Dr. Cai’s research primarily lies in development, labor, and health economics. His work closely connects to human capabilities by examining how early-life conditions, migration, and social policies shape cognitive and non-cognitive skill formation across the life course. Specifically, his studies investigate how childhood circumstances influence cognitive function in old age, demonstrating the long-term developmental trajectories of human capabilities. Additionally, his research on internal migration and labor markets explores how social identity, migrant networks, and institutional contexts affect human capital acquisition and labor market outcomes. Through rigorous empirical analysis and randomized field experiments, his work provides policy-relevant evidence on poverty alleviation, healthy aging, and subjective well-being, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of how to foster and protect human capabilities.
Email:shucai@jnu.edu.cn
Selected Publications