Minji Kwak

I am a PhD candidate in Economics at the University of Southern California (USC).   I will be on the 2025-26 Job Market.

I am a development economist specializing in political economy, economics of education, and urban economics.  My research explores governance, education, and migration in low-income countries with a behavioral and gender perspective. 

I primarily focus on traditional local governance systems in developing countries where modern elected leadership does not exist. As part of previous and on-going research in Malawi, I explore ways to improve social welfare at the village level through field and lab-in-the-field experiments (Political Economy).

I am also interested in the role of gender in human capital development by measuring and evaluating the impact of policies aimed at increasing access to education (Economics of Education).

In addition, I study how urban migration shapes intergenerational outcomes in education and influences housing markets in low-income countries (Urban Economics).

You can reach me at minjikwa@usc.edu.

Curriculum Vitae (PDF)                 Google Scholar Profile