A chapter co-authored by Professor of Economics Emily Conover appears in “The Handbook of Social Protection: Evidence and New Directions for Low- and Middle-Income Countries,” an open access, edited volume recently published by MIT Press.
Conover said the chapter, “Social Protection Programs: Elections and Governance Challenges,” examines “the intersection of social protection programs and political dynamics by organizing existing empirical research into three theoretical frameworks: electoral accountability, clientelism and patronage, and behavioral factors like reciprocity.
“By analyzing how these programs influence voter behavior and how politicians leverage them for career advancement, we provide an overview of the political incentives at play,” she said.
Conover and her co-authors also “discussed the inherent risks of corruption within these initiatives and identify mitigation strategies, concluding with an assessment of current research gaps and recommendations for future research.”
Posted March 20, 2026
