William Kousser

Hey! Will here.

I'm an undergraduate studying Political Science at Stanford University. While I enjoy learning about all things political, my current focus is on adapting American political institutions to deal with 21st century problems, especially the threats posed by polarization, hyper-competition, and climate change. In addition to this research focus, I'm interested in finding ways to incorporate social science methods into the US policymaking process so that we will have better, data-driven governance.

I update this page periodically to share the projects I'm working on.

Photograph from a talk I gave for the Bill Lane Center's annual Stanford to the Sea hike

Project Previews:

Managed Retreat and Market Failure

Homeowners are a powerful force both locally and statewide in California and have proven a major political roadblock to the state's climate change and sea level rise adaptation efforts. While there's no question about why homeowners want to protect their homes and dreams of coastal living, ever-worsening flooding and bluff collapses ought to make it clear to people that rising seas are putting an expiration date on their coastal real estate. This analysis uses a causal inference design to demonstrate that many markets -- and thus homeowners -- are failing to price in the destructive effects of sea level rise, suggesting that opposition to climate adaptation policies (which would displace coastal homeowners) is actually a rational individual choice driven by broader market irrationality.

Using Data and Econometrics to Understand Homeowner Behavior

Communicating Sea Level Rise in California

Sea levels are rising fast in California, posing a major threat to the environment and coastal communities. Despite the urgency and magnitude of this challenge, communicating with the public about the threats of rising seas and the necessity of certain adaptation measures has proven difficult for local governments. I analyze quotes from news articles and planning documents using text-as-data methods to paint a stark contrast in the ways that the public and the government talk about sea level rise. I argue that these results demonstrate significant room for policy compromise through better, more empathetic communication.

Sea Level Rise and California Politics

Gradual Retreat: A Solution for Rising Seas?

A new, compromise version of managed retreat is necessary, one that preserves homeowners’ agency, does not create moral hazard, is politically viable, and still effectively adapts to sea level rise. This plan, called compromise / gradual retreat, grants governments the opportunity, when a coastal home is put on sale or ownership is transferred, to buy that home for fair market value. Such a plan allows governments to buy out vulnerable structures without being forced to purchase risky assets and allows homeowners to remain in their homes as long as they desire or is safe. This compromise plan anticipates both the economic and emotional concerns of homeowners, making it likely to be a politically viable compromise.

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