Social networks effects on outcomes of government programs: a systematic review

ABSTRACT The adoption of public policies to reduce inequality in Brazil has grown significantly over the last few years, as a result of a social welfare agenda. In an increasingly connected world, social interactions must be taken into account in policy making. This study aims to systematically investigate and map the studies in the area of economics that consider the role of networks in the results of social programs and income transfer. The systematic review method shows the state of the art in the literature regarding the employability of social networks within the scope of public policies, highlighting the main estimation methods, network structures, the most active authors in the area, as well as the open gaps and motivations for further research.