Politics, Institutions, and Conflict Initiative
The Politics, Institutions, and Conflict Initiative sees conflict and disorder as one of the greatest threats to development and the development of good government as a means to economic prosperity as well as an important end in itself. But what is “good government,” and how does it come about, both historically and in the modern day? What causes conflict, and what policies and interventions can move violent fighting into the realm of peaceful political competition?
The Politics, Institutions and Conflict Initiative is led by CDEP Affiliate Suresh Naidu.
Current Projects
Lava Jato Beyond the Headlines: Expert Perspectives on a Vast Corruption Scandal
Investigator: Paul Lagunes (edited with CDEP Affiliate Jan Svejnar)
The Watchful Eye and the Cracking Whip: A Field Experiment on Corruption Monitoring in Mexico
Investigator: Paul Lagunes
African Mining Booms and Local Welfare
Investigator: CDEP Affiliate Anja Benshaul-Tolonen
Completed Projects
Economic Shocks and Crime: Evidence from the Brazilian Trade Liberalization
Investigator: CDEP Affiliate Rodrigo Soares
Election by Community Consensus: Effects on Political Selection and Governance
Investigator: CDEP Fellow Ashna Arora
One-Two Punch Approach to Fighting Corruption in Public Infrastructure
Investigator: Paul Lagunes
Dynamic Transparency: An Audit of Mexico's Freedom of Information Act
Investigators: Paul Lagunes and Oscar Poscasangre
Inequality and Corruption at the Crossroads: A Multi-Method Study of Bribery and Discrimination in Latin America
Investigator: Paul Lagunes, Brian Fried, and Atheendar Venkataramani
Historical Origins of Persistent Inequality
Investigator: CDEP Affiliate Belinda Archibong
Democracy, Inequality, and Economic Development
Investigators: CDEP Affiliate Suresh Naidu, Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson, and Pascual Restrepo
Elite Family Networks and the Origins of Dictatorships: Theory and Evidence from Haiti
Investigators: CDEP Affiliate Suresh Naidu, Lauren Young, and James Robinson
The Impacts of An Innovative Audit Strategy on the Amount and Incidence of Retail Tax Evasion: Mystery Shoppers and Electronic Billing Machines
Investigators: Francois Gerard, Nada Eissa, and Andrew Zeitlin
Improving the Effectiveness of Public Procurement
Investigators: CDEP Affiliate Andrea Prat, Oriana Bandiera, Michael Best, and Adnan Khan
Bandits or States? Stationary Bandits and Taxation in Eastern Congo
Investigators: Raul Sanchez de la Sierra and Gauthier Marchais
Worker Mobility in a Global Labor Market: Evidence from the United Arab Emirates
Investigators: CDEP Affiliate Suresh Naidu, Yaw Nyarko, and Shing-Yi Wang
Social Engineering in the Tropics: Case Study Evidence from East Congo
Investigators: CDEP Affiliate Macartan Humphreys, Raul Sanchez de la Sierra, and Peter van der Windt
Predicting Local Violence
Investigators: Chris Blattman, Robert Blair, and Alexandra Hartman