Some media coverage of my work can be found here.

Here's a link to my Google Scholar page and one to my Scopus page, and here's my ORCID profile.

Click here for a complete list of downloadable working papers and (most ) published articles. If you cannot access something below, send me an email and I'll be happy to provide an electronic copy.

Articles in peer-reviewed journals

Brunnschweiler, Christa, Deanna Karapetyan and Päivi Lujala (2024), Opportunities and risks of small-scale and artisanal gold mining for local communities: Survey evidence from Ghana, The Extractive Industries and Society 17: 101403 . doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2024.101403 Replication files

Brunnschweiler, Christa and Steven Poelhekke (2021), Pushing One's Luck: Petroleum ownership and discoveries, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 109: 102506. [WP version: CESifo WP n. 9169; older versions: UEA School of Economics Working Paper 2019-01; OxCarre working paper].  doi: 10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102506  Replication files

Brunnschweiler, Christa, Ishmael Edjekumhene, and Päivi Lujala (2021), Does information matter? Transparency and demand for accountability in Ghana's natural resource revenue management, Ecological Economics, vol 181. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106903                Replication files   
This is the second paper from a field experiment on transparency in resource revenue management in Ghana. It looks at another set of results from our baseline survey conducted in summer 2016.

Brunnschweiler, Christa N., Pietro Peretto, and Simone Valente (2021), Wealth Creation, Wealth Dilution and Population Dynamics, Journal of Monetary Economics 171: 441-459. doi: 10.1016/j.jmoneco.2020.02.002               Online Appendix      Data and codes

Lujala, Päivi, Christa Brunnschweiler, and Ishmael Edjekumhene (2020), Transparent for whom? Dissemination of information on Ghana’s petroleum and mining revenue management, Journal of Development Studies, 56 (12): 2135-2153. DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2020.1746276.     Online Appendix         Replication data 
This is the first paper from a field experiment on transparency in resource revenue management in Ghana. It looks at results from our baseline survey conducted in summer 2016.

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. and Päivi Lujala (2019), Economic Backwardness and Social Tension, Scandinavian Journal of Economics 121(2), 482–516. doi: 10.1111/sjoe.12281           Online Appendix     Dataset in Stata14 format        Stata replication do file

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. and Päivi Lujala (2017), Income and armed civil conflict: An instrumental variables approach, Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy 23 (4). doi: 10.1515/peps-2017-0024       Dataset in Stata14 format     Stata replication do file

Brunnschweiler, Christa N., Colin Jennings and Ian A. MacKenzie (2014), A study of expressive choice and strikes, European Journal of Political Economy 34: 111–125. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2014.01.004

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. (2010), Finance for Renewable Energy: An Empirical Analysis of Developing and Transition Economies, Environment and Development Economics 15 (3): 241-274. doi:10.1017/S1355770X1000001X      Dataset in Excel format

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. and Erwin H. Bulte (2009), Natural Resources and Violent Conflict: Resource Abundance, Dependence and the Onset of Civil Wars, Oxford Economic Papers 61 (4): 651-674. doi:10.1093/oep/gpp024      Online Appendix        Dataset in Excel format

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. and Erwin H. Bulte (2008), The resource curse revisited and revised: A tale of paradoxes and red herrings, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 55 (3): 248-264 (among the journal's most downloaded and most cited articles published since 2008, winner of the Erik Kempe Award). doi: 10.1016/j.jeem.2007.08.004      Online Appendix       Dataset in Excel format

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. and Erwin H. Bulte (2008), Linking Natural Resources to Slow Growth and More Conflict, Science 320 (5876): pp. 616 - 617 (in the top 25% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric). Online Appendix

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. (2008), Cursing the blessings? Natural resource abundance, institutions, and economic growth, World Development 36 (3): 399-419. doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2007.03.004

Book chapters 

Luisetti, Tiziana, McHarg, Ellen, Smith, Glen, Brunnschweiler, Christa, Parker, Ruth, Juntti, Meri and Benson, Lisa (2024). Blue Carbon: Challenges for Definition, Valuation and Governance. In: Baird, Daniel and Elliott, Michael (eds.) Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science, 2nd Edition, vol. 7: 132-153. Oxford: Elsevier https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90798-9.00059-7 

Brunnschweiler, Christa N. and Tiziana Luisetti (2021), Can blue carbon initiatives help conserve mangroves in developing countries?, in: Dirk Rübbelke and Anil Markandya (eds.): Climate and Development, World Scientific Series on Environmental, Energy and Climate Economics (WSSEECE), World Scientific. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789811240553_0013 

Other publications

Contributor (with Päivi Lujala) to the Dictionary of Ecological Economics (ed. G. Dale), Cheltenham: Edward Elgar (2023). Entries: Accountability, Transparency.

Edjekumhene, Ishmael, Maarten Voors, Päivi Lujala, Christa Brunnschweiler, Charles Kofi Owusu, Andy Nyamekye (2019), Impacts of key provisions in Ghana’s Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 3ie Impact Evaluation Report 94.
This is the full report on a field experiment on transparency in resource revenue management in Ghana conducted between 2016-2017. We have also written some policy briefs on this project:  Policy Brief #1: Transparent for whom? Dissemination of information on Ghana's petroleum and mining revenue management; Policy Brief #2: Transparency and accountability in Ghana's petroleum revenue management: Evidence from a field experiment; Policy Brief #3: Has Ghana's petroleum revenue management act (PRMA) been able to ensure transparent, efficient and accountable management of petrodollars? Evidence from a process evaluation of two provisions of PRMA . Here is a short description of the project that I wrote for UEA's research page. 

Brunnschweiler, Christa and Erwin Bulte (2012), The on-going debate on natural resources and development, VoxEU.org, May 28 2012.

Bretschger, Lucas, Christa Brunnschweiler, Lisa Leinert, Karen Pittel, und Therese Werner (2010), Preisentwicklung bei natürlichen Ressourcen: Vergleich von Theorie und Empirie, Umwelt-Wissen Nr. 1001, Bern: Bundesamt für Umwelt.

Bretschger, Lucas and Christa Brunnschweiler (2010), The Swiss Approach to Sustainability: Challenges for Environmental, Energy, Land Use, and Transport Policies, Policy Brief Series 10/2, ETH Zurich . Also appeared in: Ernst Baltensperger, Dirk Niepelt and Boris Zürcher (eds.), Wirtschaftspolitik nach der Krise, Study Center Gerzensee / Avenir Suisse.

Recent working papers

Click here for a complete list of downloadable working papers .

Brunnschweiler, Christa, Päivi Lujala (University of Oulu), Primi Putri (University of Oulu), Sabrina Scherzer (NTNU), and Indah Wardhani (Universitas Gadja Mada) (2024). When petroleum revenue transparency policy meets citizen engagement reality: Survey evidence from Indonesia, NTNU Department of Economics Working Paper 3/2024 (submitted).   
This paper is part of a wider project on transparency, identity and governance of high-value natural resources (TIGRe) funded by the Research Council of Finland (formerly the Academy of Finland).
Abstract: Transparency in natural resource revenue (NRR) management is a crucial strategy in theory to avoid misuse and corruption, but there is little empirical evidence that it serves to engage citizens in better revenue governance and ensure success of a transparency initiative. We analyze survey data from Bojonegoro in Indonesia, which has had a strong transparency and accountability policy in petroleum revenue governance. We find that respondents are generally poorly informed yet concerned about environmental consequences of resource extraction but have rarely made their voice heard. Proximity to an extraction site and an interest in environmental issues and politics influence attitudes towards NRR management; a greater interest in politics and a greater belief in an individual citizen’s ability to influence what is going on also increase the likelihood of self-declared past and future action for better NRR management. Finally, reception of information on petroleum management is linked to self-declared past – though not intended future – action. Engaging (potentially) intrinsically motivated people in more active resource governance through clear information with straightforward pathways for action could be a way of eventually making the issue relevant to a wider share of the population, too.

Brunnschweiler, Christa, Nanang Kurdiawan (Universitas Gadja Mada), Päivi Lujala (University of Oulu), Primi Putri (University of Oulu), Sabrina Scherzer (NTNU), and Indah Wardhani (Universitas Gadja Mada) (2024). The right to benefit: Using videos to encourage citizen involvement in resource revenue management.  CESifo Working Paper No. 10886; UEA School of Economics Working Paper Series 2023-06 (R&R at Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization).
The project has been pre-registered on the EGAP OSF database and is part of a wider project on transparency, identity and governance of high-value natural resources (TIGRe) funded by the Research Council of Finland (formerly the Academy of Finland).
Abstract: The governance of natural resource wealth is a key factor in promoting strong institutions and economic development in resource-rich countries. In this paper, we explore how individuals’ engagement in local natural resource revenue (NRR) management can be enhanced and encouraged. We focus on Indonesia, which is a large gold and petroleum producer, among other natural resources, with local challenges such as environmental degradation from resource exploitation; underdevelopment of resource-rich areas; and corruption. We run a randomized survey experiment among 807 local community members in an oil-rich district using videos with three information treatments that give citizens salient and easily understandable information on local NRR and additional motivation to use this information to engage in NRR management. Our outcomes include survey questions on stated behavior and citizen rights perception regarding NRR management, and two incentive-compatible measures. We find that providing easily understandable information increases respondents’ sense of the right to personally influence how NRR are used and the propensity to donate and the amount donated to an anti-corruption NGO. Our positive example treatment was able to increase respondents’ sense of their right to benefit from NRR and their right to influence NRR management, while our negative example treatment had no impact on our outcomes. We also explore intervening mechanisms and heterogeneous effects. In sum, we find that providing the population of resource-rich areas with easily understood information on NRR management that is relevant to the local context offers an encouraging avenue for combating NRR-related mismanagement and corruption.

Brunnschweiler, Christa, Ishmael Edjekumhene (KITE Ghana), Päivi Lujala (University of Oulu) and Sabrina Scherzer (NTNU) (2023). “You need to have this information!”: Using videos to increase demand for accountability on public revenue management, CESifo Working paper No. 10819, UEA School of Economics Working Paper Series 2022-10  (R&R at World Development)
This is the third paper linked to a field experiment on transparency in resource revenue management in Ghana. It analyses results of a survey experiment included in the endline survey conducted in summer 2017, with further longer-term results from a follow-up phone survey in early 2020.
Abstract: How can citizens be motivated to demand accountability in the management of public revenues? We carry out a video survey experiment to provide information and use role models for additional encouragement and motivation to act. The experiment focuses on the management of public petroleum revenues in Ghana and includes over 2300 respondents. We find that providing information significantly increases knowledge about current revenue management and leaves treated respondents on average satisfied with the way revenues are handled and spent, while our control group are dissatisfied. We also find increased intention to demand more accountability through greater debate. The role models have an additional effect: they increase the sense that an individual can influence how petroleum revenues are used; and the intention to contact media and the revenue watchdog, and to vote differently to ensure better accountability. However, these changes do not last: a follow-up survey two years later shows no persistent differences between the control and the treated groups. The experiment demonstrates that providing relevant information affects attitudes and intended behaviour in the short term and that role models can give valuable encouragement for behavioural change, but that interventions likely need repetition for longer-term impact. 

Brunnschweiler, Christa and Samuel Kwabena Obeng (University of Warwick) (2022). Rewarding allegiance? Political Alignment and Fiscal Outcomes in Local Government (older versions: UEA School of Economics Working Paper 2020-05 , Warwick Economics Research Paper n.1316).
Abstract: We examine how local governments' political alignment with central government affects subnational fiscal outcomes. In theory, alignment could be rewarded for example with more intergovernmental transfers, or swing voters in unaligned constituencies could be targeted instead. We analyze data from Ghana, which has a complex decentralized system that seeks to preclude political alignment effects. District Chief Executives (DCEs) are centrally appointed local administrators loyal to the ruling party, while district Members of Parliament (MPs) may belong to another party. A formula for central transfer distribution aims to limit the influence of party politics. Using a new dataset for 1994-2018 and a close election regression discontinuity design we find that despite this system, there is evidence of politically-motivated local fiscal outcomes. Aligned districts receive lower transfers and have lower district expenditure and internally generated funds, indicating swing-voter targeting. Results suggest that district fragmentations have weakened these effects. We also show strong electoral cycle effects, with mid-term peaks in fiscal outcomes.

Selected current projects

Punishing Naughty and Rewarding Nice: On the effects of willful choice in imposing negative externalities, with Deanna Karapetyan (Financial Conduct Authority UK)  and Sheheryar Banuri (UEA)
Abstract: Pollution victims do not always behave in the same way toward polluters in different settings. We propose that polluters' choices matter and examine whether a willfully chosen or randomly allocated (negative) externality affects victims' behavior towards the perpetrators. We assign victim and perpetrator roles in online experiments, and use a real effort encryption task with different payoff schemes for perpetrators that can generate a negative externality on the victims. We vary whether or not victims' experience of a (negative) externality was due to the willful choice made by a matched perpetrator or to a random choice by an algorithm. After victims experience their matched perpetrators' (negative) externality, they decide the allocation to their matched perpetrator in a Give-or-Take Dictator Game. We find that victims take away from perpetrators similarly whether they are subjected to a willfully or randomly imposed negative externality. However, (potential) victims give to (potential) perpetrators who choose to prevent a negative externality, but take away from perpetrators who randomly do not impose the externality. Most interestingly, victims' behavior overall changes significantly in the willful choice treatment compared to the random choice control: deliberate good (bad) behavior by perpetrators is rewarded (punished), while we see no difference in victims' behavior towards perpetrators in the random choice scenarios -- they always take away from them. This suggests that choices of potential polluters matter for the responses of potential pollution victims.

Allies and prosociality in conflict areas: Evidence from the war in Ukraine, with Oana Borcan (UEA), David Hugh-Jones (UEA), Oleksandra Keudel (Kyiv School of Economics), and Amrish Patel (UEA). Pre-analysis plan registered with AEA RCT registry We are planning a third survey wave to follow up on our results from May 2022 and June 2023.
Abstract of first-wave results: Survival in an armed conflict also depends on citizens undertaking prosocial behaviors that involve helping others at personal cost. We look at how an ongoing violent conflict affects two forms of prosociality -- donation behavior and volunteering -- and whether matching donations, and the identity of the matched donor, can influence prosocial behavior. We run an online lab experiment in Ukraine in May 2022. We randomly assign participants in our experiment to either a matched donation or no-match (our control group), varying the identity of the matched donors (Ukrainian, Western, or unspecified). We find that there is no overall significant impact of matching donors or matched donor identity on donations or intentions to volunteer. However, respondents most directly affected by the conflict donate on average 20 percent less in the control group, and they increase donations by 42 percent when matched with donors identified as Ukrainian or Western. An identified donor also doubles the share of those who express an intention to volunteer (conditional on not having volunteered before). By contrast, having an unidentified matched donor has no impact on our outcomes. An examination of the reasons for donation decisions reveals that identified matched donors act as allies who support prosociality amongst those most affected by conflict. We do not find any significant effects of the treatments on preferences such as risk, reciprocity, trust or altruism.

Power to learn: Reliable electricity and education in India, with Aayushi Awasthy (KAPSARC) and Corrado di Maria (UEA)
Abstract: Access to electricity is viewed as a cornerstone for economic development. We use data from two survey waves covering over 41,000 households in India to examine the links between the reliability of electricity available to households in India and children's learning outcomes, as well as the intervening mechanisms. Our results show strong positive links between the reliability of electricity and the probability of children achieving higher math, reading and writing scores. We also find that the two most plausible channels of transmission for these effects are increased time spent on homework and fewer days missed at school. Both girls and boys benefit from more reliable electricity, with no systematic gender differences. These results hold using an alternative, more fine-grained classification of electricity reliability, and we find evidence for causal relationships. The results suggest that reliable electricity is an important component of reaching basic educational policy goals in a developing country context.

Reliable electricity, income and employment in India, with Aayushi Awasthy (KAPSARC) and Corrado di Maria (UEA)
Abstract:  Electrification is often seen as a silver bullet for economic development but little or no attention is paid at the policy level to the reliability of the electricity supply. We use data spanning two decades (1994-2015) and over 41,000 households across 30 Indian states to understand whether the quality of electrification matters for development. We show that good-quality electrification is crucial to increasing individual incomes and that only a very reliable electricity supply is able to secure these benefits for women in particular. Greater labour force participation and a shift from precarious to non-precarious work are identified as likely mechanisms through which these gains accrue to individuals. Our results suggest that policy targets should focus more explicitly on the quality of electrification.

The Colonial Roots of Gender Disparities in Education: Evidence from the French Protectorate in Morocco, with Oana Borcan (UEA) and Amelie Allegre (UEA).

Transparency in natural resource revenue management: Evidence from a field experiment in Ghana, with Ishmael Edjekumhene (KITE Ghana), Päivi Lujala (University of Oulu) and Maarten Voors (Wageningen University) This is the fourth paper linked to a field experiment on transparency in resource revenue management in Ghana. 

Retired projects

Did history breed inequality? Colonial factor endowments and modern income distribution, with Matthew Baker and Erwin Bulte

Why do doctors strike? Survey evidence on the 2016 junior doctors' strike in England, with Enrique Fatas and James Rowson