The Effect of Military Base Closures on Young Adults [latest version] 

(R&R at The Scandinavian Journal of Economics) 

Abstract: This study examines how young adults respond to the closure of a major local employer. I focus on military base closures in Sweden, which abruptly reduced career opportunities within the Swedish Armed Forces for individuals growing up nearby. The results show increased enrollment in tertiary enrollment for affected men, who choose to enroll into nearby colleges and universities. For women, labor market outcomes improved, with gains in both earnings and employment after a few years. This suggests that the structural change of the local labor market, resulting from the closure of a male-dominated employer, tends to benefit young women living nearby as they increase their employment in expanding sectors.

Presented at: Danish Public Choice Workshop (Aarhus, 2024); Copenhagen Education Network Workshop (2024); European Society for Population Economics (Rotterdam, 2024)

Other outlets:

• Ekonomisk Debatt (in Swedish)

• Outreach at the Department of Economics, Lund University

Parental Housing Wealth and Educational Outcomes (with Martin Nordin and James Nunn)

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between parental housing wealth and educational outcomes in Sweden, using nationwide housing transaction data linked with administrative registers. Contrary to the expectation that greater family resources enhance education, we find that increases in parental housing wealth reduce the likelihood of early tertiary enrollment. A one–standard deviation larger increase during childhood is associated with a 1.3 percent lower probability of enrollment at age 21. However, the effect reflects a postponement rather than a permanent reduction: within a few years, educational attainment converges. We find no evidence that neighborhood-level trends or direct financial mechanisms account for these effects. Instead, the patterns are consistent with behavioral channels, suggesting that higher parental wealth strengthens the perceived family safety net, reduces academic pressure, and delays the transition into higher education.

Presented at: Nordic Public Policy Symposium (Copenhagen, 2024); Workshop on Wealth Inequality, Wealth Accumulation, and Public Policy (Tampere, 2025) ; IFN Brown bag (Stockholm, 2025); Institute for Housing and Urban Research (Uppsala, 2025); Brown bag seminar (Lund, 2025)

Rural Retrenchment and Marginalization in Sweden? Evidence from Employment Registers and Survey Data (with Andreas Bergh and Emanuel Wittberg)

(R&R at Population, Space, and Place) 

Abstract: This study explores changes in the public sector's presence in rural Sweden. By using register data and combining occupational codes, educational backgrounds, and residencies, we track this presence accurately at the municipal level over time. In contrast to municipality aggregated data, our approach enables a more nuanced understanding of various public sector jobs by including both public and private sector employees. While welfare service employment dipped in the 1990s, we find a clear increase after 2000, particularly driven by teachers and nurses in rural areas. However, roles such as police officers, military personnel, and employment within correctional and judiciary services have declined. Moreover, we relate our findings to survey data, showing that trust in the public sector and its performance in rural areas has not fallen in the recent decades. This suggests a divergence between the narrative presented in media and politics, which often emphasize rural retrenchment, and the public's more accurate assessment of the actual situation.

Presented at: Urban-Rural Differences in the Nordic Welfare States (Malmö, 2023)

E-scooters and Traffic Accidents: Evidence from Firm-Level Usage Data and a Staggered Rollout in Swedish Cities  (with Andreas Bergh, Adrian Mehic, Joakim Wernberg)

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of shared e-scooter services on traffic accidents in Swedish cities. We combine firm-level data on e-scooter usage with detailed accident records to estimate causal effects from the staggered rollout of services across 16 cities between 2018 and 2022. Our results indicate that the introduction of e-scooters leads to a short-term increase of around 10 percent in total traffic accidents during the first two quarters after entry. However, this effect dissipates within one year, despite continued growth in e-scooter usage, suggesting an adaptation among road users. The short-run rise in accidents is driven primarily by e-scooter-related incidents, with minor spillovers to pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Effect of Left-Wing Party Control: Evidence from Swedish Local Governments

Abstract: This study estimates the causal effect of having left-wing majority and left-wing rule on a set of economic and policy outcomes by using panel data of Swedish local governments between 1995 and 2021. By exploiting the discontinuous party control change at 50% of the mandate share, left-wing majority is as good as randomly assigned to observations close to the threshold. The findings suggest a change in policy-related outcomes when left-wing parties reach power; an increase in immigration, tax revenue, and public employment, but no clear change in where public spending is allocated. Private sector outcomes, such as business climate and private sector employment are unaffected. Being in rule is more decisive than merely achieving a majority of mandates suggesting that cooperation within the block is key to reach political change . Finally, if the party constellation of left wing governments leans more to the left, rather than centre left, the effects are greater which conflicts with the median voter theorem.

Presented at: Danish Public Choice Workshop (Copenhagen, 2023)