Abstract: The 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA) paved the road to Black empowerment. How did southern whites respond? Leveraging newly digitized data on county-level voter registration rates by race between 1956 and 1980, and exploiting pre-determined variation in exposure to the federal intervention, we document that the VRA increases both Black and white political participation. Consistent with the VRA triggering counter-mobilization, the surge in white registrations is concentrated where Black political empowerment is more tangible and salient due to the election of African Americans in county commissions. Additional analysis suggests that the VRA has long-lasting negative effects on whites' racial attitudes.

Abstract: We review the literature on the effects of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA), which removed formal restrictions to Black political participation. After a brief description of racial discrimination suffered by Black Americans since Reconstruction, we introduce the goals that the VRA was meant to achieve. Next, we discuss the local level impact of the law on political participation and representation, on public goods provision and policing practices, and on labor market outcomes. We then turn to whites' reactions, from political realignment to electoral counter-mobilization to changes in voting rules and arrests patterns. We conclude by discussing how the evidence reviewed in this article can inform policy-making and the design of legislation aimed at reducing racial discrimination and inequality.

Abstract: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 redefined race relations in the United States. Yet evidence on its effect on Black office holding remains scant. Using novel data on Black elected officials between 1962 and 1980, we assess the impact of the Voting Rights Act on the racial makeup of local governments in the Deep South. Exploiting predetermined differential exposure of Southern counties to the mandated federal intervention, we show that the latter fostered local Black office holding, particularly in the powerful county commissions, controlling local public finances. In the presence of election by district, covered counties experienced Black representation gains and faster capital spending growth.

Abstract: Although the 1960s race riots have gone down in history as America's most violent and destructive ethnic civil disturbances, a consensus on the factors able to explain their insurgence is yet to be found. Using a novel data set on the universe of radio stations airing Black-appeal programming, the effect of the media on riots is found to be sizable and statistically significant. A marginal (1%) increase in signal reception from these stations is estimated to lead to a 2.4% and 4.1% rise in the mean levels of the frequency and intensity of riots, respectively. Several mechanisms behind this result are considered, with the quantity, quality, and length of exposure to radio programming all being decisive factors.

Abstract: This paper examines the long-term impact of West German television exposure on smoking behavior in East Germany, with a focus on gender-specific responses. Using data from 1989 and 2002 and leveraging quasi-random variation in West German TV signal availability across East German regions, we find that TV exposure led to a substantial increase in smoking among women — by 9.5 percentage points in smoking probability and 68% in cigarette consumption — while having no measurable effect on men. This asymmetric effect reflects divergent pre-reunification norms: under socialism, female smoking was heavily stigmatized, and exposure to Western media relaxed these social constraints. The behavioral shift persisted over time, with exposed women reporting worse physical and mental health and higher healthcare utilization in 2002. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest a sizable increase in smoking-related mortality and healthcare costs. Our findings highlight how cultural integration through media can alter health behaviors and generate significant public health externalities in transitional societies.

Abstract: The host country effect — where nations typically perform better when hosting the Olympic Games — is a well-documented phenomenon. However, its magnitude may be shaped by institutional and societal factors. This paper investigates how corruption and gender inequality moderate the host country advantage using a panel dataset covering all Summer and Winter Olympic Games from 2000 to 2022. We analyze their effects on athlete participation, medal counts, and the conversion rate of athletes to medals, with a particular focus on gender disparities. Our findings show that higher levels of corruption and gender inequality are associated to weaker Olympic performance, especially for female athletes and in the Summer Games, as shown by smaller benefits of hosting. These results highlight the critical role of transparent governance and gender equity in maximizing the returns of hosting international sporting events.

Abstract: Income inequality remains an important issue in Mexico, despite a slight decrease in its measure in recent decades. This paper examines whether changes in trade patterns following the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have affected income inequality in Mexico over the past 20 years. Through a decomposition into within- and between-sector inequality, this paper finds that the contribution of the latter has increased in an environment characterized by decreasing total income inequality. Trade explains around 14.5% of the total change in between-sector income inequality and forms the largest contribution of any of the factors identified in this paper.

Abstract: Conclusive evidence on the relationship between corruption and migration has remained scant in the literature to date. Using 2008-2018 data on bilateral migration flows across EU28 and EFTA countries and four measures of corruption (three subjective and one objective), we show that corruption acts both as a push factor and as a pull factor for migration patterns. Based on a gravity model, a 1-unit increase in the corruption level in the origin country is associated with a 11% increase in out-migration. The same 1-unit increase in the destination country is associated with a 10% decline in in-migration.

Abstract: The 2009 and 2012 earthquakes in Italy occurred in a close-knit region and time horizon but differed substantially on both the initial shock to the stock and the subsequent flow of resources. This paper considers the short-run impact on the dynamic response of labor market outcomes. Both natural disasters lowered employment and labor force participation by more than 0.5%. With its negative effect on the resources available, the 2009 shock led to a drop in real wages of 1.3% and a sharp - but short-lived - widening of the wage gap generated by the skill premium. The 2012 hazard, which led firms to upgrade their technology, increased wages by 2.2% and led to a more balanced - but persistent - widening of the wage gap. The predictions of a model developed in this paper are consistent with these results.

Abstract: Gender inequality in professional sports reflects deeper structural and systemic disparities in society, many of which stem from governance failures and institutionalized biases that can be understood as forms of corruption. This paper explores the relationship between gender-specific measures of systemic exclusion and disparities in professional cycling. Using data from 2000 to 2023, this paper finds that a 1% increase in the Gender Inequality Index is associated with a 5.8% decrease in the number of professional female cyclists. The analysis further reveals that greater gender inequality not only reduces female participation but also distorts competitive balance, resulting in fewer wins and podium finishes for female cyclists. These findings indicate that gender disparities in professional sports, such as cycling, stem from deeper institutional weaknesses, including governance failures and corruption, which undermine fair competition and equitable opportunities.