We estimate an equilibrium model of decision-making in the US Supreme Court which takes into account both private information and ideological differences between justices. We present a measure of the value of information in the court. Our measure is the probability that a justice votes differently that what she would have voted for in the absence…

Since the Second World War, preferential trading arrangements (PTAs) have become increasingly pervasive features of the international economic system. A great deal of research has addressed the economic consequences of these arrangements, but far less effort has been made to identify the political factors leading states to enter them. In this…

Edward D. Mansfield Hum Rosen Professor of Political Science Department$\backslash$nof Political Science University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA$\backslash$n19104 215-898-7657 (phone) 215-573-2073 (fax) [email protected]$\backslash$nHelen V. Milner BC Forbes Professor of Politics and

This paper studies the introduction of electronic voting technology in Brazilian elec- tions. Estimates exploiting a regression discontinuity design indicate that electronic voting reduced residual (error-ridden and uncounted) votes and promoted a large de facto enfranchisement of mainly less educated citizens. Estimates exploiting the unique…