IER NEWSLETTER Vol. 2 (2016/1/15) 

My research field is political macroeconomics. I am particularly interested in applied theoretical research and empirical research using political data.

 

In my PhD dissertation, I proposed a politico-economic endogenous growth model for explaining regional differences in the growth rate of output.  Specifically, I hypothesized that capital, labor, and politics served as channels that characterize regional economies, and attempted to account for growth rates in terms of differences in these channels. This paper is currently under review by an international academic journal.

 

As a new project, I am addressing the issue of vertical transfer system between central and local governments. This paper particularly focuses on transfers for financing public investment. Based on the theory of nonlinear dynamic taxation, it seeks to shed light on how the optimal inter-governmental transfers are distorted by politics. 

 

In addition, although this is still at the planning stage, I would like to start a project on intergenerational redistribution (i.e. social security). In particular, I would like to propose an overlapping generation model that allows for eligible voters who do not exercise their right to vote. While standard voting models assume that all electorates cast their votes, voter participation rates in actual societies tend to be lower among younger generations. I intend to study how we can explain the decision-making process for the social security policy, given voters who may potentially abstain in democratic elections.

 

I am still a young researcher. I would greatly appreciate your guidance and encouragement.

 

Kazuko Kano (Musashino University) 2015/4/2-2016/3/18

Stacey H. Chen (Academia Sinica) 2015/4/2-2016/3/18

 

[Visiting Scholars]

Markus Heckel (Gooethe University Frankfurt)    2016/2/21-2016/3/21