Qualitative research in economics has traditionally been unimportant compared to quantitative work. Yet there has been a small explosion in use of quantitative approaches in the past 10–15 years, including ‘mixed-methods’ projects which use qualitative and quantitative methods in...

Although there has been little economic research on 'ethical consumption' in a general sense, work on its various aspects is growing. This paper reviews economic research on ethical consumption, examining both demand-and supply-side aspects. It is argued that the most promising way to see...

Recent economic literature puts forth “behavioral†perspectives on self-control as a means of understanding oddities of consumer behavior: spending too much, saving too little, borrowing too much on costly credit cards. This article argues that the behavioral emphasis on cognition...

As this comprehensive Companion demonstrates, social economics is a dynamic and growing field that emphasizes the key role that values play in the economy and in economic life. Social economics treats the economy and economics as being embedded in the larger web of social and ethical...

Along with globalization of trade and finance has come a certain globalization of money. Some countries have adopted monetary unions and currency boards; others increasingly use international currencies in place of national monies. This article explores the idea of a global money-framed here as...

Recent banking crises in emerging-market countries have renewed debates about deposit insurance. Because insurance erodes banks' incentives to manage risks prudently, some argue that its elimination would improve bank stability. Yet eliminating insurance could be de-stabilizing if it recreates...

Since the 1950s, the lifecycle hypothesis has been the dominant explanation for the 'inverse U' in household wealth accumulation. This paper advances an alternative explanation, rooted in the ideas of Veblen, that emphasises the role of lifestyle conformity: Because people tend to adopt...

Whether government spending can boost the pace of economic growth is widely debated. In the neoclassical growth model, it is supplies of productive resources and productivity that determine growth in the long-run. In endogenous growth models, an increase in government spending may raise the...

This paper uses time-series methods to examine interrelationships between growth and violent conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. Results show bidirectional causalities, but the key determinant of conflict risk is prior conflict experience, not fluctuations in economic growth.