Department of Economics: Final Defense BAHRAM SANGINABADI, PHD Candidate September 30, 2019 from 9:30 to 11:30 am Miller Conference Room – Saunders 515 Essays on Economics of Human Capital and Natural Resources In 1973 oil price experienced an exogenous shock which significantly increased oil revenues in major oil producing countries. The first essay in this dissertation applies longitudinal data from 1960 to 2014 to study the impacts of the oil price shock in 1973 on mortality rate of the oil producer nations of the Middle East and North Africa. The results show that the oil price shock decreased mortality rates including infant mortality rate, under age 5 mortality rate, and adult male and female mortality rates. In addition, we find negative impact of the oil price shock on economic growth which confirms the findings of the resource curse literature. Also, we find an evidence that as an impact of the oil price shock the number of hospital beds in oil producing nations increased which could explain why a windfall in oil revenues decreased mortality rates. The boom in oil price in 1973 had some impacts on the economy of Indonesia as well. Even though, Indonesia is not considered as one of major oil producers, but still a significant increase in oil revenues in 1973 enabled the Indonesian governments to invest on central government projects that aimed to improve regional equity in the country. The second essay applies the data from INPRES program, an elementary school construction project that took place in Indonesia between 1973 and 1978, to study the impacts of an exogenous variations in number of years of schooling on fluid inelegance measured by Raven test scores. We combine INPRES data with Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) which contains individual cognitive ability tests. The results show that the program had positive and significant impacts on years of schooling and fluid inelegance. Also, we find positive impacts of schooling on cognitive abilities. Besides cognitive abilities that are crucial to perform any task, non-cognitive abilities are just as important for the humankind to function and be productive. In the third essay, we apply an exogenous variation in student aid eligibility in 1982 that took place in the United States to study the impact of schooling on non-cognitive skills. Following Heckman (2006) we apply Rosenberg Self Esteem Scores and Rotter Locus of Control Scale from NLSY79 dataset as measurements of non-cognitive skills. Our results suggest positive impacts of schooling on non-cognitive abilities such that it increases internal locus of control and it improves self-esteem.
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Department of Economics: Final Defense BAHRAM SANGINABADI, PHD Candidate
September 30, 2019 from 9:30 to 11:30 am Miller Conference Room – Saunders 515
Essays on Economics of Human Capital and Natural Resources
In 1973 oil price experienced an exogenous shock which significantly increased oil revenues in major oil producing countries. The first essay in this dissertation applies longitudinal data from 1960 to 2014 to study the impacts of the oil price shock in 1973 on mortality rate of the oil producer nations of the Middle East and North Africa. The results show that the oil price shock decreased mortality rates including infant mortality rate, under age 5 mortality rate, and adult male and female mortality rates. In addition, we find negative impact of the oil price shock on economic growth which confirms the findings of the resource curse literature. Also, we find an evidence that as an impact of the oil price shock the number of hospital beds in oil producing nations increased which could explain why a windfall in oil revenues decreased mortality rates. The boom in oil price in 1973 had some impacts on the economy of Indonesia as well. Even though, Indonesia is not considered as one of major oil producers, but still a significant increase in oil revenues in 1973 enabled the Indonesian governments to invest on central government projects that aimed to improve regional equity in the country. The second essay applies the data from INPRES program, an elementary school construction project that took place in Indonesia between 1973 and 1978, to study the impacts of an exogenous variations in number of years of schooling on fluid inelegance measured by Raven test scores. We combine INPRES data with Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) which contains individual cognitive ability tests. The results show that the program had positive and significant impacts on years of schooling and fluid inelegance. Also, we find positive impacts of schooling on cognitive abilities. Besides cognitive abilities that are crucial to perform any task, non-cognitive abilities are just as important for the humankind to function and be productive. In the third essay, we apply an exogenous variation in student aid eligibility in 1982 that took place in the United States to study the impact of schooling on non-cognitive skills. Following Heckman (2006) we apply Rosenberg Self Esteem Scores and Rotter Locus of Control Scale from NLSY79 dataset as measurements of non-cognitive skills. Our results suggest positive impacts of schooling on non-cognitive abilities such that it increases internal locus of control and it improves self-esteem.
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