The UMass Amherst Economics Department is recognized worldwide for heterodox research in economics. UMass Amherst Econ consistently gets it right -- on climate change and sustainability; on inequality and living wages; on financial crisis and regulation; on egalitarian and efficient development; on cooperation, coordination and competition; and on the visible and invisible significance of gender and household organization in the economy, among other topics.
Public and private decision-makers use our research, and our graduate program provides students from around the world the opportunity to deepen their understanding and pursue original research.
Working Papers
The Economics Department Working Paper Series is a pre-publication outlet for research produced by Department faculty and graduate students. Click the link below to view the Working Papers.
Economics Department Working Paper Series
Political Economy Research Institute
The Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst was established in 1998. PERI is an independent unit at UMass with close ties to the Department of Economics. PERI is actively engaged in research, policy advising, and graduate student education. PERI also regularly sponsors conferences and other public events in its areas of research focus.
PERI is committed to addressing basic issues of human and ecological well-being through research written for the general public, policy makers, and academic audiences. PERI researchers are currently involved in three broad and interrelated areas: Globalization and Macroeconomics; Labor Markets and Living Wages; and Development, Peace-building, and the Environment.
PERI Publications: https://www.peri.umass.edu/publications
Faculty Research Grants
Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) – Harvard Kennedy School Saudi Arabia Labor Market Research Pilot Award
Funds empirical studies of labor market issues in Saudi Arabia.
- Ina Ganguli
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is committed to work related with inequality issues.
- Jim Boyce 1999
Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET)
INET promotes innovative and critical economic thinking and research.
- Gerald Epstein 2010
- Peter Spiegler 2011
- Vamsi Vakulabharanam 2011
- Arindrajit Dube 2012
- Peter Skott 2014
- Jim Boyce 2015
Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) - University of Wisconsin
The IRP engages with a wide variety of poverty-related research.
- Arindrajit Dube 2014
Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF)
LJAF makes strategic investments in criminal justice, education, evidence-based policy and innovation, public accountability, and research integrity.
- Arindrajit Dube 2016
National Bureau for Economic Research (NBER) - Productivity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program
Funding is available for eight grants in total: three grants of $20,000 in the area of Innovation Policy, three grants of $20,000 in the area of Entrepreneurship, and 2 grants of $15,000 in Digitization (Updated for 2017).
- Ina Ganguli 2016
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The NSF funds research in varied fields of science and engineering.
- Jim Boyce and Michael Ash 2010
Russell Sage Foundation (RSF)
Funding for different topics and programs on social science.
- Arindrajit Dube 2014
Upjohn Institute for Employment Research Early Career Research Award
These grants are intended to provide resources to junior faculty (untenured and within six years of having earned a PhD) to carry out policy-related research on labor market issues. The Institute encourages research proposals on all issues related to labor markets and public workforce policy.
- Ina Ganguli 2016
U.S. Department of Labor - Labor Research and Evaluation Grants
The purpose of the Labor Research and Evaluation grants is to build evidence around issues of importance to the Department of Labor and American public, including critical issues related to worker protection, safety and human capital development.
- Lee Badgett 2017
V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation (VKRF)
VKRF funds research related with environmental issues. Due to large multi-year funding they will not be accepting submissions for 2017 and 2018.
- Jim Boyce 2005
Washington Center for Equitable Growth
Funds research that focuses on how economic inequality may (or may not) impact economic growth and stability.
- Arindrajit Dube 2015