Essays in labor and human capital investment in development economics

This dissertation presents three essays on labor and development economics. Each chapter examines a factor that affects household labor demand and supply for each household member and its implications in low-and middle- income countries. Research in this dissertation takes advantage of detailed household surveys and other sources such as satellite collected environmental data. This data is then used to conduct empirical analysis of intra-household allocation of time and resources. In Chapter 1, I apply an economic lens to examine how water scarcity affects household water consumption and the (time) cost to obtain water. Using a longitudinal data set together with the exogeneity of weather shocks as identification strategies, I estimated the impact of drought on household water consumption and the cost of obtaining water, including time spent fetching water in Uganda. In Chapter 2, I assess the labor supply and welfare impacts of a Bolivian policy change in 2014 that lowered the minimum working age. Finally, in Chapter 3, I examine the household characteristics particularly associated with children working in hazardous environments in Nepal.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural & Applied Econ

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Kamei, Akito

Contributors dc:contributor

• Arends-Kuennings, Mary
• Thornton, Rebecca
• Baylis, Kathy
• Michaelson, Hope

• Human Capital Investment, Labor, Development Economics

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2021 Akito Kamei

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/112946

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/112946