Protectorate in Morocco, combining archival data on colonial school locations in 1931 and 1954 with the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data in arbitrary grids. We analyse the influence of colonial schools on the probability of attaining primary and secondary education in 2004. Overall, schools dedicated to Moroccans in 1931 exhibit a persistent positive impact on education outcomes, but only in the absence of nearby schools reserved for Europeans. Stark gender gaps in access during the Protectorate were narrowed in places with schools for Jewish Moroccans. These had a positive impact on girls’ contemporary levels of education, but a negative impact on the enrolment for boys following the dismantling of Jewish communities after 1948. DHS measures of preferences for female education point to a social norms transmission mechanism between Jewish and Muslim Moroccan communities. |
| Keywords: | education, colonial legacy, female education, Morocco, French Protectorate |
| JEL: | N37 O15 I21 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11725 |
| By: | Alessandra Casarico; Edoardo Di Porto; Joanna Kopinska; Salvatore Lattanzio |
| Abstract: | Relying on a reform that increased parental leave generosity, we estimate workplace peer effects in the use of leave, with a focus on fathers. Coworker fathers are more likely to take parental leave when exposed to a higher share of peer fathers, who are exogenously affected by the reform. This effect is stronger in larger establishments, those with higher levels of social capital and higher use of parental leave before the reform. We also document that own-gender peer effects are larger than cross-gender influences, and show the absence of career costs for fathers exposed to the reform, which provides an explanation for our findings. Peer effects extend to coworker fathers' partners, who experience an increase in earnings and labor supply. Peer effects are observed also for mothers, but the response of their partners is less pronounced. |
| Keywords: | parental leave, peer effects, career costs, female labor market participation. |
| JEL: | J13 J16 J18 K31 M52 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11795 |
| By: | Ying Fan; Ziying Fan; Yiyi Zhou |
| Abstract: | This paper studies how dynamic changes in the search environment affect consumer search and purchase behavior. We develop a dynamic model that incorporates a non-stationary search environment and propose a feasible estimation procedure to estimate its parameters. We apply our model and estimation procedure to the Beijing housing market, utilizing detailed data on consumers’ complete search records. We show that accounting for dynamics is crucial for accurately estimating search costs. Additionally, we find that search environment dynamics have a significant impact on consumer decisions and welfare. Housing supply policies that alter search environment dynamics—by increasing the number of new listings and slowing down price increases—benefit consumers, primarily by incentivizing longer searches, more property visits, and ultimately leading to purchases that yield higher utility. |
| Keywords: | consumer search, non-stationary search environment, Beijing housing market |
| JEL: | D80 L80 R30 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11709 |
| By: | Muellbauer, John |
| Abstract: | A green land value tax (LVT) can resolve conflicts among meeting climate goals, equity and housing affordability, while reducing intergenerational injustice. Land prices, reflected in house prices relative to incomes, are near all-time records, pricing younger citizens out of home-ownership and affordable rents. The OECD confirms that annual property taxes linked to recent market values can improve macroeconomic stability and also boost long-run growth. The green LVT – effectively a split-rate property tax – would consist of a charge on the land plus a charge on the building minus a discount depending on its energy usage. Regular revaluations discourage speculation and avoid cliff-edge changes. To protect cash-poor but land-rich households, everyone would have the right to defer the tax. To avoid complex interest charges, the tax authority would register a proportionate claim at the land registry equal to the unpaid tax for each year deferred, settled upon the property's transfer or sale. |
| Date: | 2023–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:amz:wpaper:2023-12 |
| By: | Demirci, Mustafa Can; Yucel, Mustafa Eray |
| Abstract: | This paper quantitatively examines the refugee absorption/integration rates across Türkiye’s 81 provinces while considering the geographical and economic features of each of the 81 provinces. The study mainly focuses on the distribution of Syrian refugees under temporary protection in Türkiye after the 2011 Syrian Civil War and develops an array of econometric models to understand the spatial distribution of refugees. Subsequently, the over-absorbing provinces (the provinces that host more than their model-suggested ideal capacity) and under-absorbing provinces (the provinces that host less than their model-suggested ideal capacity) are highlighted along with a road map for future research venues. |
| Keywords: | Syria; Civil war; Refugee; Temporary protection; Socio-economic absorption; Turkey; Türkiye |
| JEL: | C51 I38 J15 J61 |
| Date: | 2025–04–17 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124448 |
| By: | Alessandro Ferrara (Free University, Berlin); Renee Luthra (University of Essex); Lucinda Platt (LSE) |
| Abstract: | Using a specially constructed international dataset of adult heights, we assess the extent, drivers and consequences of migrant selectivity, measured as relative height. This offers a measure of health selectivity that precedes emigration and is stable over time. Applying this measure to representative data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we (i) evaluate whether it correlates with characteristics theoretically associated with migrant health selectivity, (ii) test the assumption that selectivity accounts for the commonly observed immigrant health advantage, and (iii) assess whether degree of selectivity sheds light on the paradox that immigrants’ health deteriorates over time since arrival. We find that while, on average, immigrants are positively selected on health and have better health on average than non-migrant Germans, greater selectivity is not associated with better health. However, more positively selected immigrants experience less deterioration in their health, whether evaluated cross-sectionally across arrival cohorts or longitudinally within individuals, helping to explain the immigrant health paradox. Overall, our results i) confirm that migrants are selected on health, ii) support theoretical expectations relating to migrant selection that higher barriers to migration increase selectivity, and iii) demonstrate that while most immigrants are healthier upon arrival, only more selected immigrants enjoy better health throughout adulthood. |
| Keywords: | migrant selectivity; healthy immigrant effect; immigrant health paradox |
| Date: | 2025–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:2503 |
| By: | García-Suaza, Andres; Mondragón-Mayo, Angie; Sarango-Iturralde, Alexander |
| Abstract: | The Venezuelan migration crisis has led to large-scale displacement, with over 2.5 million Venezuelans seeking refuge in Colombia. This study assesses the impact of the PEP on labor market outcomes for Venezuelan migrants. Using data from the EPM survey and a difference-in-differences methodology, the study compares preand post-migration labor conditions. Findings indicate that while PEP holders have increased access to formal ways of employment, it does not significantly mitigate occupational downgrading, as many migrants, especially those with white-collar experience, transition to blue-collar jobs. The results suggest that, although the PEP improves employment access, it does not fully address the quality mismatch between migrants' skills and available job opportunities. The findings underscore the importance of policy initiatives targeting skill development and matching migrants' qualifications with job market needs to enhance labor market integration and reduce inequality. |
| Keywords: | Migration, occupational downgrading, labor mobility, work permits |
| JEL: | F22 O15 J24 J61 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:glodps:1606 |
| By: | Mallett, Richard |
| Abstract: | Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest ways to get around Kampala, Uganda, but they are also the most dangerous. Over the past decade, digital ride-hailing platforms have emerged on the city’s streets as a self-styled solution to dangerous working conditions and low earnings in the sector, promising a dual transformation of both livelihoods and safety standards. In this article, I draw on an analysis of speed and the forces that shape it to critically explore the ways in which concerted safety initiatives combine with the precarious logics of the platform economy to produce what I term a “speed trap” – a frenetic, incoherent set of circumstances that push and pull informal transport workers in different directions by compelling slowness and recklessness at the same time. As a result, ride-hailing emerges as a risky vehicle for road safety reform and an ambiguous addition to (already) high-risk urban infrastructure. |
| Keywords: | motorcycle taxis; platforms; ride-hailing; speed; Kampala |
| JEL: | R14 J01 |
| Date: | 2025–04–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:127625 |
| By: | Stanley Feldman; Mikael Hjerm; William Nilsson; José Gabriel Romero Ciavatto; Steven Stillman |
| Abstract: | The literature on political socialization highlights the importance of parents and friends, but it is rare to find studies analyzing these socializing agents in the same model. In contrast, friends are often limited to one or a few friends that may not account for the actual effect of friends. The reason is that standard datasets do not collect information on the entire network of people's friends. Importantly, having an incomplete network can lead to biased estimates of network effects. To overcome this problem, we surveyed 419 students who recruited an additional 4500 social contacts who answered a shorter survey. Controlling for potentially endogenous network formation and using second-order peers to instrument for direct network effects, we find important political socialization from parents and friends on anti-immigrant sentiment and voting intentions among the students we survey. We also show that results differ if we only examine the impact of classroom peers, as is typically done in the literature. Surveying social contacts is a promising way to reach a complete social network, which overcomes data limitations in the current political socialization literature. |
| Keywords: | political socialization, social interactions, anti-immigrant sentiments, authoritarianism, voting intentions. |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11806 |
| By: | Leonid V. Azarnert |
| Abstract: | I study the effect of educational policy in the host economy on human capital accumulation and growth. The analysis is performed in a two-country growth model with endogenous fertility. I show that providing additional free educational services for immigrant children can increase the attractiveness of migration for less skilled individuals, which can outweigh the positive effect of this policy on the acquisition of human capital. In contrast, imposing taxes on immigrants in the host country reduces low-skilled immigration flows and has the potential to promote human capital accumulation if the resulting revenues are channeled into educational subsidies. |
| Keywords: | migration, child education, fertility, human capital, growth, brain drain, brain dilution tax |
| JEL: | D30 F22 J10 J13 J24 O15 O40 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11727 |
| By: | Handy, Susan |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt0nn3h1ww |
| By: | Millimet, Daniel L. (Southern Methodist University); Whitacre, Travis (Yale University) |
| Abstract: | Geographic disparities in mortality rates in the US are pronounced and growing. The Black-White mortality gap is volatile but persistent, while the Rich-Poor mortality gap is increasing dramatically. While the causes of these inequalities are not understood, recent attention has focused on the role of place-specific factors. Here, we explore the importance of politics as a place-specific factor contributing to spatial inequality in mortality. Specifically, we test for the existence of partisan mortality cycles using panel data on counties from 1968-2016 and information on the political ideology of state and federal political officials. We confirm the existence of partisan mortality cycles, finding lower mortality in counties governed by more liberal political regimes. Several sources of heterogeneity are also uncovered. While additional research is needed, the analysis here suggests that analyses of spatial, racial, and income differences in mortality ought to start with the political system. |
| Keywords: | geographic disparities, ideology, mortality, political cycles |
| JEL: | I10 I18 J10 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17824 |
| By: | Enrico Moretti; Moises Yi |
| Abstract: | Economists have long hypothesized that large and thick labor markets facilitate the matching between workers and firms. We use administrative data from the LEHD to compare the job search outcomes of workers originally in large and small markets who lost their jobs due to a firm closure. We define a labor market as the Commuting Zone×industry pair in the quarter before the closure. To account for the possible sorting of high-quality workers into larger markets, the effect of market size is identified by comparing workers in large and small markets within the same CZ, conditional on workers fixed effects. In the six quarters before their firm’s closure, workers in small and large markets have a similar probability of employment and quarterly earnings. Following the closure, workers in larger markets experience significantly shorter non-employment spells and smaller earning losses than workers in smaller markets, indicating that larger markets partially insure workers against idiosyncratic employment shocks. A 1 percent increase in market size results in a 0.015 and 0.023 percentage points increase in the 1-year re-employment probability of high school and college graduates, respectively. Displaced workers in larger markets also experience a significantly lower need for relocation to a different CZ. Conditional on finding a new job, the quality of the new worker-firm match is higher in larger markets, as proxied by a higher probability that the new match lasts more than one year; the new industry is the same as the old one; and the new industry is a “good fit” for the worker’s college major. Consistent with the notion that market size should be particularly consequential for more specialized workers, we find that the effects are larger in industries where human capital is more specialized and less portable. Our findings may help explain the geographical agglomeration of industries—especially those that make intensive use of highly specialized workers—and validate one of the mechanisms that urban economists have proposed for the existence of agglomeration economies. |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cen:wpaper:25-22 |
| By: | Mhamed Ben Salah (South Mediterranean University, Mediterranean School of Business); Cédric Chambru (ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - Université de Lyon, CERGIC - Center for Economic Research on Governance, Inequality and Conflict - ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - Université de Lyon); Maleke Fourati (South Mediterranean University, Mediterranean School of Business) |
| Abstract: | This paper uses spatial variations in the enrolment rate of Tunisian pupils in 1931 to estimate the weight of colonial history on medium- and long-run educational attainment. We assemble a new dataset on the location of public primary schools and the number of pupils and teachers, together with population data for 1931. We match these data with information on education at the district level, derived from two population censuses conducted in 1984 and 2014. We find that a one per cent increase in the enrolment rate in 1931 is associated with a 2.37 percentage points increase in the literacy rate in 1984, and a 1.89 percentage points increase in 2014. We further investigate the exposure to colonial public primary education across different age cohorts. We find that our results are mainly driven by older generations, and tend to fade for younger cohorts. While we provide qualitative evidence that a cultural transmission of education may have contributed to this persistence, we also argue that the continuous effort and investment made by Tunisian governments to achieve universal primary enrolment best explain the decline in spatial disparities in educational attainment. |
| Keywords: | Colonial investment, Colonial settlers, Primary education, Literacy, Tunisia |
| Date: | 2024–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05004027 |
| By: | Boris Gershman; Ameesh Upadhyay |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the relationship between local ethnic divisions and conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using census subsamples and large-scale household surveys, we construct a new subnational dataset on ethnic inequality capturing group-level differences in education, asset ownership, and access to basic amenities for several hundred regions in thirty-five countries. To distinguish between deep-rooted and more recent ethnic divisions, we incorporate groups from our sample into Ethnologue's linguistic tree model and generate alternative measures of both ethnic fragmentation and inequality based on ancestral languages. Our analysis, leveraging within-country variation and accounting for numerous regional characteristics, reveals a robust positive relationship between ethnic fractionalization and conflict, especially when using deeper linguistic cleavages to define distinct groups. In contrast, ethnic inequality shows no systematic association with conflict frequency or severity. These findings suggest the primacy of ethnic identity over socioeconomic disparities between groups as a driver of local conflict. |
| Keywords: | conflict, ethnolinguistic diversity, ethnic inequality, Sub-Saharan Africa, subnational analysis |
| JEL: | D31 D74 O10 O15 Z13 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:amu:wpaper:2025-01 |
| By: | Maria Vagliasindi; Nisan Gorgulu |
| Abstract: | This paper takes stock of the literature on infrastructure and jobs published since the early 2000s, using a conceptual framework to identify the key channels through which different types of infrastructure impact jobs. Where relevant, it highlights the different approaches and findings in the cases of energy, digital, and transport infrastructure. Overall, the literature review provides strong evidence of infrastructure’s positive impact on employment, particularly for women. In the case of electricity, this impact arises from freeing time that would otherwise be spent on household tasks. Similarly, digital infrastructure, particularly mobile phone coverage, has demonstrated positive labor market effects, often driven by private sector investments rather than large public expenditures, which are typically required for other large-scale infrastructure projects. The evidence on structural transformation is also positive, with some notable exceptions, such as studies that find no significant impact on structural transformation in rural India in the cases of electricity and roads. Even with better market connections, remote areas may continue to lack economic opportunities, due to the absence of agglomeration economies and complementary inputs such as human capital. Accordingly, reducing transport costs alone may not be sufficient to drive economic transformation in rural areas. The spatial dimension of transformation is particularly relevant for transport, both internationally—by enhancing trade integration—and within countries, where economic development tends to drive firms and jobs toward urban centers, benefitting from economies scale and network effects. Turning to organizational transformation, evidence on skill bias in developing countries is more mixed than in developed countries and may vary considerably by context. Further research, especially on the possible reasons explaining the differences between developed and developing economies, is needed. |
| Date: | 2025–04–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:11096 |
| By: | Timothy J. Hatton |
| Abstract: | This chapter focuses on economic and demographic aspects of intercontinental migration. The coverage is selective, with a particular focus on emigration from Europe to the ‘New World’ in the first globalisation era. This is where most of the rich quantitative historical literature has concentrated, often employing the methodology that has been used to analyse more modern data. The first section reviews the motivations behind, and determinants of, the major historical migration flows. This is followed by an outline of migrant selectivity or self-selection—how the composition of migrants compares with that of the source population. I then turn to aspects of migrant integration in destination countries with a focus on intermarriage between immigrants and the native-born and on migrant fertility. The final section examines if and how dramatic changes in the world economy and the rise of immigration policies changed migration between the two eras of globalisation. This is followed by a short conclusion. |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:auu:hpaper:130 |
| By: | Sascha Becker (Warwick University); David Boll (Warwick University); Hans-Joachim Voth |
| Abstract: | Spatial unit roots can lead to spurious regression results. We present a brief overview of the methods developed in M ̈uller and Watson (2024) to test for and correct for spatial unit roots. We also introduce a suite of Stata commands (-spur-) implementing these techniques. Our commands exactly replicate results in M ̈uller and Watson (2024) using the same Chetty et al. (2014) data. We present a brief practitioner’s guide for applied researchers. |
| JEL: | C21 C22 C52 C87 N0 P0 R12 R15 |
| Date: | 2025–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:2502 |
| By: | Feldman, Stanley (Stony Brook University); Hjerm, Mikael (Umeå University); Nilsson, William (University of the Balearic Islands); Stillman, Steven (Free University of Bozen/Bolzano); Romero Ciavatto, José Gabriel (University of the Balearic Islands) |
| Abstract: | The literature on political socialization highlights the importance of parents and friends, but it is rare to find studies analyzing these socializing agents in the same model. In contrast, friends are often limited to one or a few friends that may not account for the actual effect of friends. The reason is that standard datasets do not collect information on the entire network of people's friends. Importantly, having an incomplete network can lead to biased estimates of network effects. To overcome this problem, we surveyed 419 students who recruited an additional 4500 social contacts who answered a shorter survey. Controlling for potentially endogenous network formation and using second-order peers to instrument for direct network effects, we find important political socialization from parents and friends on anti-immigrant sentiment and voting intentions among the students we survey. We also show that results differ if we only examine the impact of classroom peers, as is typically done in the literature. Surveying social contacts is a promising way to reach a complete social network, which overcomes data limitations in the current political socialization literature. |
| Keywords: | political socialization, social interactions, anti-immigrant sentiments, authoritarianism, voting intentions |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17818 |
| By: | O'Connor, Kelsey J. (STATEC Research – National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) |
| Abstract: | The immigrant population increased by 32 million in 37 European countries from 1990-2019. Much of this movement was internal, from east to west Europe. Although both the destination and origin countries could be affected, we find no effects on aggregate subjective well-being in either group, using country-panel and instrumental variable techniques. Immigrants, in contrast, experienced increased well-being, converted to monetary terms, in excess of £25, 000 per person. We offer more comprehensive evidence than previous studies, in terms of country and period, and by assessing the impacts on subjective well-being, which captures all of the important factors affected by immigration. |
| Keywords: | life satisfaction, migrants, emigration, immigration, subjective well-being, Europe |
| JEL: | I31 J15 F22 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17816 |
| By: | Aya Aboulhosn (American University); Cevat Aksoy (EBRD); Berkay Ozcan (LSE) |
| Abstract: | Debates about immigration’s role in addressing population aging typically concentrate on immigrant fertility rates. Moreover, standard projections account for migration’s impact on overall population growth while largely overlooking how immigration might affect native fertility. In contrast, we show that forced immigration influences native fertility as well. We investigate this relationship by examining the influx of refugees into Türkiye following the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Using two complementary instrumental variable strategies, we find robust evidence that native fertility increases in response to forced migration. This result holds across three distinct datasets and is further supported by a corresponding rise in subjective fertility measures, such as the ideal number of children. Additionally, we explore four potential mechanisms and document significant heterogeneity in fertility responses among different native subgroups. Our findings suggest that factors related to the labor market and norm transmission may help explain the observed increase in native fertility. |
| Keywords: | forced migration; fertility; refugees; social interactions |
| JEL: | J13 R23 F22 |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:2505 |
| By: | Salvatore Carrozzo |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the effect of a temporary forced internal migration on the voting behavior in the receiving municipalities. During World War I, around 500, 00 thousand displaced nationals were resettled from the Italian government within the country and stayed in the receiving place for less than two years. Leveraging on the quasi-random relocation policy and the short stay of displaced individuals, I evaluate whether hosting a large share of forced migrants affects voting behavior in the subsequent elections. Findings indicate that an increase in the share of hosted displaced individuals corresponds to a decrease in the vote share for the Italian Popular Party (PPI), the Catholic party. This aligns with historical evidence highlighting the significant role of Catholic associations in assisting displaced people at arrival. The negative impact on the Catholic party persisted for two consecutive elections, 1919 and 1921, before dissipating in 1924. Anti-competitive behavior for public services is likely to explain the voting behavior. |
| Keywords: | displaced people, political outcomes, public spending, resettlement policies |
| JEL: | D72 H53 I38 N34 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11737 |
| By: | Margolies, Amy; Amunga, Dorcas; Pather, Kamara; Craig, Hope; Olney, Deanna K. |
| Abstract: | Despite progress in reducing child stunting over the past 15 years, Kenya is now facing new nutrition challenges, including overweight and obesity. The double burden of malnutrition (DBM), which is the coexistence of under- and overnutrition within individuals, households, and populations [1], manifests as child stunting and adult overweight (mostly in women) at the population and household levels. Dietary diversity is low and affects different population groups (particularly young children, adolescents, and women), predisposing them to micronutrient deficiencies. However, recent data on micronutrient intake and status are lacking. Households living in urban areas are vulnerable to being overweight, a consequence of increasingly unhealthy dietary patterns. In Kenya’s informal urban settlements, limited dietary diversity, reliance on cereals, and widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contribute to high rates of child stunting, underweight, and the DBM, with affordability and accessibility driving food choices. Compounding factors include food safety concerns, clustering of unhealthy food vendors, and external shocks. Urban nutrition interventions have had mixed results, with some programs improving child health and maternal knowledge, but others showing no significant impact. Kenya aims to eliminate malnutrition by 2027, but national policies focus mostly on rural areas, leaving urban nutrition challenges insufficiently addressed. Programs such as Afya Jiji and the Nairobi City County Food System Strategy target urban health, but gaps in urban-specific strategies, poor coordination, and limited funding hinder progress. The national school meals program serves only a small portion of schools, and urban food policies are still underdeveloped. |
| Keywords: | dietary diversity; micronutrient deficiencies; obesity; stunting; Kenya; Africa; Eastern Africa |
| Date: | 2025–02–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:cgiarp:173368 |
| By: | Marjan Petreski; Magdalena Olczyk |
| Abstract: | This study examines the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on job creation across 109 regions in the old EU member states from 2012 to 2023. Using dynamic and spatial econometric models combined with a unique dataset of FDI projects, we find that increased FDI inflows significantly enhance regional job creation, but the relationship is nonlinear. Sectoral specialization plays a crucial role, as more concentrated FDI inflows lead to higher employment growth. Furthermore, FDI-driven job creation exhibits significant spatial spillover effects. However, regions attracting high-value FDI jobs, such as those in R&D and management, tend to experience slower overall employment growth. |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2503.23999 |
| By: | Abbiati, Giovanni (University of Brescia); Battistin, Erich (University of Maryland); Monti, Paola (Fondazione Rodolfo DeBenedetti); Pinotti, Paolo (Bocconi University) |
| Abstract: | We evaluate a labor market integration program that fast-tracked asylum seekers into the Italian labor market through personalized job mentoring, placement assistance, and on-the-job training. Leveraging randomized assignment across reception centers and individual-level administrative records, we find effects on employment rates of $10$ percentage points, or $30\%$ over the baseline, over a 18-month period. The program also improved job quality through increased access to fixed-term and open-ended contracts. Subsidized internships were a critical pathway to transitioning participants into standard employment. Survey data indicate that these effects reflect a net increase in employment, rather than a shift from informal to formal jobs. We also document broader benefits on socioeconomic integration, including language proficiency and social networks with native Italians. |
| Keywords: | job mentoring, labor market integration, asylum seekers, socioeconomic integration |
| JEL: | J15 D04 C90 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17859 |
| By: | Damba Lkhagvasuren; Purevdorj Tuvaandorj |
| Abstract: | The overwhelming majority of homeless individuals are jobless, despite many expressing a willingness to work. While this strong individual-level link between homelessness and unemployment is well-documented, the broader impact of labor market dynamics on homelessness remains largely unexplored. To fill this gap, this paper investigates the impact of local labor market conditions on the duration of homelessness, using individuals' homeless shelter usage records as a proxy for measuring their homelessness duration. Specifically, drawing on Canada's National Homelessness Information System data from 2014 to 2017, we analyze how local employment growth and changes in the local employment rate affect shelter usage duration. Our findings reveal that a 1% increase in local employment is associated with a 0.11-quarter (approximately 0.33-month) reduction in the average duration of shelter usage, while a 1% rise in the local employment rate leads to a 0.34-quarter (approximately 1.02-month) reduction. These changes correspond to decreases of 2.9% and 8.9%, respectively, in the average duration of shelter stays. The findings underscore the critical role of employment opportunities in reducing homelessness and lend support to job-oriented policy interventions for the homeless. In addition, the results suggest that demographic disparities-particularly the overrepresentation of Indigenous people and men among the homeless-are partially explained by slower exit rates from homelessness within these groups. |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2503.23259 |
| By: | Volker, Jamey |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–04–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt2444c0bw |
| By: | Elena Faieta; Zhexin Feng; Michel Serafinelli |
| Abstract: | A quarter of the population in high-income countries lives in rural areas. However, existing empirical evidence on these areas in OECD countries is scarce. Over the past several decades, many rural areas have been declining. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether these struggling rural areas are representative of the broad experience of the universe of rural areas. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of employment evolutions for rural areas in Western Europe during the period 1970-2010. We first analyse 846 rural areas in France, Germany, Italy and the UK, and document large differences in overall employment growth across rural areas in all four countries. A sizable fraction of rural areas lost employment. However, employment in a significant number of rural areas grew during this period. The 90-10 percentile difference in decadal total employment growth of rural areas is 17.4 log points, representing an economically large difference. We then show, using data for Italy and the UK, that changes in the industry structure are fast in rural areas. The estimates also indicate that industry turnover is positively associated with employment growth. Moreover, the evidence shows that areas with stronger total employment growth exhibit stronger employment growth in the manufacturing of food and beverages. All conclusions are similar for rural remote areas. Taken together, our results lend support to the hypothesis that rural economies are not static entities; change is common in these areas, and employment evolutions often result from industry-level dynamics. |
| Keywords: | rural employment, spatial heterogeneity, industry turnover |
| JEL: | R12 R32 J21 R11 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11699 |
| By: | Elisa Baldazzi; Pietro Biroli; Marina Della Giusta; Florent Dubois |
| Abstract: | Reliance on stereotypes is a persistent feature of human decision-making and has been extensively documented in educational settings, where it can shape students’ confidence, performance, and long-term human capital accumulation. While effective techniques exist to mitigate these negative effects, a crucial first step is to establish whether teachers can recognize stereotypes in their professional environment. We introduce the Stereotype Identification Test (SIT), a novel survey tool that asks teachers to evaluate and comment on the presence of stereotypes in images randomly drawn from school textbooks. Their responses are systematically linked to established measures of implicit bias (Implicit Association Test, IAT) and explicit bias (survey scales on teaching stereotypes and social values). Our findings demonstrate that the SIT is a valid and reliable measure of stereotype recognition. Teachers’ ability to recognize stereotypes is linked to trainable traits such as implicit bias awareness and inclusive teaching practices. Moreover, providing personalized feedback on implicit bias improves SIT scores by 0.25 standard deviations, reinforcing the idea that stereotype recognition is malleable and can be enhanced through targeted interventions. |
| Keywords: | stereotypes, discrimination, education, inequality |
| JEL: | I24 J16 J24 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11730 |
| By: | Golde, Eli; Alvero, AJ |
| Abstract: | Sociological inquiry of race and ethnicity typically takes a monolithic approach when examining Hispanic populations. However, novel sources of big data could be used to generate more precise insights about stratification among Hispanic subgroups. To demonstrate this, we use disaggregated data from the US Census Bureau that contains the number of Hispanic people in each ZIP code in the United States broken down by their regional origin (country or territory), along with ZIP code level data of economic connectedness, a strong predictor of socioeconomic mobility created using digital data from social media. Our results show Hispanics of Mexican, Central American, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban origin tend to live in areas with less economic connectedness than Hispanics of South American and Spanish origin, trends which mirror the overall trends discussed in the current literature. These latter groups, in some cases, have higher indicators of economic connectedness than the average American, Hispanic or not. Better understanding of the nuances among the coherent ethnic subgroups that fall under the panethnic Hispanic umbrella has implications for our understanding of social inequality. |
| Date: | 2025–03–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:7yjgc_v1 |
| By: | MacKinnon, Danny; Amarouche, Maryame; Béal, Vincent; Cauchi-Duval, Nicolas; Franklin, Rachel S. (Newcastle University); Kinossian, Nadir; Lang, Thilo; Le Petit-Guerin, Mehdi; Leibert, Tim; Nafaa, Nora |
| Abstract: | For over a decade, concern has mounted about places in Europe and North America that have been ‘left behind’ by the growth and prosperity experienced in more economically dynamic regions. This briefing paper summarises the findings from the ‘Beyond Left Behind Places’ project. Filling a gap in the policy debate, this study included qualitative research with residents of economically ‘left behind’ regions in France, Germany and the UK to gather their experiences and perceptions. The qualitative research was focused on six case studies areas, two in each country. It aimed to give agency and voice to people living in ‘left behind’ areas and draw on their experiences and priorities to inform the development of locally tailored policy responses. The case studies were designed to explore residents’ employment activities and access to services, alongside their perceptions of their areas and of recent place-based policies. Based on our findings, we outline a set of directions and recommendations on policies ‘for’ and ‘with’ ‘left behind places. |
| Date: | 2025–03–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:5hfxm_v1 |
| By: | Dodini, Samuel (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas); Lundborg, Petter (Lund University); Loken, Katrine Vellesen (Norwegian School of Economics); Willén, Alexander (Norwegian School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the welfare consequences of reallocating high-skilled labor across borders. A labor demand shock in Norway—driven by a surge in oil prices—substantially increased physician wages and sharply raised the incentive for Swedish doctors to commute across the border. Leveraging linked register data and a dose-response difference-in-differences design, we show that this shift doubled commuting rates and significantly reduced Sweden’s domestic physician supply. The result was a persistent rise in mortality, with no corresponding health gains in Norway. These effects were unevenly distributed, disproportionately harming certain places and populations. The underlying mechanism was a severe strain on Sweden’s healthcare system: shortages of young, high-skilled generalists led to more hospitalizations, premature discharges, higher readmission rates, and delayed care. Mortality effects were larger in low-density physician regions and concentrated in older individuals and acute conditions—circulatory, respiratory, and infectious diseases. Our findings show that even temporary, intensive-margin shifts in skilled labor can generate large and unequal welfare losses when public services are already capacity-constrained. |
| Keywords: | brain drain, worker mobility, mortality |
| JEL: | J2 J6 H1 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17819 |
| By: | Fajgelbaum, Pablo PhD; Gaubert, Cecile PhD; Gorton, Nicole; Morales, Eduardo; Schaal, Edouard |
| Abstract: | We study how political preferences shaped California’s High-Speed Rail (CHSR), a largetransportation project approved by referendum in 2008. Voters’ support responded significantly to the projected economic gains in their tract of residence, as measured by a quantitative model of high-speed rail matched to CHSR plans. Given this response, a revealed-preference approach comparing the proposed network with alternative designs identifies strong planner’s preferences for political support. The optimal politically-blind design would have placed the stations nearer to California’s dense metro areas, where it was harder to sway votes, thus increasing the projected economic gains. |
| Keywords: | Business |
| Date: | 2024–07–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt5zh3s8nv |
| By: | Issa Kachaou (UPEC UP12 - Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12) |
| Abstract: | This document offers an in-depth analysis of the main real estate valuation methods, providing theoretical explanations accompanied by concrete examples and numerical applications. It is aimed primarily at students of finance and real estate, enabling them to acquire a sound understanding of the different valuation approaches used in the sector. |
| Abstract: | Ce document propose une analyse approfondie des principales méthodes de valorisation immobilière, en fournissant des explications théoriques accompagnées d'exemples concrets et d'applications numériques. Il s'adresse principalement aux étudiants en finance et en immobilier, leur permettant d'acquérir une compréhension solide des différentes approches d'évaluation utilisées dans le secteur. |
| Keywords: | Immobilier + valorisation + méthode de valorisation |
| Date: | 2025–01–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04902337 |
| By: | Gaddis, S. Michael (NWEA); Quadlin, Natasha; Larsen, Edvard Nergård; Crabtree, Charles (Dartmouth College); Holbein, John B. |
| Abstract: | Intersectionality theory argues that race and gender cannot be fully understood in isolation or through an additive approach. However, field experiments frequently examine aggregate racial or gender discrimination without accounting for within-category differences (e.g., gendered variations in racial discrimination) or intersectionality. Building on theoretical perspectives of intersectionality, we introduce a systematically comparative analytic framework designed to (a) identify missing results of correspondence audits and (b) provide recommendations to help scholars conduct more holistic analyses. We conduct a meta-analysis of 52 correspondence audits, encompassing nearly 330, 000 tests for discrimination, and a re-examination of each study using seven discrimination ratios. The meta-analysis reveals a previously overlooked pattern in rental housing discrimination: compared to White men, Black men experience discrimination, Black women's outcomes are statistically similar, and White women receive preferential treatment. Additionally, our re-examination uncovers ten ways scholars may unintentionally miss key findings when failing to adopt a systematically comparative intersectional approach. We conclude with best-practice recommendations to guide scholars in designing, analyzing, and citing correspondence audits, helping them avoid these problematic scenarios. Importantly, our framework extends beyond field experiments focused on race and gender and can be broadly applied to research on disparities, enabling more comprehensive analyses across numerous dimensions. |
| Date: | 2025–04–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:nd2y6_v1 |
| By: | Björn Bos; Moritz A. Drupp; Lutz Sager |
| Abstract: | Low emission zones (LEZ) represent a key environmental policy instrument to address air pollution in cities. LEZs have reduced air pollution and associated health damages in regulated areas, but it remains unclear who has benefited from cleaner air. To examine the distributional effects of LEZs, we combine gridded data on resident characteristics, including income and a proxy for ethnicity, with high-resolution estimates of fine particle (PM2.5) concentrations in Germany, the country with the highest number of LEZs. We estimate heterogeneous treatment effects with a difference-in-differences approach and show that PM2.5 pollution reductions are distributed unequally across society. While residents with German name origins experience larger improvements within LEZs, residents with foreign names disproportionately live in LEZs and thus benefit more when assessed at a nationwide scale. Monetizing air quality benefits following governmental guidance, we find that they are distributed pro-poor within LEZs, disproportionately benefiting lower-income residents. From a nationwide perspective, benefits are distributed almost proportionally although the sign is sensitive to how benefits from cleaner air scale with income. Overall, our results suggest that LEZs have nuanced distributional implications that differ sharply between a national perspective and local assessments that focus on effects within LEZs. |
| Keywords: | air pollution, distributional effects, low emission zones, traffic regulation |
| JEL: | J15 Q52 Q53 Q58 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11739 |
| By: | Tani, Massimiliano (University of New South Wales); Vivarelli, Marco (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore); Piva, Mariacristina (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) |
| Abstract: | Labor mobility is considered a powerful channel to acquire external knowledge and trigger complementarities in the innovation and R&D investment strategies; however, the extant literature has focused on either scientists’ mobility or migration of high-skilled workers, while virtually no attention has been devoted to the possible role of short-term business visits. Using a unique and novel database originating a country/sector unbalanced panel over the period 1998-2019 (for a total of 8, 316 longitudinal observations), this paper aims to fill this gap by testing the impact of BVs on R&D investment. Results from GMM-SYS estimates show that short-term mobility positively and significantly affects R&D investments; moreover, our findings indicate - as expected - that the beneficial impact of BVs is particularly significant in less innovative countries and in less innovative industries. These outcomes justify some form of support for BVs within the portfolio of the effective innovation policies, both at the national and local level. |
| Keywords: | knowledge transfer, labor mobility, business visits, R&D investments |
| JEL: | O3 O40 J60 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17806 |
| By: | Matteo Straccamore; Matteo Bruno; Andrea Tacchella |
| Abstract: | Debates over the trade-offs between specialization and diversification have long intrigued scholars and policymakers. Specialization can amplify an economy by concentrating on core strengths, while diversification reduces vulnerability by distributing investments across multiple sectors. In this paper, we use patent data and the framework of Economic Complexity to investigate how the degree of technological specialization and diversification affects economic development at different scales: metropolitan areas, regions and countries. We examine two Economic Complexity indicators. Technological Fitness assesses an economic player's ability to diversify and generate sophisticated technologies, while Technological Coherence quantifies the degree of specialization by measuring the similarity among technologies within an economic player's portfolio. Our results indicate that a high degree of Technological Coherence is associated with increased economic growth only at the metropolitan area level, while its impact turns negative at larger scales. In contrast, Technological Fitness shows a U-shaped relationship with a positive effect in metropolitan areas, a negative influence at the regional level, and again a positive effect at the national level. These findings underscore the complex interplay between technological specialization and diversification across geographical scales. Understanding these distinctions can inform policymakers and stakeholders in developing tailored strategies for technological advancement and economic growth. |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2503.22666 |
| By: | Tomohiro Hirano; Joseph E. Stiglitz |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses the impact of credit expansions arising from increases in collateral values or lower interest rate policies on long-run productivity and economic growth in a two-sector endogenous growth economy with credit frictions, with the driver of growth lying in one sector (manufacturing) but not in the other (real estate). We show that it is not so much aggregate credit expansion that matters for long-run productivity and economic growth but sectoral credit expansions. Credit expansions associated mainly with relaxation of real estate financing (capital investment financing) will be productivity-and growth-retarding (enhancing). Without financial regulations, low interest rates and more expansionary monetary policy may so encourage land speculation using leverage that productive capital investment and economic growth are decreased. Unlike in standard macroeconomic models, in ours, the equilibrium price of land will be finite even if the safe rate of interest is less than the rate of output growth. |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2503.23552 |
| By: | Sébastien Bourdin (Métis Lab EM Normandie - EM Normandie - École de Management de Normandie = EM Normandie Business School); Nicolas Jacquet (Métis Lab EM Normandie - EM Normandie - École de Management de Normandie = EM Normandie Business School) |
| Abstract: | Transitioning to a circular economy (CE) at the local level is important for addressing the strain on natural resources caused by population growth and climate change. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence or impede the adoption of CE practices in French cities and regions. To achieve this goal, 47 interviews were conducted with practitioners from local authorities to identify the key elements that facilitate or hinder the implementation of CE. The findings highlight the crucial role of local authorities in enabling the transition to a CE, with critical support from political endorsement, strategic foresight, and effective leadership. However, obstacles such as organizational inertia, financial constraints, and a limited understanding of a CE present challenges to a CE's broader adoption. The study also emphasizes the critical role of partnerships and collaborative networks in overcoming these barriers and promoting the advancement of CE initiatives. |
| Keywords: | Circular economy, Local authorities, Interviews, Barriers, Drivers, Stakeholders, Content Analysis |
| Date: | 2025–02–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04991196 |
| By: | Jun Yoshida; Tomoko Imoto; Tatsuhito Kono |
| Abstract: | Human–wildlife conflicts occur in many residential areas around the world, causing human injuries and outbreaks of zoonotic diseases. Governments have implemented policies, such as extermination, and construction of animal deterrent fences. When wildlife has a high biological value, we face a trade-off between the benefits of wildlife conservation and human safety. This study proposes a new policy of growing crops preferred by wildlife, rather than crops for human consumption, in part of the farmland, thereby attracting wildlife to the converted field and preventing them from entering residential areas. Using an ecosystemurban economics model, we compare multiple policies including the conversion policy in terms of social welfare, and show that, regardless of the wildlife value, the crop conversion policy can be the most efficient, and fences with land use regulation is the second most efficient policy. On the other hand, the commonly-used policy of extermination is not so effective because exterminating wildlife with a high biological value significantly reduces social welfare. |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:toh:tupdaa:68 |
| By: | Xue, Melanie; Zhang, Boxiao |
| Abstract: | We study the short- and long-term effects of affirmative action policies in the context of China. During imperial China, official positions were awarded to the most academically talented individuals through a multi-stage examination process administered by the central government. In 1712, a reform was implemented to address disparities in exam performance, aiming to equalize acceptance rates across provinces and increase representation from underrepresented regions. Using a unique dataset, we analyze career outcomes and find that more candidates from underrepresented provinces secured positions without compromising their performance after the reform. However, sub-provincial units showed different trends. Although the reform ended in 1905, the gap between underrepresented provinces and others widened again, but some effects of the reform remained. Moreover, the intervention had spillover effects, extending its impact to secondary education. |
| Keywords: | affirmative action; education; inequality; China |
| JEL: | H75 I28 J71 N40 |
| Date: | 2025–04–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:wpaper:128023 |
| By: | Wang, Jian-xiu; Hou, Dan-dan; Zhong, Shun-chang; You, Yun-tian |
| Abstract: | Research conducted worldwide has established that industrial agglomeration can improve firm productivity, regardless of policy and institutional factors. In this study, we utilize firm-level data from the Chinese Industrial Enterprises Database (CIED) for the period of 1998-2014 to analyze the relationship between induced-agglomeration policy and the productivity of firms operating within industrial parks while considering productivity and regional heterogeneities. To ensure the reliability of our results, we adopt various identification strategies that produce consistent outcomes. Additionally, we examine the impact of induced-agglomeration policy on firm survival in industrial parks by utilizing a Cloglog survival model. Our findings indicate that induced-agglomeration policy has a negative effect on the productivity of firms operating within industrial parks, with the negative effects diminishing as TFP increases and being stronger in less developed areas. We also find that induced-agglomeration policy can effectively enhance the lifespan of firms, particularly in less developed regions. We then point out policy optimization and other future research topics. |
| Keywords: | Keywords induced-agglomeration policy·productivity·survival·China |
| JEL: | C0 O25 O4 O40 |
| Date: | 2025–04–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:124377 |