Area: Economics
In Some Places, Fertility Rates Declined Before the Industrial Revolution
Using parish records, researchers examine fundamental changes in society following the French Revolution
In a Global Church, Even a Widely Publicized Scandal’s Impact is Decidedly Local
Revisiting research on Catholic clergy sex abuse: Pennsylvania can expect fewer churchgoers and a painful decline in charitable contributions
Impact of High-Speed Rail: Surprising Data on Real Estate Prices
In Japan, speedier commutes let workers live farther from jobs, taking some pressure off high-priced housing markets
How-To Guide for Happiness Surveys, Which Increasingly Drive Public Policy
Advice for researchers aims to help improve both data collection and its interpretation
How the Seemingly Rapid Advance of Democracy Goes Astray
Using voting records from a unique transition in the 19th-century Caribbean, Christian Dippel examines the embrace of self-interest by new legislators
How People Gather Information — or Don’t — to Make Decisions
Personal beliefs, especially among the less educated, often outweigh actual data
How Local Governance Came to England’s Economy
Nico Voigtländer found that to combat arbitrary taxes and corruption, merchants persuaded the king to cede control
How Far Would You Go for an Ivy League Kid?
Study finds interest in screening embryos for education propensity, especially if everyone else is doing it
How Dollar Stores Contribute to Food Deserts
Expanding chains drive out independent grocers, reduce access to fresh produce
How Companies in Big Cities Out-Export Those in Smaller Ones
Measure of export intensity raises questions about trade policy and housing restrictions
How Clinton and Trump Voters Behave in — and Spread — a Pandemic
Estimates are based on smartphone data and precinct-level 2016 vote results
How Bond and Stock Prices Combine to Influence Corporate Investment
Equity volatility can encourage — or dampen — investment, depending on a firm’s bond spread
Household Energy Conservation: Appeal to Cost Savings or Environmental and Health Impacts?
Money-saving messages lose impact over time, while worry about dangerous pollution helps consumers show discipline
Hospital Financial-Aid Programs Boost Use of Vital Health Care
Uninsured and insured both receive help; benefits are temporary
Historical Case for Immigrants Sending Home More Than Money
France’s lower fertility rates spread to regions that sent the most emigrants to live there
Government Coverage of Payrolls Could Cost Less than Jobless Benefits
Analysis also suggests a more rapid economic recovery by keeping workers and employers allied