Pavel Yakovlev is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duquesne University. He typically teaches microeconomics, macroeconomics, and public economics courses. Pavel joined Duquesne University in 2007, after earning his doctorate degree from West Virginia University in 2006 and completing a year of post-doctoral research in the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at WVU. Pavel also has an M.A. in economics from West Virginia University and a B.S. in economics and business administration from Shepherd College. Pavel is a recipient of the WVU Foundation Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship in Social Sciences. Pavel was born in Siberia and moved to the United States in pursuit of higher education.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:

"In Uncertainty We Trust: A Median Voter Model with Risk Aversion," forthcoming in Financial Theory and Practice.

"Elderly Migration and Education Spending: Intergenerational Conflict Revisited" with Mehmet Tosun and Claudia Williamson, forthcoming in Public Budgeting and Finance.

"Does State Spending on Mental Health Reduce Suicide Rates?" with Justin Ross and Fatima Carson, in press in Journal of Socio-Economics.

"Mind the Weather: A Panel Data Analysis of Time-Invariant Factors and Traffic Fatalities" with Margaret Inden, Economics Bulletin, 2010, 30(4), 2685-2696.

"Occupational Safety and Profit Maximization: Friends or Foes?" with Russ Sobel, Journal of Socio-Economics, 2010, 39(3), 429-435.

"Saving Lives in Armed Conflicts: What Factors Matter?" Economics of Peace and Security, 2008, 3(2), 68-73.

"What Drives Road Rage?" with Arzu Sen, Atlantic Economic Journal, 2008, 36(3), 361-362.

"Additional Evidence on the Effect of Class Attendance on Academic Performance" with Linda Kinney, Atlantic Economic Journal, 2008, 36(4), 493-494.

"Ideology, Shirking, and the Incumbency Advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives" Economics Bulletin, 2007, 4(33), 1-6.

"Beauty and the Beast: An Empirical Tale of City Attributes" with Arzu Sen, Economics Bulletin, 2007, 18(9), 1-9.

"Arms Trade, Military Spending, and Economic Growth" Defense and Peace Economics, 2007, 18(4), 317-338.

Policy Papers:

"Pennsylvania's Flawed Film Tax Credit: What the ERA study won't tell you," with Antony Davies, the Commonwealth Foundation Policy Brief, 21(2), 2009.

"The Economic Incidence of West Virginia Taxes from 1999 to 2004," with Mehmet Tosun and Arzu Sen, West Virginia Business and Economic Review, Spring 2007, Vol. 14: 1-4.

Book Chapters, Case Studies, and Book Reviews:

"Crawford Chemicals: Carbon risk mitigation in an uncertain regulatory environment." TruCost Case Study with Tom Nist and Becky Weisberg.

"The Economics of Torture" chapter in The Handbook on the Political Economy of War, Editor Chris Coyne, Edward Elgar Publishing, forthcoming in 2009.

"Retirees and Economic Development in West Virginia" chapter with Mehmet Tosun, Arzu Sen, and Claudia Williamson, Demographic Economics Research Perspectives, Editor  Pavel E. Gordeev, 2008.

"Three Specific Tax Reforms for Increasing Growth" chapter with Robin Capehart, Unleashing Capitalism: Why Prosperity Stops at the West Virginia State Line and How to Fix It, Editor Russell Sobel, 2007.

I conduct mostly empirical research on many diverse topics, many of which fall under the fields of public, international, and peace economics. I am most interested in the issues pertaining to political economy. I have written articles and book chapters on political institutions, economic growth, arms trade, military spending, taxation, torture, traffic fatalities, suicide, and battlefield deaths. My ultimate goal is to produce research that will improve policymaking and governance.