Abstract Since the publication of seminal book Nudge by Thaler and Sunstein, several critics have highlighted preference endogeneity as a serious obstacle to nudging. When individuals hold preferences that are dynamic endogenous nudge frame, it is unclear what normative benchmark for libertarian paternalistic policies should be. While acknowledging this issue, pro-nudging camp has not yet suffi...

The use of detention for psychiatric treatment is widespread and sometimes necessary. International human rights law requires a legal framework to safeguard the rights to liberty and personal integrity by preventing arbitrary detention. However, research suggests that extra-legal factors may influence decisions to detain. This article presents observational and interview data to describe how de...

Welfare programs are often implemented in-kind to promote outcomes that might not be realized under cash transfers. I use a randomized controlled trial of the Mexican government’s Food Assistance Program (‘PAL’) to test whether this form of paternalism is necessary, comparing precisely measured consumption and health outcomes under both inkind food and cash transfers. Importantly, I …nd that ho...