Lawrence Katz

YouTube video by Harvard Magazine Harvard Professor Stefanie Stantcheva on Zero-Sum Political Thinking

The zero-sum mindset seems more and more relevant in the current environment. Thank you @harvardmagazine.bsky.social
for the video where I explain our research on why zero-sum thinking is so important and where it comes from.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e16o...

“Descended from Immigrants and Revolutionists:” How Family History Shapes Immigration Policymaking* Abstract. Does family history matter for policymaking in democracies? Linking members of Congress to the census, we observe countries of birth for members,

Recently accepted by #QJE, “‘Descended from Immigrants and Revolutionists:’ How Family History Shapes Immigration Policymaking,” by Feigenbaum (@jamesfeigenbaum.bsky.social), Palmer (@maxwellpalmer.com), and Schneer: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Episode 113: Peter Hull — Probable Causation Date: March 11, 2025

I had a lot of fun talking to @jenniferdoleac.bsky.social on her Probable Causation podcast about the IGNITE program: an innovative jail-based rehabilitative program in Flint, Michigan

www.probablecausation.com/podcasts/epi...

Micro MPCs and Macro Counterfactuals: The Case of the 2008 Rebates* Abstract. We present evidence that the high estimated MPCs from the leading household studies result in implausible macroeconomic counterfactuals. Using th

Recently accepted by #QJE, “Micro MPCs and Macro Counterfactuals: The Case of the 2008 Rebates,” by Orchard (@jakeorchard.bsky.social), Ramey, and Wieland: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Voluntary Minimum Wages: The Local Labor Market Effects of National Retailer Policies* Abstract. Low unionization rates, a falling real federal minimum wage, and outsourcing have hampered wage growth in the low-wage sector in the US for sever

Recently accepted by #QJE, “Voluntary Minimum Wages: The Local Labor Market Effects of National Retailer Policies,” by Derenoncourt and Weil: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

The Irreparable Damage Being Done to Federal Policy Research and Evaluation - Roosevelt Institute Though their goals obviously differed, Republican and Democratic administrations have for decades relied on the work of social scientists both within and outside the government to conduct research on ...

I wrote a short blog post about the tragedy currently unfolding in the evaluation industry. Trump is destroying vital research capacity and decades of instructional knowledge for pocket change. 1/x

rooseveltinstitute.org/blog/the-irr...

The Exemplary Radical Skeptic Christopher Jencks, one of the Prospect’s founding group, has died.

On the loss of a model of intellectual integrity and courage—Christopher Jencks. He showed us how to wade into troubled waters and come out the stronger for it.
@theprospect.bsky.social prospect.org/health/2025-...

Christopher Jencks, a Shaper of Views on Economic Inequality, Dies at 88 (Gift Article) His clear prose, illuminating data and novel arguments helped transform debates around issues like public education and welfare reform.

Sandy Jencks shaped my career. His writing drew me into the Social Sciences as an undergrad. I then had the privilege to learn from him as a PhD student, and he served on my committee. A true scholar and role model I still aspire to. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/b...

Christopher Jencks, a Shaper of Views on Economic Inequality, Dies at 88 His clear prose, illuminating data and novel arguments helped transform debates around issues like public education and welfare reform.

Truly one of the greats. He gave us the words and the permission to study inequality in a way that has shifted so many careers and in turn impacted so many lives.

Christopher Jencks, a Shaper of Views on Economic Inequality, Dies at 88 www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/b...

Linking historical Gautreaux desegregation records to long-run outcome to study how moves to white, low-poverty areas impacted Black children's earnings, wealth, and marriage, from Eric Chyn, Robert Collinson, and Danielle H. Sandler https://www.nber.org/papers/w33427

Important research - once upon a time such a paper would not be found in a mainstream economics journal.

Holy forking shirt balls

"Denial of a wanted abortion has both immediate and lasting effects. It increases a woman’s risk of death by 2.5 p.p within nine months, mainly due to unsafe abortion procedures, and raises the likelihood of carrying the pregnancy to term by 31 p.p. "

Officer-Involved: The Media Language of Police Killings* Abstract. This paper examines language patterns in US television news coverage of police killings. We first document that the media use semantic structures

Recently accepted by #QJE, “Officer-Involved: The Media Language of Police Killings,” by Moreno-Medina, Ouss, Bayer, and Ba: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

“Something Works” in U.S. Jails: Misconduct and Recidivism Effects of the IGNITE Program* Abstract. A longstanding and influential view in U.S. correctional policy is that “nothing works” when it comes to rehabilitating incarcerated individuals.

Recently accepted by #QJE, “’Something Works’ in U.S. Jails: Misconduct and Recidivism Effects of the IGNITE Program,” by Alsan, Barnett, Hull, and Yang: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

The Impact of Being Denied a Wanted Abortion on Women and Their Children* Abstract. This paper examines the impact of denying a wanted abortion on women and children in Colombia using high-quality administrative microdata and cre

Recently accepted by #QJE, “The Impact of Being Denied a Wanted Abortion on Women and their Children,” by Londoño-Vélez (@jlondonovelez.bsky.social) and Saravia: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Incredibly important and timely work. Denial of a wanted abortion increases the likelihood of death by 2.5pp in the next nine months.

Long run harms to health, educational attainment, labor force participation, and poverty, among others.

Congratulations to Bronwyn H. Hall of @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social who was recognized as a 2024 Distinguished Fellow by Lawrence F. Katz at the #ASSA2025 Annual Meeting. #econsky aeaweb.org/about-aea/ho...

Congratulations to @jchaltiwangerum.bsky.social of the University of Maryland who was recognized as a 2024 Distinguished Fellow by Lawrence F. Katz at the #ASSA2025 Annual Meeting. #econsky aeaweb.org/about-aea/ho...

Featured in the latest Digest: "The Impact of a Boston Desegregation Busing Program on Student Outcomes"
https://www.nber.org/digest/202501/impact-boston-desegregation-busing-program-student-outcomes

ICYMI, webcasts of select sessions from the #ASSA2025 meeting in San Francisco on January 3-5 are now available to the public for viewing. #econsky aeaweb.org/conference/w...

Congratulations to William “Sandy” Darity, Jr. of @duke-university.bsky.social who was recognized as a 2024 Distinguished Fellow by Lawrence F. Katz at the #ASSA2025 Annual Meeting. #econsky aeaweb.org/about-aea/ho...

The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians* Abstract. Is government guiding the invisible hand at the top of the labor market? We use new administrative data to measure physicians’ earnings and estim

Recently accepted by #QJE, “The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians,” by Gottlieb (@gottliebecon.bsky.social), Polyakova, Rinz (@kevinrinz.bsky.social), Shiplett, and Udalova (@victoriaudalova.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

The Diffusion of New Technologies* Abstract. We identify phrases associated with novel technologies using textual analysis of patents, job postings, and earnings calls, enabling us to identi

Recently accepted by #QJE, “The Diffusion of New Technologies,” by Kalyani (@aakashkalyani.bsky.social), Bloom (@nickbloom.bsky.social), Carvalho, Hassan, Lerner, and Tahoun: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

This paper is a great example of solid evidence of systemic discrimination:
"Black taxpayers are audited at 2.9 to 4.7 times the rate of non-Black taxpayers."
This reflects a series of choices built into the IRS audit algorithm: focus on the EITC, and overclaiming of credits.

A Cognitive View of Policing* Abstract. What causes adverse policing outcomes, such as excessive uses of force and unnecessary arrests? Prevailing explanations focus on problematic offi

#QJE Feb 2025, #14, “A Cognitive View of Policing,” by Dube, MacArthur, and Shah: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive?* Abstract. Workers who are worried about their personal finances may find it hard to focus at work. If so, reducing financial concerns could increase produc

#QJE Feb 2025, #12, “Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive,” by Kaur, Mullainathan (@sendhil.bsky.social), Oh, and Schilbach (@fschilbach.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Mandatory Notice of Layoff, Job Search, and Efficiency* Abstract. In all OECD countries, mandatory notice (MN) policies require firms to inform workers in advance of a layoff. In our theoretical framework, MN he

#QJE Feb 2025, #11, “Mandatory Notice of Layoff, Job Search, and Efficiency,” by Cederlöf, Fredriksson, Nekoei, and Seim (@seimseim.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

War Reparations, Structural Change, and Intergenerational Mobility* Abstract. From 1944 to 1952, largely agrarian Finland had to export, on average, 4% of its yearly GDP in industrial products to the Soviet Union as war rep

#QJE Feb 2025, #10, “War Reparations, Structural Change, and Intergenerational Mobility,” by Matti Mitrunen: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

The Long-Run Impacts of Public Industrial Investment on Local Development and Economic Mobility: Evidence from World War II* Abstract. This article studies the long-run effects of government-led construction of manufacturing plants on the regions where they were built and on indi

#QJE Feb 2025, #9, “The Long-Run Impacts of Public Industrial Investment on Local Development and Economic Mobility: Evidence from World War II,” by Garin (@andygarin.bsky.social) and Rothbaum: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Believed Gender Differences in Social Preferences* Abstract. While there is a vast (and mixed) literature on gender differences in social preferences, little is known about believed gender differences in so

#QJE Feb 2025, #8, “Believed Gender Differences in Social Preferences,” by Exley, Hauser, Moore (@mollymooreplz.bsky.social), and Pezzuto: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...