Research

Here are abstracts of my research projects along with links to the papers, either the published version or a working paper version. Please email me if you are interested in the data or code for these papers, or would like a copy of the published version and do not have access.

Working Papers

  • (with Jose Espin and Joseph Ferrie) Women and the Econometrics of Family Trees

    DRAFT We present an econometric structure for the analysis of intergenerational mobility that integrates non-linearities, the role of maternal-side effects and the impact of grandparents. We show how previously estimated models are special cases of this general framework and what specific assumptions each embeds. Our analysis of linked U. S. data 1900-40 reveals the extent to which inadequate consideration of assortative mating and the impact of mothers produces misleading conclusions.

  • (with Nicolas L. Ziebarth) The Effects of the National War Labor Board on Labor Income Inequality

    DRAFT (PDF) During World War II, the United States federal government instituted an explicit policy of wage controls through the National War Labor Board. These wage controls, which differed by industry, occupation, and geographic region, specified maximum allowable raises for those earning less than a certain level (the so-called "bracket") and froze wages greater than that level. We find that higher brackets were associated with relative decreases in inequality as measured by the change in the log(Q10/Q90) and log(Q25/Q75) ratios between 1939 and 1959 as well as 1969. There are no effects detectable from 1979 onward.

  • (with Eric Loualiche and Nicolas L. Ziebarth) Firm Networks in the Great Depression

    DRAFT (PDF) We study how firms allocate resources across their constituent establishments in response to local economic shocks in the context of the Great Depression. Using establishment-level data from the Census of Manufactures, we find that establishments are affected by local shocks in the regions where the other establishments making up the same firm are located. In particular, establishment employment is positively affected by positive shocks to the local supply of credit to other establishments that make up the same firm. These results show the important role of firms in the geographic propagation of local economic shocks.

  • (with Nicolas L. Ziebarth) Can the Great Compression be Explained by Wartime Wage Controls?

    DRAFT (PDF) The wage controls of the National War Labor Board (NWLB) have been credited with contributing to the decline in income inequality from 1940 to 1950 that occurred along many different dimensions including across regions and occupations. We calculate an upper bound for the effect of the NWLB during this decade by assuming the controls were maximally binding. While, at the upper bound, the controls could explain an important fraction of cross-region convergence, they likely had little effect on inequality between occupations. Moreover, because of sorting by race and education into occupations, the controls cannot explain much of the narrowing of the educational skill premium nor the racial gap. We conclude that the controls are not a "one size fits all" explanation for the Great Compression.

Published Papers (by Topic)