Publications by Russell Sobel

Publications by Russell Sobel

Working Paper

The Political Economy of FEMA: Did Reorganization Matter?

Peter Leeson, Christopher Coyne, Russell Sobel | Dec 2009
This paper investigates the political economy of FEMA’s post-9/11 merger with the Department of Homeland Security.
Mercatus Policy Series

The Impact of FEMA Reorganization: Implications for Policy

Christopher Coyne, Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel | Feb 2009
This policy comment discusses the impact and implications of FEMA’s move to DHS.
Journal of Law and Economics

Weathering Corruption

Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel | Nov 01, 2008
In this journal article published in the Journal of Law and Economics, Drs. Leeson and Sobel examine whether bad weather could be responsible for U.S. corruption.
Working Paper

The Poltical Economy of FEMA

Christopher Coyne, Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel | Jan 2008
The authors examine how organizational changes within the Department of Homeland Security have impacted how FEMA responds to different types of political pressure.
Journal Article

The Political, Economic, and Social Aspects of Katrina

Emily Chamlee-Wright, Peter J. Boettke, Peter Gordon, Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel, Sanford Ikeda | Sep 07, 2007
This paper examines the resiliency of community recovery following natural disaster.
Working Paper

Race, Politics, and Punishment: Democratic Failure in the New Orleans Mayoral Election

Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel | May 2007
This paper empirically evaluates two competing theories of electoral accountability in the context of New Orleans’ 2006 mayoral election.
Journal Article

The Use of Knowledge in Natural Disaster Relief Management

Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel | Mar 01, 2007
In this paper, Professors Russell Sobel and Peter Leeson analyze information asymmetries that appear in top-down efforts at alleviating the effects of natural disasters.
Mercatus Policy Series

The Impact of FEMA on U.S. Corruption: Implications for Policy

Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel | Jan 11, 2007
This Policy Comment examines the effect that federal government disaster relief payments have on local corruption.
Journal Article

Government's Response to Hurricane Katrina: A Public Choice Analysis

Peter Leeson, Russell Sobel | Apr 03, 2006
The authors use public choice theory to explain the failure of FEMA and other governmental agencies to carry out effective disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.