Economics

Ketian Zhang, the daughter of Chinese Communist Party officials, studies Chinese foreign policy at MIT from a unique dual perspective.

Probing the behavior of an international bully

Political science doctoral student Ketian Zhang sheds light on China's use of coercion in foreign policy, hoping to span a deep divide.

October 4, 2017

New SHASS faculty members include: (top row, l-r) Martin Beraja, Dave Donaldson, and Amah Edoh; (middle row, l-r) E. J. Green, Simon Jäger, and Eric Klopfer; (bottom row, l-r) Justin Reich, Miriam Schoenfield, and Lisa Parks.

Nine new faculty join the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

The school welcomes a superb group of scholars.

September 25, 2017

“The question we’re asking is: Do retractions trigger, at an individual level, something like an infection mechanism, where the retracted author is being punished and discredited for being dishonest or just incompetent?” says Alessandro Bonatti, an associate professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

How retractions hurt scientists’ credibility

Study finds faulty research creates a significant drop in use of prior published work.

September 5, 2017

David Autor (left), a professor economics, and Asu Ozdaglar, a professor of electrical engineering, discuss 6-14: Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science. The new major is designed to train students to become the unseen game-makers behind virtual markets.

Two sciences tie the knot

A new major combining computer science and economics will prepare students for designing the virtual marketplaces of the future.

September 4, 2017

Texas Army National Guardsmen help Houston residents affected by flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey board a military vehicle. "With an event like this," says MIT associate professor of urban planning Brent Ryan, "it becomes viscerally evident which residential areas are absolutely not safe from even moderate flooding."

3 Questions: Brent Ryan on Hurricane Harvey’s implications for U.S. cities

Stranded in Houston by hurricane floodwaters, an MIT associate professor sees firsthand how design and policy decisions affected the storm’s impact.

September 1, 2017

A new study finds that industrial parks in China have led to the growth of nearby “edge cities” that are hubs of diverse economic activity and residential life. The researchers looked at 110 industrial parks near eight cities in China, including the city of Wuhan, pictured here.

Industrial “edge cities” have helped China grow

Study: Commercial parks have boosted growth, created new urban centers.

August 17, 2017

Senreve's signature handbags are sold online only, allowing the company to offer a wider array of colors than brick-and-mortar competitors.

How to court millennial shoppers? Lose the logo

Alumna Wendy Wen '09 co-founded an online handbag company to create a new generation of luxury for savvy younger shoppers.

August 1, 2017

A new study co-authored by an MIT economist reveals people have a haphazard approach to assessing inflation.

Intermittent attention, poor memory shape public perceptions of inflation

Consumers may tune in to prices when they need to — but recall data poorly, study finds.

July 31, 2017

“You could think of the cricket pitch as a microcosm of caste issues in India,” says Matt Lowe (bottom, second from right), a PhD candidate leading a study in India to see if the popular game of cricket can help bridge caste divides.

When castes collide

PhD student Matt Lowe uses cricket tournaments to explore caste interactions in rural India and whether the popular sport can help bridge class divides.

July 20, 2017

MIT Energy Initiative Director of Research Francis O'Sullivan is pondering decarbonization, decentralization, and the smart electric grid of the future.

3 Questions: The future of the electric utility

MIT Energy Initiative Director of Research Francis O’Sullivan reflects on current trends in the utility industry, as well as potential solutions to current challenges.

July 14, 2017