Econ That Matters

Tell Me Why: How Mechanistic Explanations Improve Technology Adoption This is our final blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2025-2026. Anirudh Sankar is a PhD student at Stanford University, specializing in development and behavioral economics. He is i…

Final JMP post! Anirudh Sankar writes on how explaining why a technology works, rather than just giving instructions, boosts farmer yields.

Read: www.econthatmatters.com/2026/02/tell...

#JMP #EconSky #ETRM

Industrial Policy and Quality Traps: Lessons from India’s Small-Scale Industry Reservation This is our 5th blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2025-2026. Kamalesh Pahurkar is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Economics at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India…

We just released our 5th blog post of our JMP series! Kamalesh Pahurkar examines India's small-scale industry policy, showing how reserving products for small firms created "quality traps" and stunted growth.

Check it out: www.econthatmatters.com/2025/12/indu...

#JMP #Econsky #ETRM

Paying for Carbon that Lasts: Lessons from Farmers and Soils This is our 4th blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2025-2026. Khyati Malik is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Her research lies at the inte…

Our fourth blog post of the JMP series is out! Khyati Malik writes on soil-carbon programs, showing why they must consider soil type heterogeneity to improve efficiency.

www.econthatmatters.com/2025/12/payi...

#JMP #Econsky #ETRM

Governing Environmental Markets: Lessons from Chile’s experiment on water markets This is our 3rd blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2025-2026. Maximiliano Garcia is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Brown University. His research interests lie at the intersec…

3rd JMP post! Maximiliano Garcia writes on Chile's water markets, showing legal rights are not enough. Local institutions are essencial for enforcement.

Check it out: www.econthatmatters.com/2025/12/gove...

#JMP #Econsky #ETRM

When irrigation isn’t enough: protecting wages from rainfall shocks This is our 2nd blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2025-2026. Roshan Saha is a PhD candidate in Applied Economics at Auburn University. He works at the intersection of caste, climat…

Our second blog post for the JMP Series is posted! Roshan Saha writes on how irrigation can worsen wage drops after rainfall shocks.

Read: www.econthatmatters.com/2025/12/when...

#JMP #Econsky #ETRM

How Do Opportunities Shape Aspirational Responses? Experimental Evidence from Solar Electrification in Rural Myanmar We are excited to launch our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2025-2026, beginning with our very first blog post by Ferran Vega-Car…

To kick things off for our 2025 Job Market Paper series, Ferran Vega-Carol writes about his JMP about Solar Electrification in Rural Myanmar.

Check it out: www.econthatmatters.com/2025/12/how-...

#JMP #Econsky #ETRM

ETRM Interview Series – Jing Cai As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice to young researchers. For this interview, we got th…

Our new ETRM interview with Jing Cai is out! We talked about her work on technology adoption, improving SME growth in China, and the importance of "bottom-up" feedback for worker retention. #ETRM #Econsky www.econthatmatters.com/2025/11/etrm...

ETRM Interview Series – Jacob Moscona As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice to young researchers. For this interview, we got th…

Our new ETRM interview with Jacob Moscona is live! We discussed his research on innovation in developing countries, the role of public R&D, and the persistent challenges of technology adoption. #EconSky #ETRM www.econthatmatters.com/2025/10/etrm...

ETRM Interview Series – Nicolás de Roux As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice for young researchers. For this interview, we got t…

Our new interview with Nicolás de Roux is out! We talked about his research on production in developing countries, the usage of models and causal estimation together, and how his research influences policy in Colombia. #Econsky #ETRM
www.econthatmatters.com/2025/09/etrm...

‪Next up in our interview series is a conversation with @emmariley.bsky.social ! She talks about her research on financial inclusion and women's empowerment, tips on conducting field work in development econ and much more! Check it out: #EconSky #ETRM
www.econthatmatters.com/2025/07/etrm...

How information and persuasion impact household decisions and intimate partner violence Anouk van Veldhoven is a PhD candidate in Economics at Utrecht University School of Economics. Her research aims to answer economic questions related to gender, health and development, such as intr…

In our latest blog post, Anouk van Veldhoven talks about her paper that models intimate partner violence as a function of disagreement and communication between partners, and confirms the model's predictions with data from an RCT in Pakistan. econthatmatters.com/2025/07/how-... #ETRM #EconTwitter

ETRM Interview Series – Kristina Manysheva As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice to young researchers. For this interview, we got th…

Your latest interview is out! Kristina Manysheva talks about the importance of using macroeconomics to study development, innovation in a development context, and engaging with stakeholders. Check it out!
www.econthatmatters.com/2025/06/etrm...
#ETRM #EconSky

ETRM Interview Series – Oyebola Okunogbe As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice for young researchers. For this interview, we got t…

Check out our newest interview! @oyebolaoo.bsky.social talks about taxation policy in developing countries, working at the World Bank and advice for PhD students
www.econthatmatters.com/2025/05/etrm... #ETRM #EconSky

ETRM Interview Series – Dean Karlan As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice to young researchers. For this interview, we got th…

Just published! Don't miss our interview with Dean Karlan on his path in development economics, the current funding uncertainty, and the value of development aid. Read it here: www.econthatmatters.com/2025/04/etrm... #EconSky #ETRM

ETRM Interview Series – Claudio Ferraz As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice for young researchers. For this interview, we got t…

New interview on the blog! Claudio Ferraz talks about the importance of understanding local context and political constraints when studying development policies, among other insights into his career research. Read the full interview here: www.econthatmatters.com/2025/04/etrm... #EconSky

ETRM Interview Series – Meredith Startz As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice for young researchers. For this interview, we got t…

We continue with our interview series. This time we interviewed Meredith Startz to discuss development, trade, and the challenges of collecting data to answer questions in these fields
www.econthatmatters.com/2025/03/etrm... #econtwitter #DevelopmentEcon #innovation #firm

Can cash transfers increase labour supply? It depends on who gets it and where Gabriel Leite Mariante is a PhD candidate in Economics at the LSE. He works in Development Economics, focussing on social protection, labour markets and gender inequality in low- and middle-income …

Studying Brazil's Bolsa Família program, @leitemariante.bsky.social finds that unconditional cash transfers boost formal employment among women by 7% over two years, while men's employment remains unaffected.
www.econthatmatters.com/2025/02/can-...

ETRM Interview Series – Eric Verhoogen As part of our interview series, we ask renowned experts in the field about the future of research in development economics, and for their advice for young researchers. For this interview, we got …

We are back to our interview series. We had the opportunity to interview @ericverhoogen.bsky.social to discuss development economics, innovation, and firms. Dive into the insights. Don’t miss it! www.econthatmatters.com/2025/01/etrm...

Sharing the gains from trade liberalization: The role of migration network This is our last blog for the Job Market Paper Series 2024-2025. As we close our 16th and final Job Market Paper Series blog post for 2024-2025, we want to thank you for your support. Wishing you a…

Sharing the gains from trade liberalization, Anh Nguyen's JMP studies how migration and trade policies work together to reduce inequality in Vietnam
www.econthatmatters.com/2025/01/shar...
#EconSky #JMP

Is Affirmative Action the Answer to the Gender Gaps in STEM Majors? This is our 15th blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2024-2025. Saloni Chopra is a PhD candidate in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Califor…

Studying a gender-based affirmative action policy at a university in Uganda,
Saloni Chopra found that average university students performance in treated cohorts improved despite lower high school scores for women enrolled
www.econthatmatters.com/2024/12/is-a... #EconSky #JMP

It was such a pleasure to collaborate with the World Bank Development Impact blog to feature #econjmp posts. Thanks @dmckenzie.bsky.social and the team! We still have two more blogs coming up. Stay tuned. #econsky #jmp

Job market series 2024 Wrap-up

This year we posted 26 #econjmp posts by PhD students on the market. Here is the list of all of them in case you missed any, plus a link to the @econthatmatters.bsky.social series which has some more - great to see all the exciting work in development blogs.worldbank.org/en/impacteva...

How do economic and social shocks influence child marriage for boys and girls? Abigail Jordan Stocker's JMP analysis reveals that negative income shocks reduce child marriage rates for both boys and girls www.econthatmatters.com/2024/12/how-...
#EconSky #JMP

How to Protect Sex Workers without Protective Legislation: Improving Outside Options to the Market for Sex This is our 13th blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2024-2025. Ruchi Mahadeshwar is a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at Brown University. Her primary fields are development and labor …

How to protect sex workers without protective legislation? Ruchi Mahadeshwar's JMP findings “provide timely evidence that incentivizing labor market alternatives may decrease the size of the market for sex without compromising worker welfare” www.econthatmatters.com/2024/12/how-... #EconSky #JMP

Fueling Education: The Role of Clean Cooking in Enhancing Children’s Learning This is our 12th blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2024-2025.  T. V. Ninan is a PhD candidate in Economics at the University of Washington, Seattle. His interests span environment,…

Evaluating the PMUY in India, @tvninan.bsky.social JMP suggests that “clean transition policies have benefits beyond health—they can also improve educational outcomes.” www.econthatmatters.com/2024/12/fuel... #EconSky #JMP

Why are mothers at higher risk of violence? A two-mechanism story This is our 11th blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2024-2025. Gabriela Deschamps is a PhD candidate at the London School of Economics. She is a development economist with interests…

Why are mothers at higher risk of violence? Gabriela Deschamps' JMP found that motherhood increases the risk of experiencing violence because motherhood increases separation costs for women www.econthatmatters.com/2024/12/why-... #Econsky #JMPblog

Studying two main policies targeting transforming slums in Chile, Joaquin Urrego JMP findings “highlight the need for comprehensive strategies that not only mitigate the adverse effects of existing slums but also limit the creation of new ones” econthatmatters.com/2024/12/slums-… #EconJMP #JMPblog

When soldiers come: unintended consequences of military bases in Colombia This is our ninth blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2024-2025. Sakina Shibuya is an applied economics Ph.D. candidate at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an applied microeco…

Studying the military bases in Colombia, Sakina Shibuya's JMP found that “establishment of military bases, a government security program, has had unintended negative consequences on communities that host them” econthatmatters.com/2024/12/when... #Econsky #JMP #JMPblog

RFP out for 2025 Structural Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STARS) Fellowship, Cornell in collaboration with
WorldBank DECRG, @cgdev.org, PEP, and IICA. Research mentorship for early career (PhD not before 2019) economists working on development topics. 1/2

Shared costs, Shared Gains: Experimental Evidence from Female Export Consortia This is our eighth blog post for our Job Market Paper Series blog for 2024-2025. Florian Anselm Munch is a postdoc at the London School of Economics. His research focuses on technology adoption and…

By studying female-led firms, @florianmuench.bsky.social JMP sheds light on how “small firms in low-and middle-income countries can be incentivized to and benefit from sharing the fixed costs of export” econthatmatters.com/2024/12/shar... #EconSky #JMP #JMPblog