SAMIA COSTA
Department of Economics
Bar-Ilan University
Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
Phone: 972-3-5318951
E-mail: [email protected]
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
Oct. 2009-Sept. 2010
Sept. 2003-Aug. 2008
December 2005
August 2004
Visiting Scholar, Bar-Ilan University.
Assistant Professor of Economics, Rochester Institute of Technology.
Visiting Scholar, Bar-Ilan University.
Visiting Scholar, Carleton University.
EDUCATION
1997-2002
1997-1999
1993-1996
Ph.D. in Economics, University of Florida.
M.A. in Economics, University of Florida.
B.A. in Economics with highest honors, minor in Chemistry, University of Florida.
FIELDS OF INTEREST
Political economy, International Trade, Public Economics, Development.
PUBLICATIONS
Costa Tavares, Samia. “Income and Vote Switching Between Local and National Elections:
Evidence from New York State” (with Raphaël Franck). Economics Bulletin, 2008, 4 (10), 1-10.
Costa Tavares, Samia. “Do Rapid Political and Trade Liberalizations Increase Corruption?”
European Journal of Political Economy, 2007, 23, 1053-1076.
Costa Tavares, Samia. “The Common External Tariff in a Customs Union: Voting, Logrolling, and
National Government Interests,” Economics and Politics, 2007, 19 (3), 345-368.
Costa Tavares, Samia. “The Political Economy of the European Customs Classification,” Public
Choice, 2006, 129, 107-30.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Costa Tavares, Samia. “The Incidence of the Gasoline Tax,” in Transportation Issues: Insights from
Florida’s History. Report prepared by the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and
Business Research under a Florida Department of Transportation grant, 2002.
WORKING PAPERS AND PAPERS UNDER REVIEW
“Do Freedom of Information Laws Decrease Corruption?”
Revise and resubmit, Journal of Law, Economics and Organization.
Abstract: International organizations have encouraged countries to adopt Freedom of
Information (FOI) laws as a means to increase transparency and thus combat corruption. This
paper uses the recent introduction of FOI laws in several countries as a natural experiment to
determine their effect on corruption and governance. Using different corruption perception
indices, both at the macro- and micro-level, I find that countries that adopted FOI laws saw an
increase in perceived corruption and a decrease in governance, rather than the expected
improvement. This increase in corruption perception seems to take place in the initial years, but
there is no decrease in corruption perceptions in subsequent years. Countries with a free press
seem to experience the highest increase in perceptions of corruption. Results are robust
throughout different samples and specifications.
“Does the European Union Behave Like a Single Country? Evidence from the Common External
Tariff Policy.”
Abstract: Since the 1987 Single European Act, the European Union has become more closely
integrated. At the same time, intra-EU bargaining on policies such as the common external tariff
is a black box to all but insiders. It is therefore not known whether the EU’s common external
tariff reflects shallow integration, where the EU behaves as a confederation of member states, or
deep integration, where the EU resembles a single country. This is important because deeper
integration may lead to higher tariffs against nonmembers. This paper then uses a unique dataset
and methodology to test the deep versus shallow integration hypothesis. The results support the
deep integration hypothesis. They also suggest that on average the common external tariff is
higher than it would have been under shallow integration.
“Do Corrupt Countries Receive Less Disaster Relief?”
Abstract: While humanitarian considerations play a role in the decision to grant relief to countries
affected by natural disasters, donors may be less likely to provide assistance to countries they
perceive as corrupt out of a belief that it will not reach the victims. This paper tests the
relationship between perceptions of corruption and disaster relief by both the U.S. and the
international community using different indices of corruption. The results suggest that higher
corruption reduces the likelihood of U.S. The relationship between corruption and international
relief, however, is found to be insignificant.
“Natural Disasters and the Incidence of Civil Wars.”
Abstract: Both natural disasters and civil wars have been major causes of human suffering. The
literature, however, has given scant attention to the effect of natural disasters on the incidence of
civil war. Disasters act as negative income shocks, which lower the opportunity cost of rebellion.
Disasters further create competition for resources, as well opportunities for looting due to influxes
of humanitarian aid. Furthermore, inept response from governments to a disaster may increase
frustration and lead to violence. This paper uses 4 measures of civil war incidence and different
econometric specifications to explore the effect of natural disasters on the incidence of civil war. I
find that overall, natural disasters do not have a significant impact on the likelihood of conflict,
but that major disasters, and in particular major rapid onset disasters, do have a positive and
significant effect on the incidence of conflict. This is true in the case of democratic and autocratic
countries.
“Democracy and Trade Liberalization.”
Abstract: The 1980s and 1990s witnessed a worldwide surge towards democracy, as various
dictatorships collapsed. This paper uses a sample of up to 133 countries for the period 1960-2004
to explore the relationship between regime change and trade policy. In particular, it seeks to
investigate the following questions: does democratization induce a country to liberalize trade? Do
countries that remained closed still move towards relatively freer trade? And what about trade
liberalization, is it significant in bringing about democratization? Results suggest that whereas
becoming more democratic does lead to greater openness, it depends on how each are measured.
The effect of globalization on democracy, however, is mostly insignificant, suggesting that
democracy is more likely to induce openness than vice-versa.
“Judicial Selection, Judicial Term Limits, and Corruption.”
Abstract: An impartial judicial system can serve as a check on the power of public officials, and
hence can be a means of curbing corruption. This paper examines whether judicial selection
methods, as well as judicial term limits, affect state corruption levels in the United States. Using
data on federal convictions for corruption, as well as a survey of journalists, I find that corruption
is higher in states where Supreme Court justices are elected. The effect of being appointed for life
or having longer tenure, however, is insignificant.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Referee
Economics and Politics, Economics of Governance, European Journal of Political Economy,
International Review of Economics and Finance, Journal of Development Studies, Journal of
International Economics, Public Choice, Public Finance and Management.
Invited Seminars
2008-2009: Bank of Israel, Hebrew University (Rehovot).
2007-2008: Bar-Ilan University, Cornell University.
2004-2005: Bar-Ilan University.
2002-2003: University of Cincinnati.
2001-2002: University of Melbourne.
Conference Presentations
CESIfo Workshop in Political Economy, Dresden, December 2009.
Southern Economic Association, New Orleans, November 2007.
Spring Midwest Theory and Trade Meetings, Minneapolis, April 2007.
World Public Choice Meetings, Amsterdam, March 2007.
European Public Choice, Turku, March 2006.
Silvaplana Workshop on Political Economy, July 2005.
European Public Choice Meetings, Durham, April 2005.
Silvaplana Workshop on Political Economy, July 2004.
European Public Choice Meetings, Berlin, April 2004.
Public Choice Meetings, Baltimore, March 2004.
European Trade Study Group, Brussels, September 2001.
European Public Choice Meetings, Paris, March 2001.
Public Choice, San Antonio, March 2001.
Invited Participant
2009 IMF Conference on Fiscal Frameworks for Israel, Jerusalem.
2007 Wallis Institute Conference on Political Economy, University of Rochester.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Rochester Institute of Technology
Economic Forecasting, International Trade and Finance, Principles of Microeconomics,
Mathematical Methods: Economics (all undergraduate).
University of Florida
Managerial Economics (undergraduate).
RELEVANT POSITIONS HELD
2001-2003
2000-2003
1998-2001
1997-1998
1996-1997
Policy Studies Division, Bureau of Economics and Business Research, University of
Florida, Researcher.
University of Florida, Research Assistant to Professor David Figlio.
University of Florida, Teaching Assistant to Professors Dave Denslow, Mark Rush, Bin
Xu, Elias Dinopoulos.
Forecasting Division, Bureau of Economics and Business Research, University of
Florida, Researcher.
University of Florida, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Food & Resource
Economics.
HONORS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND RESEARCH SUPPORT
2008
2007
2001
2000
1996
1995
1994
1993
Marquis Who’s Who in America
Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Liberal Arts Faculty Research Fund;
Marquis Who’s Who in America
CIBER Conference Travel Grant, Center for International Business Education and
Research, University of Florida
2001-2002 Walter-Lanzillotti Dissertation Award, University of Florida
Award given for excellence in completed research as well as potential for future research
in Public Policy
Spring 2001 Madeleine Lockhart International Research and Travel Award, U. of FL
2000-2001 Walter-Lanzillotti Dissertation Award, University of Florida
Recipient of College of Agriculture Graduate Research Assistantship designed to attract
top students, University of Florida
Certificate of Academic Excellence, College of Business Administration, U. of FL
President’s Honor Roll, University of Florida
President’s Honor Roll, University of Florida
Certificate from German Consulate-General on achievement in the study of German
Phi Beta Kappa (junior year inductee)
Dean’s List, University of Florida
Certificate from German Consulate-General on achievement in the study of German
University of Florida Invitational Honors Program
Florida Academic Scholarship
Challenger Memorial Scholarship
Valedictorian Scholarship, University of Florida
Florida AP State Scholar
LANGUAGES
Portuguese (mother tongue), English (fluent), Hebrew (intermediate), French (advanced),
Spanish (reading and understanding), German (intermediate).