Research Interests for Rachel Kranton

Rachel Kranton studies how institutions and the social setting affect economic outcomes. She develops theories of networks and has introduced identity into economic thinking. Her research contributes to many fields including microeconomics, economic development, and industrial organization. In Identity Economics, Rachel Kranton and collaborator George Akerlof, introduce a general framework to study social norms and identity in economics. In the economics of networks, Rachel Kranton develops formal models of strategic interaction in different economic settings. Her work draws on empirical findings and integrates new mathematical tools to uncover how network structures influence economic outcomes. Rachel Kranton has a long-standing interest in development economics and institutions. She focuses on the costs and benefits of networks and informal exchange, which is economic activity mediated by social relationships rather than markets.

Keywords:

microeconomic theory, economics of networks, identity economics, development economics, behavioral economics

Recent Publications

1. Yann Bramoullé and Rachel Kranton, Strategic Interaction and Networks (2010) [pdf]
2. George Akerlof and Rachel Kranton, Identity Economics (2010), Princeton University Press [identity_economics]
3. Rachel Kranton and Anand Swamy, Contracts, Hold-Up and Exports: Textiles and Opium in Colonial India, American Economic Review, vol. 98 no. 3 (June, 2008), pp. 967-989 [pdf]
4. Yann Bramoullé and Rachel Kranton, Public Goods in Networks, Journal of Economic Theory, vol. 135 no. 1 (July, 2007), pp. 478-94 [pdf]
5. Yann Bramoullé and Rachel Kranton, Risk Sharing Across Communities (January, 2007) [pdf]