The search for better economic policy.

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• The Invisible Hand of God Adam Smith thought competition among religions was a good thing. Does Hanukkah prove him wrong?
  Ray Fisman Dec. 19, 2008
  
• What's In It for Me? How congressmen decided whether to vote for the bailout.
  Ray Fisman Nov. 6, 2008
  
• They Made a Killing Did people who knew about secret, CIA-led coups use that information to game the stock market?
  Ray Fisman Oct. 28, 2008
  
• Will There Be Blood? Will falling oil prices cause civil wars?
  Ray Fisman Oct. 20, 2008
  
• You've Just Been Offered a Great New Job in Charlotte! Too bad you can't sell your house in Tampa.
  Ray Fisman Sept. 29, 2008
  
• But What Does It Mean for the Prostitutes? How the financial crisis affects the oldest profession.
  Sudhir Venkatesh Sept. 26, 2008
  
• Hot for the Wrong Teachers Why are public schools so bad at hiring good instructors?
  Ray Fisman July 11, 2008
  
• The $100 Distraction Device Why giving poor kids laptops doesn't improve their scholastic performance.
  Ray Fisman June 5, 2008
  
• The Pilgrim's Progressiveness Does going to Mecca make Muslims more moderate?
  Ray Fisman April 25, 2008
  
• Going Down Swinging What if three-strikes laws make criminals less likely to repeat offend—but more violent when they do?
  Ray Fisman March 20, 2008
  
• Skinflint Did Eliot Spitzer get caught because he didn't spend enough on prostitutes?
  Sudhir Venkatesh March 12, 2008
  
• The Tiger Woods Effect When he's in the field, everyone else plays worse. How Tiger throws off golf's incentive structure.
  Joel Waldfogel Jan. 23, 2008
  
• Cos and Effect Bill Cosby may be right about African-Americans spending a lot on expensive sneakers—but he's wrong about why.
  Ray Fisman Jan. 11, 2008