Research interests:
Human capital (Education and Health) – investments and returns, Child labour and education, Labour Markets – Wage and employment dynamics, Information Technology and Economic Development, Economic reforms and socio-cultural practices in India
- “Linking social protection schemes: The joint effects of a public works and a health insurance program in Ethiopia” (with Zemzem Shigute, Christoph Strupat, Francesco Burchi, Getnet Alemu), https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2018.1563682. Journal of Development Studies. Available online on January 20, 2019.
- “Effects of decentralized health care financing on maternal care in Indonesia” (with Renate Hartwig, Robert Sparrow, Sri Budiyati, Athia Yumma, Nila Warda, Asep Suryahadi), forthcoming in Economic Development and Cultural Change. Available online, at
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/698312. - “The impact of Ethiopia’s pilot community based health insurance scheme on healthcare utilization and cost of care” (with Anagaw Mebratie, Robert Sparrow, Zelalem Yilma, Degnet Abebaw, Getnet Alemu) Social Science and Medicine 220 (2019): 112–119.
- “Indonesia’s Domestic Biogas Programme – Household panel survey data” (with Robert Sparrow, Luca Tasciotti) Data in Brief 17 (2018): 1388-1390.
- “The Impact of a Household Biogas Programme on Energy Use and Expenditure in East Java” (with Robert Sparrow, Luca Tasciotti), Energy Economics 68 (2017): 66-76.
- Gender and Policing Norms: Evidence from Survey Experiments among Police Officers in Uganda (with Natascha Wagner, Matthias Rieger, Wil Hout). Journal of African Economies 26, No. 4 (2017):492-515.
- “The Evolution of Child Labor in Portugal, 1850-2001” (with Pedro Goulart). Social Science History 41, No. 2 (2017): 227-254.
- “Uptake of Health Insurance and the Productive Safety Net Program in Rural Ethiopia” (with Zemzem Shigute, Anagaw Mebratie, Robert Sparrow, Zelalem Yilma, Getnet Alemu). Social Science and Medicine 176 (2017): 133-141.
- “Intuitive Help and Punishment in the Field” (with Luis Artavia-Mora, Matthias Rieger). European Economic Review 92 (2017): 133-145.
- “Universal Health Coverage at the Macro Level: Synthetic Control Evidence from Thailand (with Natascha Wagner and Matthias Rieger). Social Science & Medicine 172 (2017): 46-55.
- “Interest in School and Educational Success in Portugal” (with Pedro Goulart). Journal of Educational Research 110 No. 6 (2017): 589-603.
- “Sub-national Health Care Financing Reforms in Indonesia” (with Robert Sparrow, Sri Budiyati, Athia Yumna, Nila Warda, Asep Suryahadi). Health Policy and Planning 32 (2017): 91-101.
- “War on Piracy: The Conflation of Somali Piracy with Terrorism in Discourse, Tactic and Law” (with Currun Singh). Security Dialogue 47 (2016): 440–458.
- “Protocol for a randomized controlled trial evaluating mobile short message services (SMS) to promote retention and adherence to anti-retroviral therapy for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Burkina Faso” (with Wagner N, Ouedraogo D, Artavia-Mora L, Thiombiano BA) Journal of Medical Internet Research 5(3), 2016. DOI: doi:10.2196/resprot.5823
- “Renewing membership in three community-based health insurance schemes in rural India” (with Pradeep Panda, Arpita Chakraborty, Wameq Raza). Health Policy and Planning 31, No. 10 (2016):1433-1444.
- “Healthcare Seeking Behavior among Self-help Group Households in Rural Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India” (with Wameq Raza, Ellen van de Poel, David Dror, Pradeep Panda). BMC Health Services Research 16:1 (2016). DOI: 10.1186/s12913-015-1254-9.
- “Impact of community based health insurance on access to care and financial protection: Evidence from three randomized control trials in rural India” (with Wameq A Raza, Ellen Van de Poel, Frans Rutten). Health Economics 25 (2016): 675–687.
- “Impact of Ethiopia’s Community Based Health Insurance on household economic welfare” (with Zelalem Yilma, Anagaw Mebratie, Robert Sparrow, Marleen Dekker, Getnet Alemu). World Bank Economic Review 29 (2015): S164-S173.
- “Dropping out of Ethiopia’s Community Based Health Insurance Scheme” (with Anagaw Mebratie, Robert Sparrow, Zelalem Yilma, Getnet Alemu). Health Policy and Planning 30 (2015): 1296-1306.
- “Enrolment in Ethiopia’s Community Based Health Insurance Scheme” (with Anagaw Mebratie, Robert Sparrow, Zelalem Yilma, Getnet Alemu). World Development 74 (2015): 58-76.
- “Sickness and Death: Economic Consequences and Coping Strategies of the Urban Poor in Bangladesh” (with Farid Khan, Robert Sparrow). World Development 72 (2015): 255-266.
- “The effects of Rwanda’s Biogas Program on energy expenditure and fuel use” (with Luca Tasciotti, Lorenzo Pellegrini). World Development 67 (2015): 461-474.
- “Enrollment in Community Based Health Insurance Schemes in Rural Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India” (with Pradeep Panda, Arpita Chakraborty, David Dror). Health Policy and Planning 29 no.8 (2014): 960-974.
- “Coping with shocks in rural Ethiopia” (with Zelalem Yilma, Anagaw Mebratie, Robert Sparrow, Degnet Abebaw, Marleen Dekker, Getnet Alemu). Journal of Development Studies 50 no.7 (2014):1009-1024.
- “Transnational Trafficking, Law Enforcement and Victim Protection: A Middleman Trafficker’s Perspective” (with Randy Akee, Arnab Basu and Nancy Chau). Journal of Law and Economics 57 no. 2 (2014): 349-386.
- “Child Malnutrition and Antenatal Care” (with Nohora Forero, Luis Gamboa, Robert Sparrow). Pan American Journal of Public Health 35 no. 3(2014):163–71.
- “Health care seeking behavior in rural Ethiopia: Evidence from clinical vignettes” (with Anagaw Mebratie, Ellen Van de Poel, Zelalem Yilma, Degnet Abebaw, Getnet Alemu). British Medical Journal Open 4 (2014): doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004020.
- “Regional dimensions of Somali piracy and militant Islamism: anthropological and econometric evidence” (with Currun Singh)”. Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy 19 no. 3(2013): 369-380). doi: 10.1515/peps-2013-0037. On October 23, 2013, an op-ed in the International New York Times referred to this paper.
- “The Dynamics of Job Creation and Job Destruction in an African Economy: Evidence from Ethiopia” (with Admasu Shiferaw). Journal of African Economies 22 no. 5 (2013): 651-692 (lead article).
- “Census 2011 and Child Sex Ratios in Tamil Nadu” (with S. Srinivasan). Journal of Human Development and Capabilities 14 no. 3 (2013): 441-451.
- “Foreign Direct Investment, Black Economic Empowerment and Labour Productivity in South Africa” (with Anagaw Derseh Mebratie) Journal of International Trade and Economic Development 22 no. 1 (2013): 94-115.
- “Impact of Ethiopian pilot community-based health insurance scheme on health-care utilisation: a household panel data analysis” (with Anagaw Mebratie, Robert Sparrow, Zelalem Yilma, Degnet Abebaw, Getnet Alemu) The Lancet 381, Supplement 2, Page S92 (17–19 June 2013). Peerreviewed abstract.
- “Ensuring Daughter Survival in Tamil Nadu” (with Sharada Srinivasan). Oxford Development Studies 39 no.3 (2011): 253-283. Reprinted in Chinese in Li, Shuzhuo, Shang Zijuan and Yang Bo (eds.) (2012) Gender and sustainable social development, pp.298-333. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China).
- “Marital Violence and Women’s Employment and Property Status: Evidence from North Indian Villages” (with Manasi Bhattacharyya and Amrita Chhachhi). World Development 39 no. 9 (2011):1676-1689.
- “Unemployment Assistance and Transition to Employment in Argentina” (with Ana Iturriza and Robert Sparrow). Economic Development and Cultural Change 59 no. 4 (2011): 811-837.
- “Guyana’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and Social Expenditure” (with Niek de Jong). European Journal of Development Research 23 (2011): 229-248.
- “The Impact of a Cash Transfer Program on Cognitive Achievement: The Bono de Desarrollo of Ecuador” (with Juan Ponce). Economics of Education Review 29 no. 1 (2010): 116-125.
- “Combating Trafficking in Women and Children: A Review of International and National Legislation, Coordination Failures and Perverse Economic Incentives” (with Randall Akee, Arnab Basu, Nancy Chau). The Protection Project: Journal of Human Rights and Civil Society 2, Fall 2009, pp. 1-24.
- “Remittances, Liquidity Constraints and Human Capital Investments in Ecuador” (with Carla Calero and Robert Sparrow). World Development 37 no. 6 (2009):1143-1154.
- “Tamil Nadu and the diagonal divide in sex ratios” (with Sharada Srinivasan). Economic and Political Weekly 44 no. 3 (2009): 56-63.
- “Daughter Elimination in Tamil Nadu, India: A Tale of Two Ratios” (with Sharada Srinivasan). Journal of Development Studies 44 no. 7 (2008): 961–990
- “Child Labour and Educational Success in Portugal (with Pedro Goulart). Economics of Education Review 27 no. 5 (2008):575-587, doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2007.07.002. In January 2011, references to this study were made on the websites of four major Portuguese television channels, at least 8 national and 7 regional newspapers including the front page of Correio do Minho.
- “Domestic Violence and Dowry: Evidence from a South Indian Village” (with Sharada Srinivasan). World Development 35 no. 5 (2007): 857-880.
- The Decline in Primary School Enrolment in Kenya.” (with Kimalu, Nafula and Manda). Journal of African Economies 13 no. 1 (2004): 1-43 (lead article). This paper was awarded a second prize in a research competition on the theme Pro-Market Reform and the Poor, organized by the Global Development Network in January 2004.
- “Gender Pay Differentials during the Transition in Poland.” (with Vera Adamchik). Economics of Transition. 11 no. 4 (2003): 697-726.
- “Schooling Costs and Child Work in Rural Pakistan.” (with Gautam Hazarika). Journal of Development Studies. 39 no. 5 (2003): 29-64
- “Primary School Attendance in Honduras.” (with Jeffery Marshall). Journal of Development Economics. 69 no. 1 (2002): 129-53.
“The Impact of School Quality on Earnings and Educational Returns- Evidence from a LowIncome Country.” (with John H.Y. Edwards). Journal of Development Economics 68 no. 1(2002): 157-85. In 2002, this paper was among the top 25 requested papers from the JDE’s website. - “Wages and Wage Growth in Poland: The Role of Foreign Direct Investment.” (with Andrzej Cieslik). Economics of Transition 10 no. 1 (2002): 1-27 (lead article). Translated into Russian for the Central European Almanac.
- “The Effectiveness of Private versus Public Schools: The case of Indonesia.” (with Ashish Garg). Journal of Development Economics 61 no. 2 (2000): 463-494.
- “Wage Differentials between the Public and Private Sectors: Evidence from an Economy in Transition.” (with Vera Adamchik). Labour Economics 7 no. 2 (2000): 203-224.
- “Forms of Foreign Investor’s Activity and Diffusion of Intellectual Capital in Polish Industry.” (with Andrzej Cieslik). Ekonomista 4 (1999): 419-439.
- “Foreign Direct Investment and Wage Disparity in Poland.”(with Andrzej Cieslik). Gospodarka Narodowa 11-12 (1999): 40-50.
- “Using Variation in Schooling Availability to Estimate Educational Returns for Honduras.” (with Noel Gaston). Economics of Education Review 18 no. 1 (1999): 107-116.
- “School Attendance and Student Achievement: Evidence From Rural Honduras.” (with Jeffery Marshall). Economic Development and Cultural Change 47 no. 3 (1999): 657-682.
- “Sector Choice, Multiple Job Holding and Wage Differentials: Evidence from Poland.” Journal of Development Studies 35 no. 1 (1998): 162-179.
- “Returns to Endogenous Education: The Case of Honduras.” (with Noel Gaston). Applied Economics 29 no. 4 (1997): 519-528.
- “The Importance of School Quality as a Determinant of Earnings in a Developing Country: Evidence from Honduras.” International Journal of Educational Development 17 no.4 (1997): 427-437.
- “Wage Determinants in Honduras: Credentials Versus Human Capital.” (with Jason Born). Social and Economic Studies 44 no. 1 (1995): 143-161.