Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

College of Business and Economics

Department

Economics

Committee Chair

Joshua Hall

Committee Co-Chair

Bryan McCannon

Committee Member

Bryan McCannon

Committee Member

Adam Nowak

Committee Member

Edward Timmons

Committee Member

Alicia Plemmons

Abstract

Occupational regulation affects many people across many aspects of life. This dissertation research investigates the consequences of occupational regulation across three different areas of study: economic history, urban and regional economics, and health policy.

The first chapter investigates the historic licensing of emigrant agents. In the period following the US Civil War, firms wished to capitalize on the availability of African American labor. To do so they hired emigrant agents, also known as labor agents, to hire and help with the migration of individuals from the South. Faced with out-migration at the hands of the labor force, some southern states licensed the profession as a substantial barrier to practice. I use linked full-count US Censuses to determine the effect that licensing emigrant agents had on the individual probability of migration both out of state, and out of the South.

The second chapter deals with cross-border competition and the effects of licensing massage therapists. Licensing laws are passed at the state level; and thus, there can be considerable variation across states. Should there be much economic activity at state borders, this would be inconsequential. Yet, the existence of metropolitan areas spanning state borders begs the question of what effects can restricting competition be when competitive substitutes are easily available.

The third chapter is joint work with Dr. Bobby W. Chung of St. Bonaventure University and presents an analysis of the effect of expanding scope of practice for nurse practitioners.

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