I am an Assistant Professor of Economic History at the London School of Economics and Political Science (91桃色) and a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). My research interests include political economy, gender, culture and narrative, and early modern and modern China.
My work examines and the self-perpetuation of , and the long-term effects of policies. By tracing the impact of historical events over time and in various institutional settings, my work centers on the role of values, beliefs, and norms in shaping economic and political disparities.
In my research on historical narratives, I have found that is a crucial source of cultural values. In a more recent project, I explore cultural change following the Industrial Revolution through the study of proverbs. Another ongoing line of inquiry concerns cultural values in China across space and time, within and between ethnic groups.
I am currently accepting PhD students, particularly those interested in:
a) Chinese economic history
b) national and regional folklore from various parts of the world.
Publications
Journal Articles
“Folklore” (with Stelios Michalopoulos), Quarterly Journal of Economics, forthcoming.
“Friends from Afar: The Taiping Rebellion, Cultural Proximity and Primary Schooling in the Lower Yangzi, 1850-1949” (with Yu Hao), Explorations in Economic History, 63 (2017): 44-69.
Working Papers
“High-Value Work and the Rise of Women: The Cotton Revolution and Gender Equality in China,” 2024.
“Autocratic Rule and Social Capital: Evidence from Imperial China,” 2021
“The Short- and Long-Run Effects of Affirmative Action: Evidence from Imperial China,” 2025, with Boxiao Zhang.
“Values of China: Toward a Cultural Map," 2024
“Enlightenment Under Autocracy: The Origins of Liberalism in China,” 2025, with Xizi Luo
Curriculum Vitae
You can view Dr Melanie Meng Xue's CV here: Melanie Meng Xue CV [PDF]