Our lab explores causal relationships in politics, economics, and society from a broad social scientific perspective, transcending traditional boundaries of political communication. We specialize in quasi-experimental methods, rigorously quantifying the impact of policies and social phenomena using observational data. Our research addresses diverse topics, including community networks, electoral systems, and political participation.

We have a particular focus on historical political economy—an approach that leverages historical events as natural experiments to uncover causal relationships in political and economic contexts. This involves digitizing historical documents and geographical information, enabling precise causal analysis of cultural and institutional factors traditionally difficult to quantify.

For instance, one of our studies uses the Tokyo air raids during World War II as a natural experiment to examine the long-term impact on social capital and socioeconomic outcomes. By employing detailed historical aerial imagery, we analyze micro-level variations in wartime destruction. Recent projects also incorporate cutting-edge methods, such as utilizing cellphone mobility data to study how distance to polling stations affects voter turnout.

We welcome students passionate about causal inference, policy evaluation, community dynamics, and historical contexts, regardless of their background in political science. Join us in addressing complex social-scientific questions using diverse perspectives and advanced analytical techniques.