On March 31, 2025, an academic seminar jointly organized by the Center for International Cooperation and Disciplinary Innovation of Income Distribution and Public Finance and the School of Public Finance and Taxation at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law was successfully held in Wenqin Building's Conference Room 119. As a guest speaker, Professor Jonathan Hamilton provided insightful guidance on the Center’s research work. The seminar was chaired by Dr. Wan Xin, a research fellow at the Center, and attended by over 10 participants, including Dr. Li Yuetong from the School of Public Finance and Taxation and research fellow Dr. Zou Jianwen from the Center.
At the beginning of the seminar, Dr. Li Yuetong presented her paper titled "The Impact of Son Preference on the Subjective Well-being of Elder Sisters: A Perspective on Inequality in Intra-household Resources." Drawing on the cultural context of Chinese families and using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), the study reveals the profound negative impact of son preference on the well-being of girls. The paper’s key finding demonstrates that households exhibiting a son preference tend to reduce the well-being of girls significantly.
During the commentary session, Professor Hamilton offered constructive feedback. He commended the paper for its innovative contribution, noting that it is among the first studies to quantify the effect of gender preference in the context of intergenerational transmission of resources. By introducing the variable of age gap, the study further underscores the long-term implications of early-life resource distribution on individual well-being. Professor Hamilton suggested that the study could be further enhanced by expanding the sample to include families with multiple children, thereby examining whether preference effects persist under relaxed birth policies. He also recommended incorporating provinces without fertility restrictions—particularly those with minority ethnic groups—into the analytical framework. Against the backdrop of China’s fertility policy adjustments, this enables a more nuanced analysis of the interplay between cultural norms and policy constraints, thereby enhancing the study’s policy relevance.
The latter part of the seminar centered on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the labor market. Research fellow Dr. Zou Jianwen and Professor Hamilton engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on the “Economic and Social Impacts of AI Replacing Labor.” Using examples from China’s manufacturing sector, Professor Hamilton analyzed AI’s substitution effects for standardized tasks. He noted that while assembly line work can be highly automated, non-standardized tasks such as maintenance and construction still heavily rely on human labor. Dr. Zou, from the perspective of labor market segmentation theory, pointed out that AI may exacerbate wage rigidity in the service sector and lead to a shift of low-skilled labor towards informal employment.
Professor Hamilton’s insightful remarks inspired deeper reflection among faculty and students on both household resource allocation and the substitution effects of AI in the labor force. In the discussion that followed, participants actively exchanged views on issues such as the pace at which AI may replace human labor.
Guest Profile
Jonathan Hamilton, Ph.D. in Economics, is a professor of economics at the University of Florida. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University in 1976 and his Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1982. Professor Hamilton has assumed several academic positions. He previously served as Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Florida. He is an active member of the Southern Economic Association, where he also served as President. In addition, he has served as editor and advisory board member for several SSCI-indexed journals. Professor Hamilton is currently appointed as "Wenlan Chair Professor" at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. Professor Hamilton has made extensive scholarly contributions in the fields of public economics, game theory, location theory, and spatial competition.