Bad Economics Research Ideas

Here is a list of bad economics research ideas I have from brain-fuzz and drawing from daily inspirations from random encounters of papers: they are often challenging, undesirable, and difficult to research but nonetheless interesting. If you are an economics or economic history researcher: you would be more than welcome to take look! 

If you spot potential in any of these ideas - perhaps you know of relevant datasets, can suggest improved empirical strategies, or see ways to make them more feasible - I'd love to hear from you. I'm also open to potential collaboration. Feel free to reach out at sihao.feng@stcatz.ox.ac.uk

Denominational Influences on Nazi Party Entry: Religious Factors and the Heterogeneous Landscape of Nazi Appeal in Weimar Germany

Challenging simplistic narratives, this research investigates the complex and heterogeneous influence of religion on Nazi Party entry in Weimar Germany. This study demonstrates that denominationally distinct religious traditions and associations shaped Nazi appeal in diverse ways, employing a denomination-specific instrumental variable (IV) strategy with historical instruments to analyze Catholic and Protestant strength. Through a robust design addressing identification challenges and exploring doctrinal, organizational, and socio-political mechanisms, the research reveals the nuanced and sometimes compromised role of religion, particularly Protestantism. The key upshot is a significantly refined understanding of Nazi support, demonstrating that religious influence was not a uniform ``bulwark" but a denominationally differentiated and often ambiguous factor in the Nazi Party's rise.

St. Catherine’s College, University of Oxford