infonet-economy

In the first chapter, the problem of Bootstrap inference for the parameters of a GLMM is addressed. We formulate a bootstrapping strategy consisting on the random weighting of the contributions to the Joint Likelihood of Outcomes and Random Effects. Using the Laplace Approximation method for integrals on this function, yields a Random Weighted Log-Likelihood that produces the desired…

In this paper, my primary goal is to test if vote conversion is in line with voters' perceptions of parties' competence, i.e. if the competence change in favor of a party during the political campaign triggers vote conversion in favor of this same party. Then, I assess the moderating role of saliency and political knowledge and the difference between ‘valence' and…

The destabilization of Eastern Europe and of the Southern Mediterranean has exposed the limits of the European peace project. Obviously, the European Neighbourhood Policy has not succeeded in boosting peace and prosperity. This article attributes this failure to a combination of functionalist hubris and political myopia that emanates from the European Union's peculiar…

Labour standards are one of the most contested issues in economic relations between developed countries and emerging markets. As attempts to codify such standards in the WTO have failed, the EU and the US have intensified their efforts to promote them in bilateral and regional Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs). Whereas this practice has been quite consistent across the globe, the…

The effectiveness of immigrant integration policies has gained considerable attention across Western democracies dealing with ethnically and culturally diverse societies. However, the findings on what type of policy produces more favourable integration outcomes remain inconclusive. The conflation of normative and analytical assumptions on integration is a major challenge for causal…

This thesis explores the impact that two types of non-conventional barriers - non-tariff measures (NTMs) and cultural traits - have on trade. The first essay deals with the asymmetric impact that NTMs can have on trading partners and provides estimates of the bilateral effects of NTMs (in terms of ad valorem equivalents) across exporter-importer pairs. The second essay finds support…

This paper proposes an alternative explanation of Muslims’ endorsement of secular values based on their belonging to religious minorities. We argue that, contrary to what is often asserted in both the academic literature and the public debate, Muslims’ endorsement of secular values is not simply a matter of strong individual religiosity, but may also result from belonging to a…

As their economic clout increases, emerging powers are becoming policy-shapers in their own right. This chapter evaluates the ways in which emerging countries have made use of the flexibilities available under the TRIPS Agreement to espouse their social and economic concerns. We consider one of the most significant and controversial of these flexibilities: compulsory licensing as a…