Welcome to my website!

I am a PhD candidate in Economics at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, the UK. My supervisors are Dr. Jonathan Norris and Dr. Otto Lenhart. My research interests lie primarily in the areas of health economics, applied microeconomics, political economics, and development economics.

Please refer to my CV for further information. With extensive experience in teaching Business and Economics, I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Education

• PhD, Economics

  University of Strathclyde (since October 2022)

• MSc, Economics

  University of Leeds, the UK (November 2020)

• BA, Economics and Business Administration

  Colorado State University, the USA (May 2015)

Working Papers

Genocide, Female Empowerment and Domestic Violence in Cambodia
Job Market Paper.
[ Abstract | Draft ]

The paper investigates the long-term impacts of Khmer Rouge genocide on female empowerment and domestic violence in Cambodia. Between 1975 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge killed about 1.8 million people, nearly a quarter of Cambodia’s population, with men more likely to be killed, leaving a severe shortage of young men in the early 1980s. Utilising a wide range of geo-coded datasets and a spatial regression discontinuity design, I find that this brutal reign significantly shapes female empowerment and domestic violence in Cambodian households at present. In areas with high repression intensity, women at present are less empowered in households, as they are less likely to work full-time, have limited decision-making power, and are more often controlled by their husbands. In addition, they are more likely to experience domestic violence, especially emotional violence. The mechanisms behind these findings include post-genocide skewed sex ratios, higher fertility, lower household wealth, and changes in gender-related characteristics. Both men and women tend to marry at a younger age and attain less education. Women are more likely to work, but mostly in part-time rather than full-time jobs, while men are more likely to have multiple marriages. Overall, the paper provides evidence that mass violence not only caused short-term devastation but also left lasting legacies that continue to undermine women’s empowerment and reinforce gender inequality for generations.

The aerial bombing of Cambodia and the recovery of communities (with Jonathan Norris and Otto Lenhart). Under Review.
[ Abstract | Draft ]

We study the long-run impacts of local area exposures to US bombing in Cambodia on health outcomes among those residing in these locations many years later. Our study is separate from those that focus on the impact of being exposed to bombings as a child; rather, we study how conflicts can map to health outcomes for future generations. Using a wide range of geo-coded data and a spatial regression discontinuity adapted to many boundaries, we find that the long-term health impacts of past bombings vary significantly by location, depending on whether the bombs still influence activities today. We find that in areas where pre-bombing soil was infertile, harder ground, and unexploded ordinance (UXO) is less likely, local area exposure to past bombing has positive effects on health, indicated by higher Height-for-age Z-scores, a decreased likelihood of being underweight or suffering from anemia. In contrast, fertile areas, softer ground, where bombs were more likely to fail and UXO remains a threat show either null or harmful effects. We then utilize numerous data sources to show that local economic development and improved access to health facilities are likely mechanisms explaining the positive effects in low UXO locations today. In regions free from the dangers of UXO, significant investments in economic activities and healthcare infrastructure have mitigated the negative effects of past bombing, even improving health outcomes post-conflict. However, in areas where UXO remains a threat, development has been hindered, and negative impacts persist. Our results overall offer an important lesson that while conflicts can be harmful, their impacts on future generations can be mitigated through investments in the post-conflict era, as long as remnants of war no longer remain.

The One-Child Policy in China and its Intergenerational Effects on Health (with Zhan Shi). Under Review.
[ Abstract | Draft ]

We study the spillover effects of China’s one-child policy on the health outcomes of subsequent generations. Despite extensive research on the effects of family size on education, few studies have examined the policy’s effects on health, especially across generations. Focusing on urban Han Chinese from the China Family Panel Studies data,we use a reduced form regression discontinuity design (RDD) to isolate the local average treatment effect of the policy. The results indicate that children of policy-affected parents show significant improvements in physical and mental health, which can be attributed to increased parental investment and care and improved parental health outcomes. Our findings contribute to the literature on the intergenerational transmission of health and quantity-quality trade-offs, and highlight how family planning policies can have lasting health effects across generations.

Work in Progress