Yi-Ta Lu

I am a political economist/scientist with a background in political science, economics, and physics. My research investigates economic, political, and sociocultural determinants and consequences of demographic changes. Specific topics include how wealth distribution and intergenerational transfer interact with demographic transitions, what political and institutional factors shape the above process, and the cultural evolution of fertility decline.

Broadly, I am interested in political economy, both in the sense of development and as a methodology. I study cooperation in multilevel and political settings, particularly the collective action problem within a group when the members face the same out-group competitors. I am also interested in the relationship between political polarization and wealth inequality in the US context and the dynamics of electoral competition.

I work in the BirthRites independent research group and previously received my Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.