Research Outputs

Beyond Supply: A New Framework for Identifying Healthcare Deserts in the United States

Healthcare deserts are commonly defined as areas with insufficient availability of, or access to, medical services. In this white paper, authors Nita Rudra, Daevan Mangalmurti, Amelia Tarno, Sridha Chadalavada, and Daisy O’Brien argue existing measures of healthcare deserts overemphasize the supply of services while giving insufficient weight to population need. A new approach to defining and identifying healthcare deserts in the U.S. is proposed to address this misspecification. Healthcare deserts are defined as areas where both health outcomes and healthcare supply are poor. The authors conclude with a discussion of how this revised measure can offer more targeted solutions to disparities in healthcare outcomes and quality.

Read the white paper

From enthusiasm to apathy: dwindling support for globalization among future generations

In this co-authored article, Lab Director Nita Rudra examines the support for globalization in developing countries, challenging the prevailing intellectual and policy consensus that globalization predominantly benefits less developed countries (LDCs). The essay highlights the need for a reassessment of globalization’s role in developing economies to prevent further political and economic instability.

Read the article in JIEL.

Economic risk perceptions and willingness to learn about globalization: A ﬁeld experiment with migrants and other underprivileged groups in Vietnam

Existing research maintains that socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals are reluctant to seek information that might help mitigate risk. Authors Niccolò Bonifai, Edmund J. Malesky, and Nita Rudra challenge this convention by proposing that perceptions of risks associated with global economic shocks can incentivize some disadvantaged individuals to acquire knowledge about their distributional effects. Their ﬁndings help uncover the key role migrants can play in supporting globalization and shared prosperity.

Read the article in AJPS.

America is Fighting the Wrong Trade War

The China shock is over, and U.S. trade policies need to adapt accordingly. More tariffs are not expanding the labor market. In fact, they may be suppressing it. In this piece for Foreign Affairs Magazine, authors Bonifai, Rudra, Ludema, and Jensen highlight the dangers of reactionary protectionism and the importance of engaging in an increasingly interconnected world.

Read the article in Foreign Affairs.

Is trade really toxic? How imports support American jobs

The findings from our white paper, commissioned by the Hinrich Foundation, challenge the notion that global trade is bad for American workers. Our research highlights the economic benefits of globalization and the need to rethink trade policy.

Read the report here.

Evolving Trade Dynamics: Global Imports and Their Role in Supporting US Jobs

On August 8th, 2024, Executive Director Nita Rudra, along with Professor Brad Jensen and Niccolo Bonifai, presented on the evolving landscape of US trade policy and its impact on manufacturing employment. This presentation was moderated by the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the USA.

Read the takeaways here.