Projects

Working Paper

Educational Decisions in the Shadow of Cronyism: An Empirical Study of College Graduates in China, with Xiaofan Zhu. Submitted.
Abstract: This paper investigates how inefficient political institutions, marked by rampant corruption and cronyism, shape students’ educational choices based on their political connections. Utilizing the recent anti-corruption campaign in China, we find that college graduates with cadre parents from more corrupt regions are more likely to pursue further studies after the campaign. The effects are more pronounced among students with a non-STEM major, lower academic performance, and more powerful political connections, and among males. The study of underlying mechanisms suggests a more equitable post-campaign employment environment, where connected students need stronger educational qualifications to remain competitive against their unconnected counterparts.


Gender Gap, Structural Change and Female Comparative Advantage, with Marc Dordal i Carreras
Abstract: This paper investigates the puzzling decline in female labor force participation (LFPR) rates and increasing gender gaps in LFPR in developing countries amidst global fertility reduction, narrowed gender gaps in education, and service sector expansion. We argue that two factors jointly shape the trajectory of female LFPR and gender gap in labor force participation: (i) the interaction between structural change and female comparative advantage (CA) dynamics, and (ii) the change of female CA in the market sectors relative to home production. The theory predicts that female LFPR drops when women have CA in diminishing sectors and vice versa, and that a rise in female CA in the market sectors narrows gender differences in labor force participation. We argue that women tend to have CA in the expanding sector in developed countries and in the shrinking sector in developing countries, with the female market CA effect dominated by the structural change effect. Our quantitative results, based on data from China, India, the US, and Canada, support our theory. This study offers a comprehensive explanation for the divergent trends in FLFP rates across developed and developing countries and the U-shaped FLFP rate trajectory over time.


The Effect of On-campus Student Accommodation on Academic and Non-academic Outcomes, with Xuanyi Jin, Sujata Visaria, and Xiaofan Zhu
Abstract: This study examines the impact of on-campus residence halls on academic and job market outcomes, as well as subjective wellbeing among students at a first-tier university in Hong Kong. Leveraging administrative data and a random allocation system, we find that students residing in halls exhibit lower yearly Grade Point Averages, receive fewer job offers upon graduation, and report higher satisfaction with their hall experience. Across the complete sample of students analyzed, male students are particularly influenced by hall residency. We further study the underlying mechanisms and identify that underutilization of school learning facilities and fewer full-time internships of hall residents may contribute to the observed academic and labor market performance differences. Our research contributes to understanding the role of college amenities in human capital accumulation and sheds light on gender-specific effects of on-campus residence.

Work in Progress

Age-Dependent Lifetime Income Impact of Health Shock, with Yueqi Wu

Impact of Cross-Border Migration on Gender Gap in Labor Force Participation in Latin American and Caribbean, IMF Policy Paper