This compilation thesis consists of four studies examining how individuals and institutions respond to changes in economic conditions and information environments. The first three papers focus on contemporary Africa and study how technological and income shocks affect demographic outcomes and social norms, while the fourth paper examines how political and economic incentives influence institutional change in a historical setting.

The first paper studies the impact of mobile broadband expansion on fertility and child health. Using individual-level data and the staggered rollout of 3G networks, the paper finds that improved connectivity increases fertility, particularly among older and more educated women, but is associated with adverse child health outcomes. The evidence is consistent with two complementary forces: the marginal pregnancies induced by 3G are intrinsically higher-risk, and the maternal health system does not expand to meet rising demand.

The second paper investigates how the expansion of mobile and fixed internet affects attitudes toward intimate partner violence. Exploiting the rollout of submarine cables and 3G coverage across Africa, the study finds that different technologies have contrasting effects on gender norms, with mobile internet improving women's attitudes while male attitudes become more regressive.

The third paper examines how agricultural income shocks affect fertility and child outcomes. Using variation in global commodity price movements interacted with local crop suitability, the study shows that increases in cash crop income raise fertility, primarily through higher-order births, and alter the timing of family formation.

The fourth paper analyses the determinants of franchise expansion in nineteenth-century Britain. Using data on parliamentary voting behaviour, the study shows that political elites' support for democratization depends on electoral incentives, inequality, and the heterogeneity of voter interests, highlighting how strategic considerations shape institutional change.