# March 24: Frontiers in the Analysis of Casual Mechanisms March 09, 2012 ![untitled](/sites/g/files/omnuum8171/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/harvard-iqss/files/untitled.png?itok=6SP80gHk) An important goal of social science research is the analysis of causal mechanisms. Recently, researchers in a variety of disciplines have started to clarify how this should be done, both in terms of how to analyze data from experiments or observation studies and how to design experiments themselves. Much of this progress has been made by expressing causal mechanisms in the formal framework of causal inference, but there remains considerable heterogeneity on the topic and deep disagreements. The purpose of this conference is to bring together cutting edge theoretical and applied research, in both the social and life sciences, to better our understanding of how to study causal mechanisms. Presenting papers are scholars from economics, epidemiology, political science, psychology, sociology and statistics. For more information, go to: On the Friday before the conference (3/23/12) there will be a two hour "crash course" on the topic for interested undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. The crash course is located in the Science Center, Hall B, from 3-5pm. Registration for the conference is required, please fill out the following registration form: [https://harvardgovernment.us2.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV\_9uG6rYeWXBvpeyU](https://harvardgovernment.us2.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9uG6rYeWXBvpeyU) Date; March 24, 2012 8:30am - 5:00pm Location: Tsai Auditorium (S-010), Belfer Case Study Room (S-020), 1730 Cambridge St. Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)