December 2019 Newsletter
During Nobel Week, laureates celebrate innovation in economic research
In their Nobel Prize keynote talks, J-PAL co-founders Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, with longtime J-PAL affiliate Michael Kremer, emphasized the potential of randomized evaluations to generate not only innovative research, but also change on a global scale. “RCTs have created ideas beyond what Esther or Michael or I could have even thought of. I say with genuine humility, this is a prize at least as much for all researchers as it is for us,” said Abhijit.
Watch their Nobel lectures:
New partnerships to promote social inclusion for migrants in Europe
Under the European Social Inclusion Initiative (ESII), J-PAL Europe is partnering with governments and NGOs to rigorously evaluate programs designed to better integrate migrants and refugees into society.
ESII's first round of grant funding will support three randomized evaluations: a program in Sweden that connects recent migrants to local residents, an education curriculum in Turkey designed to facilitate the integration of Syrian refugee children, and a school-based program in Finland that aims to promote intercultural interactions and reduce discrimination in classrooms. Read more »
J-PAL welcomes twelve new affiliated professors
Our newest affiliates include Lauren Falcao Bergquist at the University of Michigan, Stefano Caria at the University of Bristol, Jishnu Das at Georgetown University, Susan Godlonton at Williams College, Rachel Heath at the University of Washington, Simon Jäger at MIT, Jason T. Kerwin at the University of Minnesota, Adnan Khan at LSE, Amit Khandelwal at Columbia University, Adrienne Lucas at the University of Delaware, Rocco Macchiavello at LSE, and Christopher Palmer at MIT.
Their research interests span labor markets, trade liberalization, housing, and more. Read their bios »
What can we learn from randomized evaluations on job creation?
Job creation is a frequent talking point for politicians around the world. In a recent New York Times op-ed, Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee highlighted the important role of job markets and incomes on economic growth. How can public policy create more jobs, and what role do private sector firms play?
David Atkin (MIT) and Nicholas Bloom (Stanford), co‑chairs of J-PAL’s Firms sector, describe opportunities for innovative research on job creation in a piece on the J-PAL blog. “With creative and thoughtful collaboration between researchers and policymakers, we can build a groundbreaking global and policy-relevant research agenda.” Read more »
FEATURED POLICY INSIGHT
The limited impact of US workplace wellness programs on health and employment outcomes
Since 2010, revenue in the US workplace wellness industry has tripled in size to $8 billion, bolstered by policies encouraging companies to adopt wellness programs that aim to foster healthy behaviors, reduce medical spending, and improve well-being. However, two recent randomized evaluations of workplace wellness programs found limited impacts on employees’ health habits and no impacts on their health, employment, or costs of health care. Read more »
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
2019 Nobel Prize recipient Abhijit Banerjee reflects on leadership in the social sector
Forbes
How poverty ends (Opinion)
Foreign Affairs
New research partnership evaluates innovation in family engagement
MIT News
Solutions for economic inequality from 2019 Nobel Prize winners
WBUR
Letting the world know “what works” (Opinion)
The Hindu
UCT’s role in Nobel win
University of Cape Town News
Odisha government partners with J-PAL for evidence-based approach to policy formation
Times of India
NEW RESEARCH PAPERS
Pay Me Later: Savings Constraints and the Demand for Deferred Payments
Lasse Brune, Eric Chyn, Jason T. Kerwin
How Important Is Temptation Spending? Maybe Less Than We Thought (with blog post)
Jason T. Kerwin, Qingxiao Li, Lasse Brune
What Are the Headwaters of Formal Savings? Experimental Evidence from Sri Lanka
Michael Callen, Suresh de Mel, Craig McIntosh, Christopher Woodruff