Applied microeconomics

Overview

Research in the Applied Micro group spans a number of areas, from labour economics to health economics, political economy and economic development. Studies in this area have addressed central issues in labour economics, examining the impact of migration, welfare systems, and development policies. Other work relates to a wide variety of applied topics, including education, health, crime, the media, and voting behaviour.

Research from group members has been published in leading economic journals including the American Economic Review; Econometrica, Journal of Political Economy; Journal of Economic Perspectives; Annual Review of Economics; Journal of European Economic Association; Review of Economics and Statistics; American Economic Journal: Applied, Economic Policy, Macro; Economic Journal; Journal of Public Economics; Journal of Development Economics. This research has also attracted considerable media attention and has been featured in a number of international media outlets, including the Economist, Financial Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Slate, Le Monde, Libération, The Lancet, Haaretz, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The Times and The Wall Street Journal.

A number of members are recipients of grants from international research bodies such as the ESRC, the Nuffield Foundation, and the IADB, among others. Members also hold editorial positions in journals like at the Economic Journal and Labour Economics and hold prominent positions in the CEPR (Barbara Petrongolo - Director of the Labour group).

The group has an extremely vibrant atmosphere with a number of joint research projects, weekly seminars and reading groups attended by both faculty and PhD students, 11 of which are currently studying under the supervision of members of the group.

Team

Publications

2025

• Boelmann B., Raute A., Schönberg A. Wind of Change? Cultural Determinants of Maternal Labor Supply, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2025)
• Franklin S., Abebe G., Caria S., Fafchamps M., Falco P., Quinn S., Shilpi F. Matching Frictions and Distorted Beliefs: Evidence from a Job Fair Experiment, Economic Journal (2025)

2024

• Axbard S. Convicting Corrupt Officials: Evidence from Randomly Assigned Cases, Review of Economic Studies (2024)
• Axbard S., Deng Z. Informed Enforcement: Lessons from Pollution Monitoring in China, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2024)
• Franklin S., Imbert C., Abebe G., Mejia-Mantilla C. Urban Public Works in Spatial Equilibrium: Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia, American Economic Review (2024)
• Gonzalez Ramirez F., Atal JP., Cuesta JI., Otero C. The Economics of the Public Option: Evidence from Local Pharmaceutical Markets, American Economic Review (2024)
• Gupta A., Ponticelli J., Tesei A. Language Barriers, Technology Adoption and Productivity: Evidence from Agriculture in India, Review of Economics and Statistics (2024)

2022

• Campante F., Durante R., Tesei A. Media and Social Capital, Annual Review of Economics (2022)

2021

• Algan YC., Malgouyres C., Mayer T., Thoenig M. The Economic Incentives of Cultural Transmission: Spatial Evidence from Naming Patterns across France, Economic Journal (2021)
• Andersen J., Nordvik F., Tesei A. Oil Price Shocks and Conflict Escalation: Onshore vs. Offshore, Journal of Conflict Resolution (2021)
• Fasani F., Frattini T., Minale L. Lift the Ban? Initial Employment Restrictions and Refugee Labour Market Outcomes, Journal of European Economic Association (2021)
• Fasani F., Tommaso F., Minale L. (The Struggle for) Refugee Integration into the Labour Market: Evidence from Europe , Journal of Economic Geography (2021)
• Lim C., Snyder J. What Shapes the Quality and Behavior of Government Officials? Institutional Variation in Selection and Retention Methods, Annual Review of Economics (2021)

2020

• Abebe G., Caria S., Fafchamps M., Falco P., Franklin S., Quinn S. Anonymity or distance? Job search and labour market exclusion in a growing African city, Review of Economic Studies (2020)
• Dustmannn C., Fasani F., Meng X., Minale L. Risk Attitudes and Household Migration Decisions, Journal of Human Resources (2020)
• Franklin S. Enabled to work: The impact of government housing on slum dwellers in South Africa, Journal of Urban Economics (2020)
• Gagliarducci S., Manacorda M. Politics in the Family: Nepotism and the Hiring Decisions of Italian Firms, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2020)
• Manacorda M., Tesei A. Liberation Technology: Mobile Phones and Political Mobilization in Africa, Econometrica (2020)

2019

• Durante R., Pinotti P., Tesei A. The Political Legacy of Entertainment TV, American Economic Review (2019)
• Labonne J., Franklin S. Economic Shocks and Labour Market Flexibility, Journal of Human Resources (2019)
• Raute A. Can financial incentives reduce the baby gap? Can financial incentives reduce the baby gap? Evidence from a reform in maternity leave benefits, Journal of Public Economics (2019)

2018

• Cornaglia F., Lekfuangfu WN., Warrinnier N., Powdthavee N. Locus of control and its intergenerational implications for early childhood skill formation, Economic Journal (2018)
• Cornelissen T., Dustmann C., Raute A., Schonberg U. Who benefits from universal childcare? Estimating marginal returns to early childcare attendance, Journal of Political Economy (2018)
• Fasani F. Immigrant Crime and Legal Status: Evidence from Repeated Emnesty Programs, Journal of Economic Geography (2018)
• Franklin S. Location, Search Costs and Youth Unemployment: Experimental Evidence from Transport Subsidies, Economic Journal (2018)
• Lim C., Yurukoglu A. Dynamic Natural Monopoly Regulation: Time Inconsistency, Moral Hazard, and Political Environments, Journal of Political Economy (2018)

2017

• Bas M., Mayer T., Thoenig M. From micro to macro: Demand and supply-side determinants of the trade elasticity, Journal of International Economics (2017)
• Dustmann C., Fasani F., Speciale B. Illegal migration and consumption behavior of immigrant households, Journal of European Economic Association (2017)
• Fasani F., Frattini T., Devillanova C. Employment of Undocumented Immigrants and the Prospect of Legal Status: Evidence from an Amnesty Program, Industrial and Labor Relations Review (2017)
• Koenig M., Rohner D., Thoenig M., Zilibotti F. Networks in Conflict Theory and Evidence from the Great War of Africa, Econometrica (2017)
• Manning A., Petrongolo B. How local are labor markets? Evidence from a spatial job search model, American Economic Review (2017)
• Ngai R., Petrongolo B. Gender gaps and the rise of the service economy, American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics (2017)
• Olivetti C., Petrongolo B. The Economic Consequences of Family Policies. Drawing Lessons from a Century of Legislation Across OECD Countries, Journal of Economic Perspectives (2017)

2016

• Amarante V., Manacorda M., Miguel E., Vigorito A. Do Cash Transfers Improve Birth Outcomes? Evidence from Matched Vital Statistics, Social Security and Program Data, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy (2016)
• Axbard S. Income Opportunities and Sea Piracy in Indonesia, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2016)
• Caselli F., Tesei A. Resource Windfalls, Political Regimes, and Political Stability, Review of Economics and Statistics (2016)
• Dustmann C., Fasani F. The Effect of Local Area Crime on Mental Health, Economic Journal (2016)
• Koppensteiner M., Manacorda M. Violence and birth outcomes: Evidence from homicides in Brazil, Journal of Development Economics (2016)
• Olivetti C., Petrongolo B. The evolution of the gender gap in industrialized countries, Annual Review of Economics (2016)

2015

• Lim C., Snyder J. Is More Information Always Better? Party Cues and Candidate Quality in US. Judicial Elections, Journal of Public Economics (2015)
• Lim C., Snyder J., Stromberg D. The Judge, the Politician, and the Press: Newspaper Coverage and Criminal Sentencing across Electoral Systems, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2015)

2014

• Clark A., Cornaglia F., Layard R., Powdthavee N., Vernoit J. What predicts a successful life? A Life-Course model of well-being., Economic Journal (2014)
• Cornaglia F., Feldman N., Leigh A. Crime and Mental Wellbeing, Journal of Human Resources (2014)
• Goux D., Maurin E., Petrongolo B. Worktime Regulations And Spousal Labor Supply, American Economic Review (2014)
• Maystre A., Olivier J., Thoenig M., Verdier T. Product-based cultural change: Is the village global?, Journal of International Economics (2014)
• Olivetti C., Petrongolo B. Gender Gaps Across Countries And Skills: Supply, Demand And The Industry Structure, Review of Economic Dynamics (2014)

2013

• Adda J., Cornaglia F. Taxes, Cigarette Consumption, and Smoking Intensity: Reply, American Economic Review (2013)
• Bell B., Fasani F., Machin S. Crime and Immigration: Evidence from Large Immigrant Waves in the UK, Review of Economics and Statistics (2013)
• Farré L., Fasani F. Media Exposure and Internal Migration: Evidence from Indonesia, Journal of Development Economics (2013)
• Lim C. Preferences and Incentives of Appointed and Elected Public Officials, American Economic Review (2013)
• Rohner D., Thoenig M., Zilibotti F. Seeds of distrust: Conflict in Uganda, Journal of Economic Growth (2013)
• Rohner D., Thoenig M., Zilibotti F. War Signals: A Theory of Trade, Trust and Conflict, Review of Economic Studies (2013)

2012

• Bruckner M., Ciccone A., Tesei A. Oil Price Shocks, Income, And Democracy, Review of Economics and Statistics (2012)
• Kondylis F., Manacorda M. School Proximity and Child Labor: Evidence from Rural Tanzania, Journal of Human Resources (2012)
• Manacorda M. The Cost Of Grade Retention, Review of Economics and Statistics (2012)
• Manacorda M., Manning A., Wadsworth J. The Impact Of Immigration On The Structure Of Wages: Theory And Evidence From Britain, Journal of European Economic Association (2012)
• Martin P., Mayer T., Thoenig M. The Geography of Conflicts and Regional Trade Agreements, American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics (2012)

2011

• Manacorda M., Miguel E., Vigorito A. Government Transfers And Political Support, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2011)
• Thesmar D., Thoenig M. Contrasting Trends in Firm Volatility, American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics (2011)

2010

• Adda J., Cornaglia F. The effect of Bans and Taxes on Passive Smoking, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2010)
• Bosch M., Manacorda M. Minimum Wages and Earnings inequality in urban Mexico, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (2010)
• Manacorda M., Sánchez-Páramo C., Schady N. Changes in Returns to Education in Latin America: The Role of Demand and Supply of Skills, Industrial and Labor Relations Review (2010)
• Thoenig M., Verdier T. A macroeconomic perspective on knowledge management, Journal of Economic Growth (2010)

Events

Seminars

View past seminars