Master's & PhD Theses

I am happy to supervise your master’s or PhD thesis. I am working in behavioral (public) economic theory. I am particularly interested in themes revolving around social comparisons, other non-standard preferences, macroeconomic dynamics and optimal taxation, as briefly discussed below. Of course, you are welcome to suggest a different topic for your thesis. In this case, we need to discuss and find out whether or not I am the best supervisor you can get for your research project.

My research interests include the following.

1. Social Comparisons: Such comparisons refer to situations in which utility of one household directly depends on the choice of other households (peers). How does such behavior impact on individual (saving) decisions, on economic growth, on inequality, on welfare, and on the effectiveness of public policy?

2. Non-stanard preferences, other than social comparisons include also hyperbolic discounting (a non-constant rate of time preference). How do we find equilibria in such economies (how do we think about expectations of prices in such economies)? Are individuals naive, sophisticated or do they appeal to some cooperative strategy? 

3. Macroeconomic Dynamics: With non-standard preferences, as mentioned above, exist there equilibria? Exist there stationary equilibria? And if so, are they (locally asymptotically) stable?

4. Optimal Taxation: How do incomplete information and non-standard preferences interact as regards optimal taxation?