About

The Yonsei Structural Economics Reading Group (YSERG) is a forum for researchers interested in theory-based empirical research and model-driven economic analysis. Structural economics seeks to characterize economic environments through explicit theoretical models and to estimate the key parameters that govern those models. This approach allows researchers to move beyond reduced-form correlations and instead identify underlying mechanisms, evaluate counterfactuals, and derive policy-relevant implications grounded in economic theory.

The group adopts a broad scope, covering applied research that uses economic theory as an organizing framework, including studies in microeconomics, macroeconomics, industrial organization, and international trade. YSERG aims to serve as a bridge between theory and evidence by providing a setting where faculty and graduate students learn from one another, discuss theory-consistent empirical and experimental methods, and present both foundational papers and ongoing work. Presentations are primarily given by graduate students and may draw on a faculty-curated reading list or participants’ own work in progress.

Beyond reading and discussion, the group aims to foster the development of new research ideas and the design of collaborative projects.