March
2025
Curriculum Vitae
Alexander K. Karaivanov
|
Department of Economics |
|
|
Simon Fraser University |
akaraiva@sfu.ca |
|
8888 University Drive |
http://www.sfu.ca/~akaraiva |
|
Burnaby, BC, Canada |
|
EMPLOYMENT
2015 – present Professor,
Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
2009 – 2015 Associate
Professor, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
2003 – 2009 Assistant Professor, Department
of Economics, Simon Fraser University
2000 – 2002 Lecturer, Department of
Economics, University of Chicago
1997 – 2003 Research Assistant to D. Gale
Johnson, Jaume Ventura, Robert Townsend
1999 – 2002 Teaching
Assistant, Department of Economics, University of Chicago
Other professional affiliations
2011 – present Associate
Editor, Journal of Development Economics
2011 – present Research
Associate, Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD)
Education
2003 PhD Economics,
University of Chicago, USA
thesis: Financial Contracts and
Occupational Choice
supervisors: R. Townsend, M. Ghatak and P.
Reny
1999 MA
Economics, University of Chicago, USA
1997 BA
Economics (cum laude, GPA 6.0/6.0), Sofia University, Bulgaria
1997 BBA,
Hogeschool van Utrecht, The Netherlands
RESEARCH
INTERESTS
development,
financial markets and contracts, risk sharing, entrepreneurship, networks,
public economics
RESEARCH
Articles
“Incentive-Compatible Unemployment Reinsurance for the
Euro Area”, European Economic Review 186 (105325), June 2026 (with B.
Mojon, L. Pereira da Silva, A. Pierres Tejada and R. Townsend),
also NBER Working Paper 32396.
“Economic Determinants of Ethereum Transaction Fees in
the Priority Fee and Proof of Stake Periods”, Applied Economics 57(58),
2025 (with S. Zarifian)
“Digital Safety Nets: A Roadmap”, BIS Papers
139, 2023 (with B. Mojon, L. Pereira da Silva and R. Townsend)
“COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates and Vaccine Uptake”, Nature
Human Behaviour 6(6), 2022 (with D. Kim, S. Lu and H. Shigeoka), also NBER Working Paper 29563 and IZA Working Paper 14946
“Involuntary Entrepreneurship – Evidence from Thai
Urban Data”, World Development 105706, 2022 (with T. Yindok)
“Face Masks,
Public Policies and Slowing the Spread of COVID-19: Evidence from Canada”, Journal
of Health Economics 102475, 2021 (with S. Lu, H. Shigeoka, C. Chen and S.
Pamplona), also NBER Working Paper 27891
“Transaction Fee Economics in the Ethereum
Blockchain”, Economic Inquiry 13025, 2021 (with A. Donmez)
“A Social Network Model of COVID-19”, PLOS One
15(10): e0240878, 2020
“Credit lines in Microcredit: Short-Term Evidence from
a Field Experiment in India”, Journal of Development Economics
146:102497, 2020 (with F. Aragon and K. Krishnaswamy)
“Bogus Joint Liability Groups in Microfinance”, European
Economic Review 122:103353, 2020 (with X. Xing and Y. Xue)
“Family Firms, Bank Relationships and Financial Constraints: A Comprehensive Score Card”, International Economic Review 60(2):547-593, 2019 (with J. Saurina and R. Townsend)
“Markov-Perfect Risk Sharing, Moral Hazard and Limited
Commitment”, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 94:1-23, 2018
(with F. Martin)
“(Dis)Advantages of Informal Loans – Theory and
Evidence”, European Economic Review 102:100-128, 2018 (with A. Kessler)
“Non-Grant Microfinance,
Incentives and Efficiency”, Applied Economics 50:2509-24, 2018
“Market Power and Asset
Contractibility in Dynamic Insurance Contracts”, Federal Reserve Bank of St.
Louis Review 98(2):111-27, 2016 (with F. Martin)
“Dynamic Optimal Insurance and
Lack of Commitment”, Review of
Economic Dynamics
18(2):287-305, 2015 (with F. Martin)
“Dynamic Financial Constraints: Distinguishing
Mechanism Design from Exogenously Incomplete Regimes”, Econometrica 82(3):887-959, 2014 (with R.
Townsend), also NBER Working Paper 19617,
Nov. 2013
“Contractual Structure in Agriculture with Endogenous
Matching”, Journal of Development Economics 110:239-49, 2014 (with M.
Ghatak)
“Financial Constraints and
Occupational Choice in Thai Villages”, Journal of Development Economics 97(2):201-20, 2012
“Learning by Doing vs. Learning from Others in a
Principal-Agent Model”, Journal of
Economic Dynamics and Control 34(10):1967-92, 2010 (with J.
Arifovic)
“Heterogeneity, Returns to
Scale, and Collective Action”, Canadian
Journal of Economics 42(2):771-807,
2009
“Understanding Optimal Criminal Networks”, Global Crime 10:41-65,
2009 (with S. Easton)
“A Case for Bundling Public
Goods Contributions”, Journal of
Public Economic Theory 9(3):425-51,
2007 (with S. Ghosh and M. Oak)
“Can A Raise in Your Wage Make You Worse Off? A Public Goods
Perspective”, Journal of
Development Economics 84(1):551-71,
2007 (with S. Ghosh)
“Wealth Inequality and Collective Action”, Journal of Public Economics 91(9):1843-74,
2007 (with P. Bardhan and M. Ghatak)
“Distinguishing
Limited Liability from Moral Hazard in a Model of Entrepreneurship”, Journal of Political Economy 144(1):104-44, 2006 (with A. Paulson
and R. Townsend)
“Pareto Improving Lotteries and Voluntary Public Goods
Provision”, The B.E. Journal of
Theoretical Economics (Topics) 6(1):1-13, 2006
Refereed chapters
“Social
Learning in a Model of Adverse Selection”, in D. West, G. Dow, and A. Eckert
(eds.) Industrial Organization, Trade,
and Social Interaction: Essays in Honour of B. Curtis Eaton, University of
Toronto Press, 2010 (with J. Arifovic)
“Inequality
and Collective Action”, ch. 3 in J-M. Baland, P. Bardhan, and S. Bowles (eds.), Inequality, Collective Action and
Environmental Sustainability,
Princeton
University Press, 2006 (with P.
Bardhan and M. Ghatak)
Other
publications
“Face mask mandates slowed the spread of COVID-19 in Canada”, VoxEU, 2020 (with
S. Lu and H. Shigeoka)
“Criminal Organizations and Networks”, in R. Morgan (ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Criminal Psychology,
SAGE Publications, 2019 (with S. Easton)
“The Impact of a Micro-Overdraft Facility in India”, Financial Access Initiative, 2016 (with
K. Krishnaswamy)
“Understanding Optimal Criminal Networks”, reprinted in M. Bouchard and
C. Wilkins (eds.) Illegal Markets and the
Economics of Organized Crime, Routledge, 2010 (with S. Easton)
“Distinguishing Limited Liability from Moral
Hazard in a Model of Entrepreneurship”, reprinted in T. Beck (ed.) Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries,
Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009 (with A. Paulson and R. Townsend)
Working
papers and work in progress
“Digital Platforms and Financial Contracts”, 2026, revision
requested
“Dynamic Risk Sharing with Prepayment”, 2026,
submitted
“Cross-Country Risk Sharing” (with B. Mojon, A.
Pierres Tejada and R. Townsend), in progress
“Risk-Sharing Platform Design” (with R. Townsend), in
progress
“Simple Economics of Digital Media”, in progress
“Economics of Crime Networks” (with R. Dastranj and S.
Easton), working paper
“Distinguishing
Across Models of International Capital Flows” (with M. Wright), working paper
“Social Insurance and Status” (with B. Xia)
“Development Dynamics with Credit Rationing and
Occupational Choice”
“Computing
Moral Hazard Programs with Lotteries Using Matlab”
INVITED
PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS, ETC.
2025: Theoretical Research in
Development (ThReD)
2024: European
Commission ECFIN Seminar, Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD)
2023: Theoretical Research in
Development (ThReD)
2021-22: COVID-19
2020 (cancelled because of COVID-19): Texas A&M
University, Ryerson University, Asia Conference on Business and Economic
Studies (plenary speaker)
2019: University of
Houston, Theoretical
Research in Development (ThReD)
2018: UIBE-Beijing, Theoretical Research in
Development (ThReD)
2017: American
Economic Association (discussant), Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD), National University of Singapore, Singapore
Management University, Georgia State University, Canadian Macroeconomics Study Group (discussant)
2016: University of
Victoria, Theoretical Research in
Development (ThReD), Economics of Social Sector
Organizations – University of Chicago (discussant)
2015:
UC – Santa Cruz, University of Konstanz, Theory and Measurement: Financial Systems and Economic Development –
Chicago Fed and University of Chicago, Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD), Queen’s
University
2014:
Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD)
2013:
UC – Santa Barbara, Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD)
2012:
Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD), Workshop
on Macroeconomic Applications of Dynamic Games and Contracts – Stony Brook
2011:
Theoretical Research in Development (ThReD), Savings
and Financial Underpinnings of Macroeconomic Models workshop – Bretton Woods
2010:
University of Victoria, University
of Saskatchewan, Canadian Econometrics Study Group (discussant)
2008:
University of Toulouse Workshop on Risk Sharing, UTCC and University of Chicago
Innovations in Development Theory and Survey Data: Implications for Policy
2006: LSE Workshop on Public
Organizations
2005: University of British Columbia
2003: World Bank, SUNY –
Buffalo, Georgetown University, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Swedish
Central Bank, McGill University, York University, Simon Fraser University,
CERGE-EI
2001: University of Chicago Economic Theory workshop
CONFERENCES
2026: (planned) Canadian Labour
Economics Forum, Society for Economic Dynamics, Vienna Macroeconomics Workshop
2025: Global Macro Workshop (discussant), Canadian
Economic Association, Bulgarian Council for Economic Analyses, 13th
World Congress of the Econometric Society, Vienna Macroeconomics Workshop
2024: Canadian Economic Association, Bulgarian
Council for Economic Analyses, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop
2023: Canadian Economic Association, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop
(discussant)
2022: Canadian Economic Association, Econometric
Society – Asian meeting (virtual)
2021: Society for Economic Dynamics (virtual), Canadian Health Economists Study Group
(virtual)
2020 (cancelled because of COVID-19): Global Macroeconomics workshop – Rome, Society for Economic
Dynamics, 1st Annual Macroeconomics workshop, Theoretical Research in
Development (ThReD)
2019: Global Macroeconomics
workshop – Prague (discussant), Canadian Economic Association, Public Economic Theory conference, Vienna
Macroeconomics workshop
2018: Economics of Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain
Technologies, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop
2017: Society for Economic Dynamics, European
Meeting of the Econometric Society, European Economic Association, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop
2016: American Economic Association, Computing in Economic and Finance, Society for
Economic Dynamics, Econometric Society – Asian meeting, Vienna Macroeconomics
workshop
2015: Canadian Economic Association, Society for Economic Dynamics, 11th
World Congress of the Econometric Society, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop
(discussant)
2014: Canadian Economic Association, Econometric
Society – European meeting, Vienna
Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2013: Computing in Economics and Finance
2012: Canadian Economic Association, Econometric
Society – Australasian meeting, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2011: Computing in Economics and Finance, Econometric Society – Asian
meeting, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop
2010: Canadian Economic Association, Society
for Economic Dynamics, 10th World Congress of the Econometric
Society, Vienna Macroeconomics
workshop (discussant)
2009: Association for Public Economic Theory, Society
for Economic Dynamics, Econometric Society – Far-Eastern meeting, Econometric
Society – European meeting, Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2008: Society for Economic Dynamics, Vienna
Macroeconomics workshop
2007:
Econometric Society – Far-Eastern meeting, Canadian Economic Association,
Vienna Macroeconomics workshop (discussant)
2006: Society
for Economic Dynamics, Association for Public Economic Theory
2005:
9th World Congress of the Econometric Society,
Canadian Economic Association, Society for Economic Dynamics, Canadian Public
Economics Group
2004: Association for Public Economic Theory
2003: Computing in Economics and Finance
2002: North-East Universities Development Consortuim (NEUDC)
RESEARCH GRANTS
2024 – 2028 SSHRC
Insight Grant, Digital Finance Platforms and Mechanism Design - Theory, Data
and Applications, principal investigator, $91,990
2025 Chair’s
Research Grant, $5,000
2018 – 2024 SSHRC
Insight Grant, Contracts and Markets in
the New Digital Economy: Theory, Data Analysis and Policy, principal
investigator, $77,740
2013 – 2017 SSHRC Insight Grant, Obstacles to Credit, Risk Sharing, and
Investment in Developing Communities – A Dynamic Structural Approach to
Measurement and Policy Evaluation, principal investigator, $83,412
2009 – 2013 SSHRC
Standard Research Grant, Distinguishing
Across Models of Incomplete Markets, principal investigator, $64,000
2006 – 2009 SSHRC
Standard Research Grant, Financial Market
Imperfections: Theory, Estimation, Policy, principal investigator, $60,392
2005 – 2007 SSHRC/SFU
Institutional Grant, The Economic
Structure of Crime Networks (with S. Easton), joint investigator, $9,900
2003 – 2005 President’s
Research Grant, Simon Fraser University, $9,950
2005 SSHRC/SFU
Travel Grant, Econometric Society World Congress, $1,500
2003 – 2004 New
Faculty Start-up Research Grant, Simon Fraser University, $10,000
INVITED RESEARCH VISITS
Bank for
International Settlements August
2023, March 2026
UIBE – Beijing May
2018
Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis April 2012
Cornell University February
2010
MIT November
2009
University of
Toulouse June
2008
University of
Chicago Feb.
2004, May 2004, May 2005, May 2006, Jan. 2007
TEACHING
Simon Fraser University (2003 – present)
graduate: Microeconomic theory (ECON 802), Theories of economic
development (ECON 855), Introduction to mathematical economics (ECON 798); PhD
research paper (ECON 900); Directed readings in development and contract theory
(ECON 921)
undergraduate: Intermediate microeconomic
theory (ECON 301/201), Seminar in economic development (ECON 455), Economic
development (ECON 355)
University of Chicago (2000 –
2002)
graduate: Introduction to mathematical methods in economics
(PhD math camp)
undergraduate: Elements of economic analysis II (intermediate
micro), Elements of economic analysis IV (intermediate macro)
STUDENTS
PhD Senior supervisor
1. Shayan Zarifian, 2025, “Essays on structural modeling and empirical
analysis in industrial organization”, Later (senior analyst)
2. Anil Donmez,
2022, “Essays on computational and empirical methods in financial economics”,
Brattle Group (senior associate)
3. Shiqu Zhou,
2019, “Three essays on occupational choice, financial
market frictions, learning and dynamic incentives”, KPU (lecturer)
4. Natt
Hongdilokkul, 2017, “Essays on development economics and health economics”,
Stanford (post-doc)
5. Tenzin
Yindok, 2016, “Essays on entrepreneurship in developing
economies”, Colgate University
6. Rogayeh Tabrizi,
2016, “Essays on social and economic networks”, Theory+Practice
(CEO)
7. Ideen Riahi, 2014, “Essays on institutions and development”, CUNY – Baruch College
8. Georgi Boichev, 2014, “Essays on social capital and state capacity: Tracing
the origins of the welfare state”, University of Regina (post-doc)
9. Xuefei Wang,
2012, “Essays on economic development”, Central
University for Finance and Economics
PhD supervisor
1.
Uzair Azmat, 2025, “Three essays
on religion, mortgage markets and debt aversion”
2.
Matheus Bandeira,
2025, “Essays on the politics of weakly institutionalized environments”,
University of Bologna (post-doc)
3.
Esmaeil Izadi,
2025, “Essays in political economy”, Environment & Climate Change Canada
(economist)
4.
Yaser Sattari,
2019, “Essays on firm-level distortions and aggregate productivity”, Canadian
Western Bank (senior manager)
5.
Duman Bahramirad,
2018, “The origins and consequences of kin networks and marriage practices”,
Harvard University (post-doc)
6.
Xianjuan
Chen, 2016, “Essays
on the effects of China's one-child policy on economic development”, Sichuan
University
7.
Hagen Schwerin, 2013, “Technology-specific capacity and the environment”, ETH Zurich
(post-doc)
8.
Yu Fu,
2012, “Three essays on
development economics and environmental economics”, SFU Beedie School of
Business (post-doc)
9.
Pierre Nguimkeu, 2012, “Essays in econometrics and entrepreneurship”, Georgia
State University
10. Bianjun Xia, 2011, “Essays on time preference anomalies, intertemporal
choice, insurance and status”, Zhejiang University
11. Mei Dong, 2009, “Essays on monetary
economics”, Bank of Canada
12. Yi Xue, 2009, “Essays on market microstructure and financial
econometrics”, University of International Business and Economics
13. Michael Maschek, 2005, “Applications of evolutionary learning in macroeconomic
models”, University of the Fraser Valley
MA senior supervisor
·
Justin Wiltshire, 2013, “Does access to
microcredit lead to agricultural productivity gains?”
·
Aparna Howlader, 2012, “Short run and long run impacts of Thailand's Million
Baht village fund”
·
Jessica
Courtney, 2011, “A new approach to rural electrification”
·
Tenzin
Yindok, 2009, “Educational inequalities across social groups in India”
·
Shauna
McAulay-Bax, 2008, “Child labour in a transition economy: Evidence from Albania”
·
Pedro
Bento, 2007, “Competition as discovery procedure: Hayek in a model of
innovations”
·
Michael
Siemer, 2007, “Labor markets and internal migration in developing countries”
·
Tunde
Tiponut, 2007, “The effects of globalization on developing countries, with
particular attention to poverty levels”
·
Kumi
Harischandra, 2007, “Ethnic diversity and inequality: a cross-country analysis”
·
Xinye Zhang, 2006, “Performance, persistence and survivorship bias of Canadian equity funds
2001-2005”
·
Simon Demers, 2005, “Loyalty,
competence and exogenous constraints in authoritarian regimes”
MA supervisor
2019: Anthony Zhang; 2011:
Celene Chan; 2008: Lindsay Donders, Nikolaus Kasimatis;
2007: Nuowen Deng; 2006: Na Rong; 2005: Kristin Dust,
Sultan Orazbayev
SERVICE
Associate Editor, Journal
of Development Economics (2011 – present)
Referee
Journals: Econometrica, Journal of
Political Economy, American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics,
Review of Economic Studies, Economic Journal, International Economic Review,
Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Public Economics,
AEJ-Macroeconomics, Review of Economic Dynamics, Journal of Economic Theory,
Journal of the European Economic Association, Journal of Health Economics,
European Economic Review, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Journal of
Economic Behavior and Organization, Economica, World Development, Economic
Development and Cultural Change, Canadian Journal of Economics, Macroeconomic
Dynamics, Economics Letters, Journal of Public Economic Theory, Economic
Inquiry, Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics, Journal of
Economics and Management Strategy, B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics,
Oxford Economic Papers, Applied Economics, The Economics of Transition, Social
Choice and Welfare, Operations Research, PLOS One, Nature Communications,
Vaccine, PNAS Nexus, American Journal of Health Economics
Research proposals: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Grant adjudication
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Economics) 2010/11
University service
Senator: 2022 – 2025
Member,
SFU Senate Student Appeals Board (SAB): Sep. 2022 – present
Selected department service
Department chair: 2024/25, 2026-28 (planned)
Associate chair: 2014/15
Graduate program chair: Jan. 2018 – Aug. 2021
Tenure and promotions: 2012/13, 2013/14, 2016 (ad
hoc), 2023/24, 2024/25, 2025/26
Appointments: 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2010/11,
2011/12, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016/17, 2022/23
Seminar: 2003/04, 2016/17
Chair search: 2006, 2016
Brown
bag seminar: 2004 – 2009
AWARDS
2002 – 2003 William
& Flora Hewlett Foundation fellowship, NORC and University of Chicago
2001 – 2002 T.W.
Schultz dissertation fellowship, University of Chicago
1999 Lee
Prize for best Money and Banking field paper, University of Chicago
1997 – 2001 University
of Chicago full tuition scholarship and stipend
1997 – 2000 International
House of Chicago residential fellowship
1993 – 1997 Bulgarian
government stipend for high academic achievement
1994 – 1995 Atanas
Burov Foundation scholarship
1993 Bulgarian
national team for the 34th International Mathematical Olympiad, 1st
reserve
(the six-person team placed 3rd out of 73 participating
countries)
1992 1st
prize, Bulgarian national mathematics competition