Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Economics
University of Washington, Seattle
2016
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Faculty
Faculty
Alexander Robert Henke, Ph.D. ( he/him)
Associate Professor
Department/Office
- Economics
School/College
- College of Arts & Sciences
Biography
Alexander Henke, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He joined the department as an assistant professor in 2017 and was promoted to associate professor in 2023. Henke earned his doctorate and master’s degree in economics from the University of Washington in Seattle and his bachelor’s degree in economics from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. His doctoral dissertation focused on essays on corruption and enforcement.
Henke’s research explores applied microeconomics with a focus on contract theory, household economics and the economics of crime. His published work examines the economic determinants and policy implications of issues such as domestic violence, unemployment and intimate partner violence, including collaborations that analyze COVID-19’s effects on crime and family outcomes. He has published in leading journals and presented his research at professional meetings and invited seminars.
At Howard University, Henke teaches courses including advanced microeconomics, public finance, industrial organization and the doctoral microeconomic theory sequence. He has also taught economics at other institutions, including Grand Valley State University and Beijing Normal University–Hong Kong Baptist University United International College. Henke serves on departmental and university committees and participates in professional service through journal reviewing and academic organizations. His fields of research are contract theory, household economics, and the economics of crime.
Education & Expertise
Education
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Economics
University of Washington, Seattle
2012
Bachelor of Arts (M.A.)
Economics
Whitman College
2009
Expertise
Contract Theory
Household Economics
Public Finance
Academics
Academics
ECOG 201: Microeconomic Theory II (Fall)
Ph.D. level mathematical foundations of microeconomic theory
ECON 190: Public Finance (Fall)
Foundational theories of taxation, public goods, and public choice
ECOG 205: Microeconomic Theory III (Spring)
ECON 189: Industrial Organization (Spring)
Theory of the firm, monopolistic practices, oligopoly, entry deterrence, antitrust, and other topics (cross-listed as ECOG 248)
Advanced Microeconomics (AEA Summer Program)
Condensed version of Ph.D. Microeconomic Theory sequence
Research
Research
Specialty
Contract Theory, Household Economics, Economics of CrimeFunding
Co-Principal Investigator: U.S. Department of Labor Summer Data Challenge on Equity and
Underserved Communities ($29,797). Project: Increased Unemployment Payments
and Domestic Violence: Evidence from FPUC implementation. 2022.
Group Information
Also see: https://alexhenke.weebly.com/research.html
Featured News
Featured News
Read: The Hilltop | Youth Unemployment Reaches Peak Since The Pandemic, Studies Say
Read: The Hilltop | Howard Economic Professors Weigh In On Harris’ Price Gouging Plan
Publications and Presentations
Publications and Presentations
Eviction moratoria and race disparities of eviction filing rates in the U.S
Eviction moratoria and race disparities of eviction filing rates in the U.S
During the COVID-19 pandemic, US states enacted moratoria on evictions. Leveraging detailed administrative eviction filing data, we analyse the effects of eviction moratoria on eviction filings. Depending on the specification, we estimate that eviction filings declined by 75% in moratorium states relative to states with no moratorium in effect. We then impute the race and gender of renters facing eviction. We find significant and robust reductions in filings for all groups except Asian males. We estimate that eviction moratoria reduced eviction filings for Black, Hispanic and Asian renters significantly more than white renters, and women more than men. The simplest explanation for this disparity is that non-white (female) renters are disproportionately evicted compared to white (male) renters in general, and preventing evictions in a broad, uniform manner would thus disproportionately affect these groups.
Unemployment insurance generosity and intimate partner violence
Unemployment insurance generosity and intimate partner violence
We examine the relationship between unemployment insurance generosity and reported intimate partner violence in the U.S. by leveraging the staggered adoption of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which increased unemployment insurance payments by $600 per week in 2020. Using detailed nationwide police report data, we find that states that implemented this program reported 9% more cases of intimate partner violence (IPV) than states which had not yet implemented the program, driven primarily by increases in aggravated assault, intimidation, and sexual assault. This is consistent with prior evidence on changes in government transfers and IPV. These results are not explained by local differences in unemployment, sheltering in place, economic impact payments, COVID-19 case rates, or temperature. We also find a decrease in total reported IPV against men, but more serious offenses increase.
CARES and crime
The US signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020 to alleviate the harsh economic effects of the pandemic and related shutdowns. A substantial part of the bill expanded and increased unemployment insurance payments, where a growing area of research estimates strong anti-poverty effects. The authors examine the effect of these policies on crime.