Noel Johnson is an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He is also a Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, a faculty member at the Center for the Study of Public Choice, and an Affiliate Member of the CESifo Research Network. Professor Johnson's research interests include: The historical origins of modern liberal institutions. The relationship between state capacity and economic growth. The impact of environmental shocks on institutional change and economic outcomes. Applied Econometrics with a particular emphasis on spatial data. Identification and Causality.