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News, ideas, and analysis from J-PAL staff and affiliated professors. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly email updates.

An "I voted" sticker with an American flag on a blue jacket

Affiliate Spotlight: Donald Green on the evolution of election science and evidence-based campaign tactics during COVID-19

In this affiliate spotlight, Don Green (Columbia University) shares insights into his research on get-out-the-vote tactics and what these findings could mean for elections in the age of COVID-19.
A microphone sits on top of a pile of pillows and blankets

Behind the scenes: Making the J-PAL Voices podcast

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With J-PAL Voices, J-PAL North America is making its first foray into podcasting. J-PAL North America’s Rohit Naimpally and Dave Lishansky of David Benjamin Sound take you behind the scenes and reflect on the experience of producing this podcast together.
Six women sit in a row with their backs to a wall

Addressing inequalities in women’s work: J-PAL launches Gender and Economic Agency Initiative

Women face even greater challenges to labor force participation than usual due to the pandemic. J-PAL’s new Gender and Economic Agency Initiative (GEA) launches to support innovative research on strategies to promote women’s work and enhance women’s economic agency.
Two people sitting at a desk, observing a lecturer.

Expanding access to higher education through the DEDP MicroMasters

Since its inception in 2017, MIT and J-PAL’s online MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP) has engaged thousands of learners from over 210 countries. As the number of DEDP learners grows, J-PAL is engaging with universities to provide learners with more ways to benefit from...
Juliette Keeley sits with two men at a table, discussing.

Juliette Keeley, J-PAL ’18, on navigating the international development ecosystem

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Juliette Keeley was a senior policy associate at J-PAL North America and later a West Africa policy consultant for J-PAL. Now a manager at Instiglio—a nonprofit consultancy focusing on results-based financing and performance management in developing countries—she reflects on her experiences working...
Patrya Pratama sits across from three people, looking at large posters on a table between them.

Patrya Pratama, J-PAL ’15, leverages his policy experience to build an education nonprofit

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Patrya Pratama joined J-PAL Southeast Asia as a senior research associate in 2014. Now the founder and director of the INSPIRASI Foundation, he joined us to reflect on lessons learned over the course of his public policy career and chat about his work at INSPIRASI.
Nine people having a conversation stand around a board covered in post-it notes

Why aren’t farmers using improved agricultural technologies to increase their profits? Lessons from ten years of research in the Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative

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  • Leah Bridle
Through more than ten years of research in J-PAL and CEGA's Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative, we’ve learned about the range of compounding constraints farmers face as microentrepreneurs, and that the next wave of experimentation should evaluate approaches designed to better include...
Hand holding mobile phone for digital cash transfer

Should government payments be digitized?

Many countries in Africa have digitized government-to-person (G2P) payments, which has proven particularly useful during the COIVD-19 pandemic. But while there has been much progress on the spread of digital payments, we still have little evidence about how to effectively design policies to maximize...