Political Economy
The Political Economy of Human Capital (PEHC) program leverages causal inference using observational, administrative and experimental data to study human capital issues at the intersection of political economy, public policy and development. Projects are unified by their focus on identifying the extent to which political institutions alter the quality of local public goods – from the structure of the economy, to the distribution of property rights – and if so, how: considering the impact of political institutions on human capital, the capacity of elected leaders to govern and the quality of deliberative democracy and inter-group relations. The PEHC faculty research can be organized around three themes: 1) representation and quality of local government; 2) affirmative action and human capital; and 3) the impact of exogenous shocks on mobility, economic bargaining power and political engagement.
Research Highlights
Latest News & Publications
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Seminar Summary – Queering Repression: How the Global Crackdown on Civil Society Affects LGBT+ NGO Foundings
March 17, 2025By Naomi Frim-Abrams On February 26, 2025, the Spring 2025 Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Seminar Series at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center hosted Kristopher... [ More ]
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Seminar Summary – Disease, Disparities, and Development: Evidence from Chagas Disease Control in Brazil
December 09, 2024By Naomi Frim-Abrams On November 20, 2024, the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) hosted Jon Denton-Schneider, Assistant Professor of Economics at Clark University, for the final installment... [ More ]
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Seminar Summary — Reducing Emissions and Air Pollution from the Informal Sector: Evidence from Bangladesh
October 30, 2024By Naomi Frim-Abrams On October 23, 2024, the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) hosted Nina Brooks, Core Faculty Member of HCI at the Boston University Global Development... [ More ]