An extensive literature in the social sciences analyzes peer effects among students, but estimation is complicated by several major problems some of which cannot be solved even with random assignment. We design a field experiment and propose a new estimation technique to address these estimation...

This paper uses two large datasets built from quarterly labor force surveys to provide a global perspective on labor market downturns. The distribution of the severity and duration of labor market downturns is strongly right skewed. The longest and most severe downturns are associated with...

This paper estimates and quantifies the impact of the diaspora remittance flows on the conflict intensity and outcomes in the Sri Lankan Civil War during the period 1996-2009. We develop an approach to infer which remittance inflows were likely to benefit the Tamil Tiger rebels relative to the...

Using data from the Turkish University Entrance Exam, we investigate the extent of the gender gap in college placement, its underlying causes, and potential policy interventions. We estimate preferences using a novel approach which improves our ability to capture substitution patterns and find...

We examine whether ridesharing provides a meaningful transportation alternative for those who require ongoing healthcare. Specifically, we combine variation in UberX entry across the U.S. with the Treatment Episode Data Set to estimate the effect of ridesharing on admissions to substance use...

The adoption of new ideas is critical for realizing their full potential and for advancing the knowledge frontier but it involves analyzing innovators, potential adopters, and the networks that connect them. This paper applies natural language processing, network analysis, and a novel fixed...

"In advanced economies like the United States, innovation has long been recognized as a central force for increasing socioeconomic prosperity and improving human health. Today, U.S. government policy seeks to promote innovation through a suite of mechanisms, from tax credits in the private...