Best Paper Award: `The findings could have a real impact´
NHH PhD candidate Pallavi Prabhakar has won the Best Paper Award for a doctoral student at the annual Economists´ meeting: `I am surprised and very happy!´
“A convincing scientific paper on an important and highly timely topic.”
This is how the jury describes the article Bottom Up Accountability? Information, Expectations and Civic Action in India.
`We hope to communicate our findings and present our work to policymakers in India,´says Pallavi Prabhakar, a PhD candidate at the Department of Economics at NHH. She is affiliated with the Centre of Excellence FAIR.
The award was highly competitive
This week, she received an official diploma and NOK 3,000 at Forskermøtet, the annual conference organised by The Norwegian Association of Economists—this year held at NHH.
Together with co-author Diwakar Kishore (London School of Economics), Prabhakar examines how citizens in some of India’s poorest districts respond when they receive clear, fact-based information about the declining quality of local public services.
Can transparency about weak municipal services motivate citizens to engage more?
Field experiment in India
In a large field experiment, the researchers showed participants a short video explaining that their district was part of a national initiative targeting “underperforming districts,” that it was doing worse than neighbouring districts, and how citizens could file formal complaints.
The results were clear:
People who had previously overestimated how well their district was performing updated their beliefs. They became more aware of the initiative and were far more likely to sign petitions, attend workshops, meet local officials, and submit complaints.
People who already knew their district was doing poorly did not change their behaviour.
The study shows that transparency is particularly effective when information challenges people’s existing beliefs—and that engagement can persist even when individuals feel they have limited influence, because poor services strengthen the desire for accountability.
“We didn’t expect that!”
The jury highlights exactly this point: how perceptions shape civic participation—and how open information can strengthen political accountability from the bottom up.
`Congratulations on the award!´
`Thank you! It was unexpected. I didn’t think the paper would be considered so topical. So I was very pleasantly surprised that the committee saw the value of the work—and happy, because I believe it could have real impact if the results influence the transparency programme we study´.
`How did the idea for the project come about?´
`I met my co-author when he attended a summer school here at NHH. We were both interested in the transparency programme in India and discussed different ideas for how we could evaluate it.´
Contribution to society
`Could the study’s findings influence policy?´
`Quite possibly. If the authorities improve communication and make information more accessible, it could have a major impact.´
`Do you think policymakers will actually use the findings?´
`Yes, I do. My co-author is already working with the government on the next phase of the programme. We hope to communicate our results and present the work.´
`You’re actually going to present the findings to decision-makers?´
`Yes, that’s the plan. It’s both exciting and a big responsibility.´
`You are submitting your dissertation early next year. That means you’re looking for a research position. Will you return to London, since you did your master’s at LSE?´
`I’m open to many places. The job market for PhD candidates is tough, but a place that is academically stimulating and lets me pursue my research interests would, of course, be a great fit!´