Bureaucratic Recruitment in China

This project examines the recruitment of government bureaucrats in China via the National Civil Service Exam. On the supply side, we conduct an original survey that combines lab experiments and survey experiments to examine the motives of individuals to join the civil service, including pecuniary consideration, public service motive, and career aspiration. We also investigate how individuals’ inherent traits, such as talent, honesty, and altruism, may interact with their different motives to determine who wants to join the civil service. On the demand side, we assemble an original data set of listings of open positions in civil service over time and across provinces to examine why types of individuals the state seeks to recruit. The findings of this research would enhance our understanding on the bureaucratic capacity of the Chinese state and their implications for policymaking as well as implementation. A research assistant would be a valuable addition to this project. The research assistant would be involved directly in the implementation of the project, including conducting a large survey, gathering and cleaning original data (both from survey and online sources), and data analysis to answer research questions. In the process, the research assistant would develop a set of robust research skills and an in-depth understanding of empirical research in social science.

 

Dovish Reputation Theory: When Backing Down Makes Sense 

A fierce debate in international relations concerns the impact that past actions have on a state's future reputation/credibility and its ability to deter adversaries. The conventional wisdom is that backing down is always harmful for a state's reputation and thus states should be willing to absorb significant costs to avoid doing so. For example, this was the primary logic justifying the Vietnam War. Professor Schwartz is working on a book project that challenges this common view. He argue that choosing to fight rather than back down can sometimes backfire by making adversaries believe that a war-weary country is less likely to stand firm in the future. A RA may assist by researching new case studies, writing a literature review on how a country's regime type could impact his theory, and/or coding the level of war-weariness of countries following conflict.

Out of the Loop: The Implications of Automating Nuclear Brinksmanship

Enabling computers rather than humans to make decisions related to the launch of nuclear weapons is a frequent Hollywood plot device in movies like The Terminator, Dr. Strangelove, and WarGames. However, during the Cold War, the Soviet Union created a real system called “dead hand” that partially automated the use of nuclear weapons. Given advances in technology, some foreign policy experts are calling for the U.S. to develop its own automated nuclear system today. But what are the implications of automating nuclear use? In particular, do these kinds of systems enable countries to make more credible nuclear threats? This project involves survey experiments conducted on UK Members of Parliament, as well as average citizens, to answer this question. RAs will analyze what political scientists and historians have written about this topic and write a literature review. They may also help analyze the data if they are interested.