Fall 2024 Development Economics Challenge Scoping Projects
Ziyue Chen – University of California, Berkeley – $5,000 – Balancing Caregiving and Work: Impact of Informal Family Caregiving
As China’s population ages rapidly, families face mounting pressure to care for elderly relatives, while formal care systems struggle to meet rising demand. This project investigates why institutions underinvest in caregiver training despite clear benefits for workers, families, and service quality. Drawing on interviews with care providers, families, and facility managers, the study identifies potential market failures such as high turnover, weak incentives for firms to train staff, and consumers’ limited ability to assess quality. The findings will inform policies and interventions to build a more skilled, sustainable eldercare workforce and reduce the burden on informal family caregivers.
Nicolas Polasek – University of California, Berkeley – $5,500 – The Social Penalty of Unprestigious Employment
This project investigates whether social stigma deters university graduates in Kenya from accepting jobs at small or less prestigious firms, despite high youth unemployment and unmet labor demand in these enterprises. Using an innovative survey experiment with students at Maseno University, the study measures how much more graduates demand to work for a local firm versus an international organization and how this “prestige premium” changes when job visibility increases. By quantifying the social costs of unprestigious employment, the research aims to explain why skilled workers remain unemployed and to inform strategies that align talent with growth-oriented small firms.
Isabella Montini – University of California, Berkeley – $5,000 – The Paradox of Protection
This project investigates how women navigate systems of justice and protection in areas where the state and criminal organizations coexist. Focusing on Mexico State and São Paulo, Brazil, the study examines how women decide whether to report gender-based violence to police, criminal groups, or community organizations, depending on local governance and institutional capacity. Through survey experiments and fieldwork mapping both formal and informal institutions, the project seeks to uncover the paradox of “protection” in contexts where seeking justice can itself entail risk. Findings will inform policies to strengthen women’s access to safe, effective avenues for redress in regions affected by organized crime and weak state presence.
Afras Sial – University of California, Berkeley – $4,950 – The Equilibrium Effects of Preferences for Sharia-Compliant Credit
This project examines how religious beliefs shape financial market outcomes in Pakistan, where nearly all consumers view paying interest as prohibited under Islamic law. Using administrative data from private credit bureaus, the study analyzes how the expansion of Islamic banking affects loan applications, interest rates, and credit access. A complementary experiment with an Islamic microinsurance provider explores how demand for Sharia-compliant products interacts with information, selection, and moral hazard. Together, these findings will shed light on how religious preferences influence competition, inclusion, and welfare in rapidly evolving financial markets.
Mychaela Paetow – University of Southern California – $8,145 – Valuing Safety in Urban Transport
This project explores how safety and cost considerations shape transportation choices in Kampala, Uganda, where motorcycle taxis are a lifeline for urban mobility but also a major source of traffic fatalities. Through focus groups, stakeholder engagement, and survey pilots, the study finds that affordability often outweighs safety in commuter decisions, with few passengers using helmets or prioritizing safer operators. Building on these insights, the project is partnering with SafeBoda to test whether targeted last-mile travel subsidies can improve access to jobs and economic opportunities for low- and middle-income residents.
Dario Sidhu – University of California, Los Angeles – $5,000 – Increasing uptake of evidence-based policy
This project investigates why evidence from rigorous social science research is often underused in policymaking, even when it can substantially improve outcomes. Through meta-analysis and interviews with policymakers across government, NGOs, and international organizations, the study identifies key barriers to using evidence in decision-making and explores practical ways to overcome them. Early findings highlight institutional and informational frictions that slow the translation of research into policy. Building on these insights, the project is developing partnerships to test strategies to increase the adoption of evidence-based policies globally.
