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The White House lawn on a sunny day.
Feature: Is DOGE Sure It Wants to Fire These People?

Juliette Kayyem examines the negative effects that Elon Musks’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) could have on the safety of everyday Americans.

River running through a densely populated area.
Feature: Private Benefits from Public Investment in Climate Resilience

Joseph Aldy finds that governmental construction of levees, which enhance resilience to flood risks amplified by climate change, increases home values by 3-4 percent.

Person sits on a bed holding a check.
Feature: Assessing Government Outreach to Bolster Benefits Take-Up

Elizabeth Linos finds that light-touch interventions significantly, consistently, and cost-effectively increase benefits take-up among low-income households, while higher-touch proactive outreach yields minimal additional take-up.

Black family happily sits on the grass in a park.
Feature: Excess Mortality Rate in U.S. Black Children Since 1950

Soroush Saghafian finds that 5 million excess deaths of Black Americans, including over 500,000 infants, could have been avoided over the past 70 years if their mortality rates were equal to those of White Americans.

Harvard Kennedy School faculty disseminate their research in working publications and papers that contribute to public knowledge and fuel policy innovation. This list features recent faculty publications, including journal articles, books, edited volumes, research papers, and public testimony.

Faculty Publications

Participatory Budgeting: A Powerful Civic Education Tool

Goldsmith, Stephen. "Participatory Budgeting: A Powerful Civic Education Tool." Governing. June 18, 2019.

The Availability and Utilization of 401(k) Loans

Beshears, John, James J. Choi, David Laibson, and Brigitte C. Madrian. "The Availability and Utilization of 401(k) Loans." ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP11-023, June 2011.

How Does Simplified Disclosure Affect Individuals' Mutual Fund Choices?

Beshears, John, James J. Choi, David Laibson, and Brigitte C. Madrian. "How Does Simplified Disclosure Affect Individuals' Mutual Fund Choices?" Explorations in the Economics of Aging. Ed. David A. Wise. University of Chicago Press, 2011, 75-96.

Consumer Response to Cigarette Excise Tax Changes

Chiou, Lesley and Erich J. Muehlegger. "Consumer Response to Cigarette Excise Tax Changes." ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP10-020, June 2010.