PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Deniz Igan
TI  - Home Truths: Promises and Challenges in Linking Mortgages and Political Influence
AID  - 10.7758/RSF.2016.2.7.05
DP  - 2016 Nov 01
TA  - RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences
PG  - 69--86
VI  - 2
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.rsfjournal.org/content/2/7/69.short
4100  - http://www.rsfjournal.org/content/2/7/69.full
AB  - What can “big data” tell us about the dynamics shaping the regulation of and activities in housing and mortgage markets? This paper describes a detailed database of the lobbying activities, campaign contributions, political connections, and mortgage lending activities of the financial industry. A review of the findings of recent research that has utilized this data set suggests that the political influence of the financial industry may have a bearing on the regulation of mortgage markets and, in turn, on risk-taking by lenders. A key challenge is deciphering the motivations behind the politically targeted activities of the financial industry.