Gedeon Lim
Welcome to my website! I'm an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Hong Kong. I received my Ph.D. from Boston University in 2020.
My research lies at the intersection of Development and Political Economy. Specifically, much of my work studies the deep determinants of development with a focus on local elites, ethnic diversity, and immigration.
Methodologically, I use historical natural experiments, mixed methods surveys, archival work, and field experiments.
Recent projects study:
how an upfront, stable stream of local revenue, in the form of land rents for local leaders, has shaped long-run political and economic development in Indonesia
the effects of a large-scale resettlement program on inter-ethnic political and economic competition in Southeast Asia [fully-funded, primary surveys launching soon]
the effects of historical immigration on development and structural transformation in Indonesia
how behavioral biases affects altruistic behavior
Projects I am actively exploring:
the effects of war-time killings on development and structural transformation in South Korea
the effects of technological change on cultural changes and diffusion
the effects of a change in lingua franca in schools on linguistic choice, national identity, and social networks [fully-funded, surveys in preparation]
Contact: gedeonl[at]hku.hk
CV here
Upcoming presentations: AusClio Sept '24*, Kyoto University Jan '25, SMU Feb '25
*co-author presentations