Obiettivo In the absence of formal contracts and sanctioning agencies, many economic exchanges are based on informal arrangements that cannot be enforced through courts or monitored by external parties. In this project, we study the role of social capital in generating social sanctions that agents can use to enforce informal arrangements. Typically, in the literature, social sanctions are posited parametrically, and are supposed to be used unilaterally whenever there is a breach in the contract . They are thus conceived essentially as an instrument to sustain existing agreements. This argument however relies on unduly restrictive assumptions on the nature and the use of social sanctions: they are costless and they can be used only against defecting members. We intend to go beyond the literature by properly modelling what constitutes a social sanction, so as to provide stronger micro-foundations to this concept. We therefore intend to first investigate the mechanisms through which social capital, in the sense of dense interdependence between agents, generates social sanctions. In a second step, we will explore the impact of social sanctions in sustaining existing agreements, allowing sanctions to be used to force agents to renege on their obligations if such defection is beneficial to their particular group. To give an example, in the context of micro-credit, group members can use social sanctions to enforce repayment of the loan to the bank but, with appropriate norms and beliefs, they can also use the same sanctions to enforce collective default against the lending agency. At the theoretical level, we will explore the role of social sanctions in micro-credit groups, in collective action problems and in informal insurance arrangements. We shall also carry out two empirical projects based on original data sets: one on the evolution of microfinance groups in India, and the other on social sanctions and pressures for interpersonal redistribution in Cameroon. Parole chiave enforcement informal contracts micro-credit social capital Programma(i) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Argomento(i) ERC-AG-SH1 - ERC Advanced Grant - Individuals, institutions and markets Invito a presentare proposte ERC-2008-AdG Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Istituzione ospitante UNIVERSITE DE NAMUR ASBL Contributo UE € 720 000,00 Indirizzo RUE DE BRUXELLES 61 5000 Namur Belgio Mostra sulla mappa Regione Région wallonne Prov. Namur Arr. Namur Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Contatto amministrativo Jean-Marie Baland (Prof.) Ricercatore principale Jean-Marie Baland (Prof.) Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Costo totale Nessun dato Beneficiari (1) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto UNIVERSITE DE NAMUR ASBL Belgio Contributo UE € 720 000,00 Indirizzo RUE DE BRUXELLES 61 5000 Namur Mostra sulla mappa Regione Région wallonne Prov. Namur Arr. Namur Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Contatto amministrativo Jean-Marie Baland (Prof.) Ricercatore principale Jean-Marie Baland (Prof.) Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Costo totale Nessun dato
