Current working papers / work-in-progress

Hessami, Z., S. Schirner, and C. Wobbe (2025). Asylum Seekers, New Businesses, and Job Creation. CESifo Working Paper No. 12151. Journal of Population Economics, revise & resubmit.

Hessami, Z. and S. Schirner (2024). Immigration Shocks and Shifting Social Group Boundaries. IZA Discussion Paper No. 17343. Economic Journal, revise & resubmit.

Hessami, Z. and T. Khasanboev (2024). Gender Bias in the Reelection of Politicians (When a Crisis Strikes). IZA Discussion Paper No. 17081.

Baskaran, T., Z. Hessami, and A. Sohl (2025). Populist Policymakers.

Blesse, S.,  Z. Hessami, and C. Wobbe (2025). The (Ir)Relevance of Institutional Proliferation: Evidence from Foreigners' Advisory Councils.

Hessami, Z., M. Thomas, and G. Thunecke (2025). Expenditure Cuts versus Tax Hikes: Economic Effects of Consolidation Strategies.

Publications in peer-reviewed journals

[20] Baskaran, T. and Z. Hessami (2025). Women in Political Bodies as Policymakers. Review of Economics and Statistics, forthcoming. [Coverage in FAZ, n-tv, VoxEU, Oekonomenstimme]

[19] Hessami, Z., T. Häcker, and M. Thomas (2025). Public Administrators as Politicians in Office. International Tax and Public Finance, forthcoming.

[18] Baskaran, T., Hessami, Z., and S. Schirner (2024). Young Versus Old Politicians and Public Spending Priorities. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 225, 88-106.

[17] Baskaran, T., Hessami, Z., and T. Khasanboev (2023). Political Selection When Uncertainty is High. Kyklos, 76(2), 161-178.

[16] Baskaran, T. and Z. Hessami (2022). The Gender Recontest Gap in Elections. European Economic Review, 145, 104111.

[15] Hessami, Z. and M. Lopes da Fonseca (2020). Female Political Representation and Substantive Effects on Policies: A Literature Review. European Journal of Political Economy, 63, 101896. [Coverage in n-tv] 

[14] Hessami, Z. and S. Resnjanskij (2019). Complex Ballot Propositions, Individual Voting Behavior, and Status Quo Bias. European Journal of Political Economy, 58(3), 82-101. 

[13] Baskaran, T. and Z. Hessami (2018). Does the Election of a Female Leader Clear the Way for More Women in Politics? American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 10(3), 95-121. [Coverage in n-tv, Oekonomenstimme, AEA Resarch Highlights] 

[12] Hessami, Z. (2018). Accountability and Incentives of Appointed and Elected Public Officials. Review of Economics and Statistics 100(1), 51-64.

[11] Baskaran, T. and Z. Hessami (2017). Monetary Integration, Soft Budget Constraints, and the EMU Sovereign Debt Crises. Economics and Politics 29(3), 252-275.

[10] Baskaran, T. and Z. Hessami (2017). Political Alignment and Intergovernmental Transfers in Parliamentary Systems: Evidence from Germany. Public Choice 171(1), 75-98.

[9] Hessami, Z. (2016). How Do Voters React to Complex Choices in a Direct Democracy? Evidence from Switzerland. Kyklos 69(2), 263-293.

[8] Hessami, Z. and S. Uebelmesser (2016). A Political-Economy Perspective on Social Expenditures: Corruption and In-Kind versus Cash Transfers. Economics of Governance 17(1), 71-100.

[7] Eisenkopf, G., Hessami, Z., Fischbacher, U., H. W. Ursprung (2015). Academic Performance and Single-Sex Schooling: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Switzerland. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 115, 123-143.

[6] Hessami, Z. and T. Baskaran (2015). Has Globalization Affected Collective Bargaining? An Empirical Test, 1980 - 2009. World Economy 38, 1880-1911.

[5] Hessami, Z. (2014). Political Corruption, Public Procurement, and Budget Composition: Theory and Evidence from OECD Countries. European Journal of Political Economy 34, 372-389.

[4] Hessami, Z. and S. Uebelmesser (2013). Empirical Determinants of In-Kind Redistribution: Partisan Biases and the Role of Inflation. Economics Letters 118, 318-320.

[3] Baskaran, T. and Z. Hessami (2012). Public Education Spending in a Globalized World: Is There a Shift in Priorities Across Educational Stages? International Tax and Public Finance 19, 677-707. [Coverage in Times Higher Education] 

[2] Hessami, Z. (2011). Globalization's Winners and Losers - Evidence from Life Satisfaction Data, 1975 - 2001. Economics Letters 112, 250-253.

[1] Hessami, Z. (2010). The Size and Composition of Government Spending in Europe and Its Impact on Well-Being. Kyklos 63, 346-382.

Contributions in edited volumes

Baskaran, T. and Z. Hessami (2013). Fiscal Decentralization and Budgetary Stability: Transitory Effects and Long‑Run Equilibria, in: Fiscal relations across government levels in times of crisis – making compatible fiscal decentralization and budgetary discipline, pp. 79-103, Brussels: European Commission, DG ECFIN.

Baskaran, T., Bigsten, A., and Z. Hessami (2013). Political Decentralization and the Effectiveness of Aid, in: Arne Bigsten (ed.), Globalization and Development: Rethinking Interventions and Governance, pp. 43-72, New York: Routledge.

Feld, L.P., Hessami, Z., and L. Reil (2011). Direkte Demokratie in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland? Ergebnisse einer Umfrage zur Einführung direkter Volksrechte auf Bundesebene, in: Lars P. Feld, Peter M. Huber, Otmar Jung, Christian Welzel, and Fabian Wittreck (eds.), Jahrbuch für direkte Demokratie, pp. 107-134, Baden-Baden: Nomos.