In this issue we feature 12 current papers on the theme of social capital, chosen by Fabio Sabatini (Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”):

1. Civic Engagement as a Second-Order Public Good: The Cooperative Underpinnings of the Accountable State - Kenju Kamei; Louis Putterman; Jean-Robert Tyran
2. Economic Polarization and Antisocial Behavior: An Experiment - Bigoni, Maria; Bortolotti, Stefania; Nas Özen, Efşan
3. Crime and Networks: 10 Policy Lessons - Lindquist, Matthew J.; Zenou, Yves
4. The Impact of Socioeconomic and Cultural Differences on Online Trade - Daniel W. Elfenbein; Raymond Fisman; Brian McManus
5. Spatial Dependence, Social Networks, and Economic Structures in Regional Labor Migration - Murayama, Koji; Nagayasu, Jun
6. The Early Life Influences of Teachers' Genders on Later Life Charitable Giving: Evidence from the Natural Disasters in Japan - Yamamura, Eiji; Powdthavee, Nattavudh
7. Old Sins Cast Long Shadows: The Long-Term Impact of the Resettlement of the Sudetenland on Residential Migration - Guzi, Martin; Huber, Peter; Mikula, Stepan
8. Social Confusion and Corruption: Investigating the Causes and Effects of a Breakdown of Ethics - Suzuki, Taku; Mizobata, Satoshi
9. The number but not the variety of nonprofit organizations affects donations: evidence from an experiment - Giacomo Degli Antoni; Marco Faillo
10. Perceived Immigration And Voting Behavior - Bellucci, Davide; Conzo, Pierluigi; Zotti, Roberto
11. Crowdfunding Dynamics - Paul Belleflamme; Thomas Lambert; Armin Schwienbacher
12. The Impact of Mass Media On Voting Behavior: The Cross-Country Evidence - Walid Merouani

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 1. Civic Engagement as a Second-Order Public Good: The Cooperative
     Underpinnings of the Accountable State
   Kenju Kamei (Durham University); Louis Putterman (Brown University);
    Jean-Robert Tyran (Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen,
    Denmark)
  Effective states provide public goods by taxing their citizens and imposing
  penalties for non-compliance. However, accountable government requires that
  enough citizens are civically engaged. We study the voluntary cooperative
  underpinnings of the accountable state by conducting a two-level public
  goods experiment in which civic engagement can build a sanction scheme to
  solve the first-order public goods dilemma. We find that civic engagement
  can be sustained at high levels when costs are low relative to the benefits
  of public good provision. This cost-to-benefit differential yields what we
  call a "leverage effect" because it transforms modest willingness to
  cooperate into the larger social dividend from the power of taxation. In
  addition, we find that local social interaction among subgroups of
  participants also boosts cooperation.
   JEL: C92 D02 D72 H41
   Keywords: civic engagement, public goods provision, punishment,
    experiment, cooperation
   Date: 2019–09–05
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kud:kuiedp:1910&r=soc

 2. Economic Polarization and Antisocial Behavior: An Experiment
   Bigoni, Maria (University of Bologna); Bortolotti, Stefania (Max Planck
    Institute for Research on Collective Goods); Nas Özen, Efşan (Bilkent
    University)
  Economic inequality may fuel frustration, possibly leading to anger and
  antisocial behavior. We experimentally study a situation where only the rich
  can reduce inequality while the poor can express their discontent by
  destroying the wealth of a rich counterpart with whom they had no previous
  interaction. We test whether the emergence of such forms of antisocial
  behavior depends only on the level of inequality, or also on the conditions
  under which inequality occurs. We compare an environment in which the rich
  can unilaterally reduce inequality with one where generosity makes them
  vulnerable to exploitation by the poor. We find that the rich are expected
  to be more generous in the former scenario than in the latter, but in fact
  this hope is systematically violated. We also observe that the poor engage
  in forms of antisocial behavior more often when reducing inequality would be
  safe for the rich. These results cannot be rationalized by inequality
  aversion alone, while they are in line with recent models that focus on
  anger as the result of the frustration of expectations.
   JEL: C91 D63 D83 D84 D91
   Keywords: expectations, frustration, inequality aversion, money-burning,
    punishment
   Date: 2019–08
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12553&r=soc

 3. Crime and Networks: 10 Policy Lessons
   Lindquist, Matthew J. (SOFI, Stockholm University); Zenou, Yves (Monash
    University)
  Social network analysis can help us understand more about the root causes of
  delinquent behavior and crime and provide practical guidance for the design
  of crime prevention policies. To illustrate these points, we first present a
  selective review of several key studies and findings from the criminology
  and police studies literature. We then turn to a presentation of recent
  contributions made by network economists. We highlight 10 policy lessons and
  provide a discussion of recent developments in the use of big data and
  computer technology.
   JEL: A14 K42 Z13
   Keywords: co-offending, crime, criminal networks, social networks, peer
    effects, key player
   Date: 2019–08
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12534&r=soc

 4. The Impact of Socioeconomic and Cultural Differences on Online Trade
   Daniel W. Elfenbein; Raymond Fisman; Brian McManus
  We use U.S. eBay data to investigate how trade is influenced by differences
  in socioeconomic characteristics, tastes, and trust. States’ similarity in
  cultural characteristics (ethnicity, religious affiliations, and political
  behavior) is predictive of online trade; cultural similarity similarly
  predicts trade between finer (three-digit zip code) geographies. The
  culture-trade relationship is mediated in part by consumers’ tastes, and is
  stronger for transactions with sellers who lack extensive reputations or
  certification, suggesting that consumers infer seller trustworthiness from
  cultural similarity. There is no correlation between cultural similarity and
  buyer satisfaction, consistent with perceived differences in trustworthiness
  not being validated by actual transactions.
   JEL: D12 D91 F14 L15 R12
   Date: 2019–08
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:26197&r=soc

 5. Spatial Dependence, Social Networks, and Economic Structures in
     Regional Labor Migration
   Murayama, Koji; Nagayasu, Jun
  This study empirically analyzes the determinants of regional labor migration
  in Japan, where small towns are disappearing due to the shortage of labor.
  Using spatial models of origin-destination flows and considering network
  effects of labor and economic structures, we obtain results more consistent
  with the standard migration theory than previous studies. First, unlike
  previous studies, we find that migration decisions in Japan are based on
  economic motivations consistent with economic theories. Particularly,
  unemployment rates in origins and destinations and income in origins are
  found to be the determinants of labor migration. Second, we report that
  network effects, which help reduce migration costs, have encouraged
  relocation of labor. Third, considering spatial weights based on distance,
  goods flow, and economic structures, we show that neighbors can be most
  appropriately defined with economic structures; migration patterns are alike
  in regions with similar economic structures.
   JEL: J61 R23
   Keywords: labor migration; spatial models; regional economy; economic
    structures; network effects
   Date: 2019–08
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:95691&r=soc

 6. The Early Life Influences of Teachers' Genders on Later Life
     Charitable Giving: Evidence from the Natural Disasters in Japan
   Yamamura, Eiji (Seinan Gakuin University); Powdthavee, Nattavudh
    (University of Warwick)
  What determines human beings' decisions to donate money to a charity? Using
  a nationally representative survey of the Japanese population, we
  demonstrate that having been taught by a female teacher in their first year
  of school makes individuals more likely to donate to charities following
  natural disasters. The findings are robust in controlling for lessons on
  prosocial behaviors, such as group learning. We tested our results
  separately for men and women, as well as on prosocial attitude outcomes.
  Overall, our results suggest potential prosocial implications may arise from
  teacher-student gender matching.
   JEL: D64 I20
   Keywords: charitable giving, gender, prosocial, Japan, natural disaster,
    donation
   Date: 2019–08
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12528&r=soc

 7. Old Sins Cast Long Shadows: The Long-Term Impact of the Resettlement
     of the Sudetenland on Residential Migration
   Guzi, Martin (Masaryk University); Huber, Peter (WIFO - Austrian Institute
    of Economic Research); Mikula, Stepan (Masaryk University)
  We analyze the long-term impact of the resettlement of the Sudetenland after
  World War II on residential migration. This event involved expulsion of
  ethnic Germans and almost complete depopulation of an area of a country and
  its rapid resettlement by 2 million Czech inhabitants. Results based on
  nearest neighbor matching and regression discontinuity design show a higher
  population churn in resettled areas that continues today. The populations in
  resettled areas and in the remainder of the country share similar values and
  do not differ statistically in terms of their propensity to give donations,
  attend social events, and participate in voluntary work. However, we observe
  that resettled settlements have fewer local club memberships, lower turnout
  in municipal elections, and less frequently organized social events. This
  finding indicates substantially lower local social capital in the resettled
  settlements that is likely to have caused higher residential migration. This
  explanation is consistent with theoretical models of the impact of social
  capital on migration decisions.
   JEL: N44 Z10 R23 J15
   Keywords: migration, social capital, Sudetenland
   Date: 2019–08
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12536&r=soc

 8. Social Confusion and Corruption: Investigating the Causes and Effects
     of a Breakdown of Ethics
   Suzuki, Taku; Mizobata, Satoshi
  While studies of transitions to market economies have long focused on the
  issue of corruption, the perspectives from which their analyses have been
  based have diverged. Accordingly, this paper employs a systematic review
  through testing 14 hypotheses from the perspectives of political and
  economic causes, as well as culture and values, based on 558 works from the
  literature on the subject. Its findings make it clear that the
  liberalization and privatization of ownership both expand and contract
  corruption; the effects of culture and values also should not be overlooked,
  while mostly rejecting the so-called "greasing-the-wheels" hypothesis.
   JEL: C00 O17 P24 P26
   Keywords: corruption, systems, economic growth, democracy, tradition,
    systematic review
   Date: 2019–09
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hit:hituec:690_v2&r=soc

 9. The number but not the variety of nonprofit organizations affects
     donations: evidence from an experiment
   Giacomo Degli Antoni (University of Parma, Department of Law); Marco
    Faillo (University of Trento)
  We provide experimental evidence on the effect of competition among
  nonprofit organizations on the total and the per capita amount of collected
  donations. We vary the number of organizations in competition, their type,
  i.e., nonprofit associations and community foundations, and their charitable
  purposes, i.e., to help people with economic difficulties or disabilities.
  We show that the number but not the variety of nonprofit organizations
  positively affects the total collected donations. Moreover, we find that the
  latter is inelastic to the increase in the number of organizations in the
  competition, which increases the total collected donations but reduces the
  per capita donations.
   JEL: C91 D64 L31
   Keywords: donations; competition; organizational density; nonprofit
    organizations; community foundations
   Date: 2019–08
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ent:wpaper:wp74&r=soc

10. Perceived Immigration And Voting Behavior.
   Bellucci, Davide; Conzo, Pierluigi; Zotti, Roberto (University of Turin)
  A growing number of studies have found significant effects of inflows of
  migrants on electoral outcomes. However, the role of perceived immigration,
  which in many European countries is above official migration statistics, is
  overlooked. This paper investigates the effects of perceived threat of
  immigration on voting behavior, by looking at whether local elections in
  Italy were affected by sea arrivals of refugees before the election day.
  While, upon arrival, refugees cannot freely go to the destination
  municipality, landing episodes were discussed in the media especially before
  the elections, thereby influencing voters’ perceptions about the arrivals.
  We develop an index of exposure to arrivalsthat varies over time and across
  municipalities depending on the nationality of the incoming refugees. This
  index captures the impact of perceived immigration on voting behavior, on
  top of the effects of real immigration as proxied for by the stock of
  immigrants and the presence of refugee centers. Results show that, in
  municipalities where refugees are more expected to arrive,
  participationdecreases, whereas protest votes and support for extreme-right,
  populist and anti-immigration parties increase. Since these effects are
  driven by areas with fast broadband availability, we argue that
  antiimmigration campaigns played a key role.
   Date: 2019–06
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uto:dipeco:201915&r=soc

11. Crowdfunding Dynamics
   Paul Belleflamme; Thomas Lambert; Armin Schwienbacher
  Various forms of social learning and network effects are at work on
  crowdfunding platforms, giving rise to informational and payoff
  externalities. We use novel entrepreneur-backer data to study how these
  externalities shape funding dynamics, within and across projects. We find
  that backers decide to back a particular project based on past contributions
  not only to that project—as documented by prior work—but also to other
  contemporaneous projects—a novel result. Our difference-in-differences
  estimates indicate that such ‘cross-project funding dynamics’ account for
  4-5% in the increase of contributions that projects generate on a daily
  basis. We show that recurrent backers are the main transmission channel of
  cross-project funding dynamics: by initiating social learning about project
  existence and quality, recurrent backers encourage future funding by other
  backers. Our results demonstrate that even though contemporaneous projects
  compete for funding, they jointly benefit from their common presence on the
  platform. We finally show that these crowdfunding dynamics stir platform
  growth, with important consequences for competition among platforms.
   JEL: D43 G23 L14 L26 L86
   Keywords: crowdfunding, digital platforms, FinTech, network effects,
    social learning
   Date: 2019
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7797&r=soc

12. The Impact of Mass Media On Voting Behavior: The Cross-Country
     Evidence
   Walid Merouani (Maître de recherche, Centre de Recherche en Economie
    appliquée pour le Développement (CREAD-Alger) and Centre de recherche en
    Economie et Management (CREM-CNRS))
  In this study, we challenge the topic of vote turnout by exploring original
  surveys in three north African countries: Algeria, Libya and Tunisia. We
  test the impact of media consumption on individual intention to vote. The
  existing literature argues that media could stimulate political
  participation, however, the empirical evidence still scarce, especially in
  the aforementioned countries. The use of BBC Media Action surveys provides
  the opportunity to fill this research gap. Separately in each country we
  verify the role of media consumption in the intention to vote using logistic
  regressions. To make the results more robust, we add to our regressions a
  set of socio-demographic control variables. Our findings clearly show that
  media consumption increases the intention to vote. Furthermore, we confirm
  that age, education and location are significant predictors of the
  likelihood to vote in the studied societies. We believe these results have a
  practical meaning in term of policy making.
   Date: 2019–08–21
 URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1330&r=soc

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