Research interests:
Applied microeconometrics. Labour economics. Health economics. Development economics. Happiness and Health. Economics of education.
Peer-reviewed Publications (International):
2008
"Daughters and Leftwing Voting" with Andrew Oswald, The Review of Economics and Statistics, forthcoming
"How Important is Rank to Individual Perception of Economic Standing? A Within-Community Analysis", Journal of Economic Inequality, forthcoming
"Does Happiness Adapt? A Longitudinal Study of Disability with Implications for Economists and Judges", with Andrew Oswald, Journal of Public Economics, 92, 1061-1077
"Putting a Price Tag on Friends, Relatives, and Neighbours: Using Surveys of Life-Satisfaction to Value Social Relationships", Journal of Socio-Economics, 37(4), 1459-1480
"Mental Health of Parents and Life Satisfaction of Children: A Within-Family Analysis of Intergenerational Transmission of Well-Being", with Anna Vignoles, Social Indicators Research, 88(3), 397-422
2007
"Death, Happiness, and the Calculation of Compensatory Damages", with Andrew Oswald, Journal of Legal Studies, forthcoming
"Feeling Richer or Poorer than Others: A Cross-sectional and Panel Analysis of Subjective Economic Status in Indonesia", Asian Economic Journal, 21(2), 169-194
"Obesity, Unhappiness, and The Challenge of Affluence: Theory and Evidence", with Andrew Oswald, Economic Journal, 117 (June), F441-454
"Are There Geographical Variations in the Psychological Costs of Unemployment in South Africa?", Social Indicators Research, 80(3), 629-652
"Happiness and the Standard of Living: The Case of South Africa" In (eds) Bruni, L. and Porta, P.L. (eds) Handbook on the Economics of Happiness (pp. 447-486). Edward Elgar: UK
2005
"Unhappiness and Crime: Evidence from South Africa", Economica, 72, 531-547
Peer-reviewed Publication (Thailand)
2007
"Economics of Happiness: A Review of Literature and Applications", forthcoming in Chulalongkorn Journal of Economics
"Causal Analysis in Happiness Research", to be published in a special happiness issue in Chulalongkorn Journal of Economics
Working papers:
1) Economics and Psychology of Happiness
"Electing Happiness: Does Happiness Affect Voting and Do Elections Really Affect Happiness?", with Paul Dolan and Robert Metcalfe, September 2008
"What Happens to People After Moderate and Serious Disability? A Longitudinal Study of Different Areas of Life", this version - June 2008
"Thinking About It: A Note on Attention and Well-Being Losses from Unemployment", with Paul Dolan, March 2008.
"How Much Does Money Really Matter? Instrumenting for Income in Life Satisfaction Equations", December 2007
"I Can't Smile Without You: A Multi-level and Fixed Effects Simultaneous Equations Analysis of Spousal Correlation in Life Satisfaction", October 2007
"Is the Structure of Happiness Equations the Same in Rich and Poor Countries? The Case of South Africa", April 2003
2) Economics of Education
"The Socio-economic Gap in University Drop Out", with Anna Vignoles, May 2008
"Succeeding in Higher Education: A Widening Participation Issue", with Anna Vignoles 2007
"Using Rate of Return Analyses to Understand Sector Skill Needs", with Anna Vignoles 2006
3) Health Economics
"Ill-Health as a Household Norm: Evidence from Other People's Health Problems", this version - Sept 2008
Presentations:
"Economics of Happiness: An Introduction to the Paradox of Development", presented at Chulalongkorn university, Kasetsart university, and the Ministry of Finance, Thailand (PPT - part 1, part 2)
"Stumbling on Happiness: Putting the Science of Happiness to the Test" presented at Kor Por (Thai Student's Office), London (PPT)