Historical Data: Where to Find Them, How to Use Them

Paola Giuliano and Andrea Matranga

No 13788, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: The use of historical data has become a standard tool in economics, serving three main purposes: to examine the influence of the past on current economic outcomes; to use unique natural experiments to test modern economic theories; and to use modern economic theories to refine our understanding of important historical events. In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the types of historical data most commonly used in economic research and discuss a variety of issues that they raise, such as the constant change in national and administrative borders; the reshuffling of ethnic groups due to migration, colonialism, natural disasters, and many other forces. We also point out which methodological advances allow economists to overcome or minimize these problems.

Keywords: ethnographic data; geographical data; historical data; censuses (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 40 pages
Date: 2020-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo and nep-his
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published - published in: Alberto Bisin and Giovanni Federico (eds.), The Handbook of Historical Economics, Elsevier, 2021, 95-123

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Related works:
Working Paper: Historical Data: Where to Find Them, How to Use Them (2020)
Working Paper: Historical Data: Where to Find Them, How to Use Them (2020)
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