Dr. Heng CHEN
Economics

MEcon Programme Director
Associate Professor
2857 8506
hengchen@hku.hk
KK 915


Academic & Professional Qualification
Ph.D., University of Zurich
M.A., Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
B.A., China Agricultural University
Biography
Heng CHEN finished his PhD studies at the University of Zurich in 2010.? Before he moved to Switzerland, Heng has also studied at Harvard University, Stockholm University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. His research areas include learning and information acquisition in macroeconomics and political economy. In particular, he works on topics related to financial, economic and political crises, belief formation and news market.
Research Interest
Learning in Macroeconomics
Political Economy
Chinese Economy
Selected Publications
“Radicalism in Mass Movements: Asymmetric Information and Endogenous Leadership”
(with Wing Suen)?American Political Science Review, 2021, 115, 1, 286-306
“Aspiring for Change: A Theory of Middle Class Activism”
(with Wing Suen) The Economic Journal, 2017, 127:1318-1347
“Falling Dominoes: A Theory of Rare Events and Crisis Contagion”
(with Wing Suen), American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, 2016, 8(1):228-55
“The Power of Whispers:?A Theory of Rumor, Communication and Revolution”
(with Yang Lu and Wing Suen)?Technical Appendix??International Economic Review, 2016, 57(No.1):89-116
“Attention Misallocation, Social Welfare and Policy Implications”
(with Yulei Luo and Guangyu Pei), Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 2015, 59(Oct):37-57
Working Papers
“The Great Famine and Household Saving in China”
(with Maelys Rupelle)
“Competition for Attention in the News Media Market”
(with Wing Suen)
“The Role of Information Intermediary in Financial Market”
(with Guangyu Pei)
“The Great Gatsby Curve, Bequest and Preference Transmission”
(with Baochun Peng)
“The Saving Puzzle and Intergenerational Habit Persistence”
(with Qingyuan Du and Jianjun Xu)
“The Self-financing, Corporate Savings and Trade Liberalization”
(with Qingyuan Du and Yongjin Wang)
“Financial Market Diversification and Excess Consumption Growth Volatility in Developing Countries”
“Mortgage Loans, Risk Sharing and the Decline of the Household Saving Rate”
(with Christoph Winter)