Jessica Leight
@leightjessica.bsky.social
Development economist, @Yale / @UniofOxford / @MIT. Asso editor, REHO + CER. Editorial board member, BMC Public Health + PloS One. Structural transformation, agriculture, gender, IPV. Views my own
Plus lots more policy-relevant research in the macro sphere - check out her work!
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I am an Economist at the International Monetary Fund, specializing in development economics with a focus on social protection, labor markets, and migration. I hold a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where my research examined the dynamics of poverty,
sites.google.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Plus lots more policy-relevant research in the macro sphere - check out her work!
Another paper shows long-term effects of cash transfers on youth mobility, particularly youth mobility for marriage, in Malawi
drive.google.com/fil...
drive.google.com/fil...
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Another paper shows long-term effects of cash transfers on youth mobility, particularly youth mobility for marriage, in Malawi
drive.google.com/fil...
drive.google.com/fil...
A handbook chapter explores the potential of linking social protection to complementary services
www.elgaronline.com/...
www.elgaronline.com/...
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
A handbook chapter explores the potential of linking social protection to complementary services
www.elgaronline.com/...
www.elgaronline.com/...
One published paper joint w/ @ashudirect + other @PublicPolicyUNC colleagues shows that in both Malawi + Zimbabwe, cash transfers affect measures of economic preferences (incl intertemporal choice)
academic.oup.com/jae...
academic.oup.com/jae...
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
One published paper joint w/ @ashudirect + other @PublicPolicyUNC colleagues shows that in both Malawi + Zimbabwe, cash transfers affect measures of economic preferences (incl intertemporal choice)
academic.oup.com/jae...
academic.oup.com/jae...
+ @TilmanGraff presents fascinating findings around high rates of depreciation in the capital stock in Uganda, with implications for macro estimates of capital stock + the returns to capital
November 8, 2025 at 7:14 PM
+ @TilmanGraff presents fascinating findings around high rates of depreciation in the capital stock in Uganda, with implications for macro estimates of capital stock + the returns to capital
@KaOrtizb shows that land consolidation in Colombia following on a process of trade liberalization leads to ⬆️ unemployment
November 8, 2025 at 7:14 PM
@KaOrtizb shows that land consolidation in Colombia following on a process of trade liberalization leads to ⬆️ unemployment
de Vries presented a newly calibrated model of industrialization in sub-Saharan Africa vis-a-vis Asia joint w/@eb_mensah @kunalsen5 @hagen_kruse
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
de Vries presented a newly calibrated model of industrialization in sub-Saharan Africa vis-a-vis Asia joint w/@eb_mensah @kunalsen5 @hagen_kruse
In the next session on structural transformation, I presented evidence around the large positive (but heterogeneous) effects of a graduation model intervention on IDPs in Somalia
joint w/ @NKarachiwalla
joint w/ @NKarachiwalla
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
In the next session on structural transformation, I presented evidence around the large positive (but heterogeneous) effects of a graduation model intervention on IDPs in Somalia
joint w/ @NKarachiwalla
joint w/ @NKarachiwalla
@Sarah_Winton_ shows that granting research permits to Jordanian refugees in Syria leads to re-sorting with Jordanians exiting occupations that are highly exposed to refugees + showing upskilling into other occupations
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
@Sarah_Winton_ shows that granting research permits to Jordanian refugees in Syria leads to re-sorting with Jordanians exiting occupations that are highly exposed to refugees + showing upskilling into other occupations
@Katlamity shows that population flows during Partition are preditive of current patterns of economic activity in India today
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
@Katlamity shows that population flows during Partition are preditive of current patterns of economic activity in India today
Philip shows that slum redevelopment in India frequently leads to permanent displacement (to other slums) as targeted housing is not constructed in the original slums
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Philip shows that slum redevelopment in India frequently leads to permanent displacement (to other slums) as targeted housing is not constructed in the original slums
@melesemesay shows that areas in Ethiopia that experienced historic patterns of resettlement show ⬆️ violence when ethnicity becomes more salient
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
@melesemesay shows that areas in Ethiopia that experienced historic patterns of resettlement show ⬆️ violence when ethnicity becomes more salient
Fifth: careful writing about your findings is important, but it also can't make up for an incomprehensible exhibit. Publish nice tables! Your happy readers will thank you.
(and I may do a follow-up post about figures soon!)
November 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Fifth: careful writing about your findings is important, but it also can't make up for an incomprehensible exhibit. Publish nice tables! Your happy readers will thank you.
(and I may do a follow-up post about figures soon!)
Fourth: tables should be printed in order of 1st appearance in the text, and within them, panels and columns should similarly be ordered. W/ rare exceptions, you should be describing tables/columns moving linearly forward from 1st to last. Automatic cross-referencing is wise.
November 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Fourth: tables should be printed in order of 1st appearance in the text, and within them, panels and columns should similarly be ordered. W/ rare exceptions, you should be describing tables/columns moving linearly forward from 1st to last. Automatic cross-referencing is wise.
Third: every table needs a caption (both a number and some text) and table notes. Captions should generally not be too long and should be consistent in structure across tables.
November 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Third: every table needs a caption (both a number and some text) and table notes. Captions should generally not be too long and should be consistent in structure across tables.
Second: it's a table, not a vision test. Not too crowded! Rule of 👍: no more than eight columns for portrait page; 12 in landscape. Minimize additional lines, either horizontal or vertical. Bells + whistles (symbols, colors) usually unnecessary + may not be understandable.
November 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Second: it's a table, not a vision test. Not too crowded! Rule of 👍: no more than eight columns for portrait page; 12 in landscape. Minimize additional lines, either horizontal or vertical. Bells + whistles (symbols, colors) usually unnecessary + may not be understandable.
Plus WIP on firm wage-setting behavior, housing, + lots lots more - check out his work!
ludelgad.github.io/
ludelgad.github.io/
November 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Plus WIP on firm wage-setting behavior, housing, + lots lots more - check out his work!
ludelgad.github.io/
ludelgad.github.io/
A paper R&R at JDE joint w/ Otero-Cortés + Calderόn shows that entrance of hard discount stores in Colombia ⬆️ local formal employment by 10%, w/spillovers from retail to manufacturing
ludelgad.github.io/f...
ludelgad.github.io/f...
November 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
A paper R&R at JDE joint w/ Otero-Cortés + Calderόn shows that entrance of hard discount stores in Colombia ⬆️ local formal employment by 10%, w/spillovers from retail to manufacturing
ludelgad.github.io/f...
ludelgad.github.io/f...
And evidence about monopsony power within firms showing that the welfare losses are larger for managers than for frontline workers
ajanez.github.io/fil...
ajanez.github.io/fil...
November 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
And evidence about monopsony power within firms showing that the welfare losses are larger for managers than for frontline workers
ajanez.github.io/fil...
ajanez.github.io/fil...