Difference-in-differences, Average Treatment Effects and the Importance of Mechanisms: Part 1

Ignaz Semmelweis reasoning out mechanisms through heterogeneity analysis and designed non-randomized experiments.

This substack was inspired by a lecture given by Pamela Jakeila on difference-in-differences and a random DM exchange with Andrew Goodman-Bacon that caused me to ruminate for weeks. All errors are my own as the ruminating is not done. I can’t claim that the following is coherent, only that I think something inside it is interesting to me if no one else.…