This article introduces the most comprehensive dataset on de jure central bank independence (CBI), including yearly data from 182 countries between 1970 and 2012. The dataset identifies statutory reforms affecting CBI, their direction, and the attributes necessary to build the Cukierman, Webb...

The ability to finance conflict likely affects the odds of sustaining a war and succeeding in it. Recent literature explores rebel group funding, but far less is known about how states finance their own war efforts. This paper posits that the design of central banks should affect civil war...

Human rights protection mechanisms are based on the state's commitment to respect, protect and/or promote a series of rights. When one speaks about human rights violations' punishments, the first image that comes to mind is the execution of human rights court rulings. However, there are other...

In dominant party regimes, party cadres' participation in decision-making constrains dictators from arbitrarily changing policy. Party based regimes are also better at mobilizing supporters in exchange for extensive patronage. The conventional wisdom is that these two mechanisms work together to...

What are the effects of international human rights regimes on foreign direct investment (FDI)? The literature generally shows a negative relationship between human rights violations and FDI, and that international regimes can have effects beyond the parties in the agreement. However, it is not...

This article explores the effect of delays in updating prudential regulation on countries' likelihood of experiencing banking crises, and it disentangles the impact of different aspects of regulation on crisis onset. I argue that delays in revising banks' prudential regulation allow banks to...