The lab focuses on three main strands:
Institutions and Policy-Making We study how political institutions influence economic outcomes and how policies are shaped by political incentives. This includes work on democratic accountability, regulatory design, and political representation.
Economic History and Development We explore long-run trajectories of political and economic development. Using historical data and archival evidence, we analyze how past institutions and shocks continue to shape current inequalities and policy preferences.
Behavior and Preferences We examine how citizens form preferences and respond to policies. This includes research on voting, redistribution, populism, and how economic experiences affect attitudes toward the state.
The key topics we focus on are outlined below. You can learn also more about our individual expertise by looking into our team overview:
Social Norms and Democracy
Journalists and academics suggest frequently that “democratic norms” among the public and political elites are eroding. But what do we mean conceptually when referring to norms in the context of democracy and democratic values? Which role do they play for democratic stability? And which factors affect the rise and fall of democratic norms? We provide answers to these questions conceptualizing and mapping social norms in democracy across 14 countries. For more information please see: DEMNORM project
The causes and consequences for the rise of extremism The rise of extreme actors, on the streets as well as in political institutions, is ongoing in many contemporary democracies. What are the causes of this rise? And what will be the consequences? Studying the behavior by ordinary citizens as well as democratic elites, we shed light onto these questions. For more information please see for instance: The Causes & Consequences of Extreme Party Entrance
(Mis-)perception of Others and Political Preferences How does perceptions of others drive individuals’ preferences and behavior? And where do these perceptions about others come from? A key lens through which citizens understand economic and political inequalities is not based on actual disparities but rather on their perceptions of their own economic well-being and that of others. This means that even if policies effectively reduce economic hardship, there may not be an immediate adjustment in citizens’ perceptions corresponding to the actual decrease in inequality. Therefore, our first step should be to gain a deeper understanding of the origins of these perceptions of inequality. Then, as a second step, we can examine how these perceptions influence individual preferences and behavior.
The responsiveness by political elites to public opinion signals
Citizens make their voices heard by participating politically—through protesting, petitioning, or voting. But do political elites respond to these signals of public opinion? Studying the effects of political participation can provide insights into how well democratic systems represent public preferences, which opinions get over- or under-represented in politics, and whether political elites are responsive to shifts in public opinion.