Policy
Why Spending Big on U.S. Infrastructure Makes Sense
A Kellogg professor explains the new appetite for large public investment—and how the American Jobs Act would deliver.
Economics
To Escape Jim Crow–Era Discrimination and Violence, Some Black Men Passed as White. But How Many?
Hundreds of thousands, according to a new study of Census data. Doing so provided some economic benefits but came at a great personal cost.
Policy
How Debit Cards Are Helping Low-Income Households Save—and Benefiting Their Neighbors Too
A federal initiative in Mexico had huge spillover effects.
Policy
With More Stimulus Relief on the Way, Here’s a Look at America’s Covid Economy
A former Treasury official discusses where things stand now—and what the future might bring.
Social Impact
There’s an Education Gap Between Rural and Urban Communities. Can Technology Bridge It?
Researchers identified a program that helps rural students learn—and improves their incomes later in life.
Policy
Contact Tracing Is Failing in the U.S. Here’s How to Fix It.
For starters, turn responsibility over to local organizations and communities, where trust is higher.
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Economics
Why Do COVID-19 Death Rates Differ Wildly from Place to Place?
Researchers were surprised by the variable that best predicted fatalities.
Policy
How Well Does COVID Public Policy Align with Science?
In an era of misinformation, policy based on “dubious science” could mean a greater loss of life and economic hardship.
Finance & Accounting
How an Advice Hotline Is Making Farmers in India More Productive
Previous efforts to provide farmers with guidance fell short. But this venture went further.
Social Impact
How Racism Discouraged Volunteer Enlistment Immediately after Pearl Harbor
New research examines what happened when Black and Japanese men, who were battling discrimination at home, were asked to fight injustice abroad.
Healthcare
Is Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine the Next Blockbuster Drug?
Investors are keeping a close eye on the drug firm’s vaccine advances. But the company’s longer-term fortunes may lie elsewhere.
Economics
How Auctions Help Solve Some of the World’s Most Complicated Problems
Whenever you turn your lights on, query Google, or stream a video on your phone, it’s likely an auction happened in the background. Our faculty discuss the decades of research that helped make auctions so ubiquitous.
Policy
One Key Trait That Predicts How Much People Will Socially Distance
This new research could help policymakers deliver more effective COVID-safety messaging.
Economics
Meet the (Surprisingly Rational) COVID Consumer
Research on initial consumer spending shows that those at higher risk were making safer choices.
Politics & Elections
The Political Divide in America Goes Beyond Polarization and Tribalism
These days, political identity functions a lot like religious identity.
Economics
What Is “Auction Theory,” and What Kinds of Questions Can It Answer?
The recent Nobel put the field in the spotlight. An economist explains how it works, using his own research as a guide.
Healthcare
Choosing the Right Health-Insurance Plan Could Add Years to Your Life
New evidence suggests that certain Medicare Advantage plans increase life spans more than others. Here’s what the best plans have in common.
Economics
What Is “Auction Theory,” and What Kinds of Questions Can It Answer?
The recent Nobel put the field in the spotlight. An economist explains how it works, using his own research as a guide.
Healthcare
Choosing the Right Health-Insurance Plan Could Add Years to Your Life
New evidence suggests that certain Medicare Advantage plans increase life spans more than others. Here’s what the best plans have in common.
Policy
Unpacking the Federal Reserve’s Aggressive Response to COVID-19
A Kellogg professor spent the past year at the Fed. He explains the bank’s “guns-blazing” response—and the limits to these interventions.
Politics & Elections
When Executives Donate to Politicians, How Much Are They Keeping Their Companies’ Interests in Mind?
A new study looks at the motivation behind these donations, which make up nearly a fifth of all political giving.
Economics
Does Requiring Food-Stamp Recipients to Work Actually Increase Economic Self-Sufficiency?
The answer is increasingly urgent as politicians debate whether to reinstate the requirement, which was paused during the COVID-19 recession.
Social Impact
Researchers Designed an Algorithm to Save Schools Money and Improve Equity. The District Loved it. Then Things Got Messy.
A tale of bus routes in Boston shows the promises and pitfalls of using new technology to change entrenched systems.
Healthcare
Pharma Companies Argue That Lower Drug Prices Would Mean Fewer Breakthrough Drugs. Is That True?
Probably not, a new study suggests—as long as the price decreases are modest.
Finance & Accounting
How Credit Ratings Are Shaping Governments’ Responses to Covid-19
To fund pandemic-related spending, governments around the world will need to take on more debt. If they can.
Economics
White Americans Overestimate Racial Progress. But Certain Attempts to Remedy That Could Backfire.
Researchers hoped that having white participants read about racism would help them grasp the true extent of racial gaps in wealth and income. They were wrong.
Policy
How Did School Desegregation Shape the Political Ideology of White Students Later in Life?
A new study suggests that, more than four decades later, the impact of these policies on political leanings is apparent.
Economics
We’re Several Months into the COVID Economy. What Have We Learned?
From household spending to the strength of the dollar, an economist sees some clear trends—and signs of what’s to come.
Social Impact
Why Well-Meaning NGOs Sometimes Do More Harm than Good
Studies of aid groups in Ghana and Uganda show why it’s so important to coordinate with local governments and institutions.
Organizations
Why Are Social Media Platforms Still So Bad at Combating Misinformation?
Facebook, Twitter, and users themselves have few incentives to distinguish fact from fiction.
Policy
A Look Inside Chicago’s Economic Recovery Plan
Attracting HQ2s. Expanding mental-health care. A member of the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force explains how the city can emerge both stronger and more equitable.
Politics & Elections
Why We Know So Little about Disparities within the Federal Court System—and How That’s Finally Changing
Millions of hard-to-obtain public court records shed new light on the fairness of the U.S. judiciary.
Economics
Why the Next Round of COVID-19 Aid Should Target Industries That Can’t Work from Home
A new study pinpoints which sectors—and which workers in those sectors—suffered the most. Congress should take note.
Policy
How Is the Pandemic Affecting Antitrust Enforcement?
Deals will be ramping up again soon. Companies shouldn’t expect a free pass from regulators.
Innovation
Want Your Employees to Innovate? Trust Them.
R&D teams take more risks—and do better work—when their CEOs have faith in them.
Policy
The Wrong Way to Ramp Up COVID-19 Testing
Robust testing is key to safely reopening the economy. But a new model shows that if testing is not paired with “smart containment,” it could backfire.
Economics
The Treasury’s Former Chief Economist Takes Stock of the Pandemic’s Economic Impact
Kellogg’s Janice Eberly zeroes in on a few data points that demonstrate the massive challenge policymakers face.