Project: “Comprehending Human Action using Social Networks – CHAIN” n. 101164784 - ERC-2024-STG, HORIZON ERC Grants
Research Project:
The research project is focused on understanding how social networks influence the behavior of different groups: scientists, politicians, and ordinary citizens. It consists of three interrelated studies. The first study looks at how social media, particularly X, affects the work of scientists. By analyzing the X activity of economists, the research will explore how their online networks influence what information they find, how they collaborate, and the overall direction of their research. It will also examine whether social media leads to trends or "fads" in science that might not be beneficial. The second study investigates the role of congressional staffers in shaping U.S. policy. Using detailed data on staffers' backgrounds and their networks, this research will explore how these often behind-the-scenes players influence the decisions and priorities of Congress members. This study aims to uncover how these staffers impact voting behavior and policy outcomes. The third study examines the political impact of social media in India, specifically focusing on the messaging platform WhatsApp. It will analyze how a change in the platform's sharing policies—designed to limit the spread of information—affects conflict, beliefs, and election results in the world's largest democracy. This research will provide important insights into the effectiveness of such policy interventions in social media.
Job Description:
Successful candidates will work closely with Prof. Schwarz to jointly develop the CHAIN project. As part of this project the candidate will work on state-of-the-art research in micro-econometrics and NLP and social sciences.
Required Skills and Qualifications:
• Ph.D. in Economics or related social science with experience in NLP, large-scale data analysis, and causal inference
• Excellent programming skills in Python. Additional languages (Stata, R) will be considered a plus.
• Fluency in spoken and written English. Knowledge of Italian is NOT a requirement.
If you are interested, please apply at https://jobmarket.unibocconi.eu/?id=705 by 6th January 2025.
To apply, visit https://jobmarket.unibocconi.eu/?id=705. (See posting for details.)