Events – Page 2 – Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP)

Immunocapital: Disease, Power, and Inequality in the Antebellum Cotton Kingdom

October 7, 2020March 25, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Past Events

Monday, October 26, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

We were pleased to invite you to a new webinar series, “Facing Inequality”, hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy. This virtual series focused on current and emerging inequality issues in the U.S. and around the globe. The series brought attention to aspects of inequality being made increasingly relevant by the current COVID-19 pandemic and associated crises. The series was organized under the stewardship of IIEP Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, and IIEP Faculty Affiliate Trevor Jackson, Assistant Professor of History. The series was co-sponsored by the GW Interdisciplinary Inequality Series, co-organized by Prof. Jackson from the Department of History and Prof. Bryan Stuart from the Department of Economics.

This was the ninth event in the facing inequality series. Our distinguished guest was Dr. Kathryn Olivarius. Based on Olivarius’s current book project, this talk discussed the impact of yellow fever in New Orleans in the antebellum period and how disease and immunity became agents of inequality. Yellow fever killed upwards of eight percent of antebellum New Orleans’ population each summer. It was terrifying: there was do cure, no inoculation, no conclusive evidence of disease transmission, and no satisfactory proof for why it killed some while leaving others symptomatic. It was, moreover, a sudden and horrible way to die, with victims famously vomiting up thick black vomit at the end of their illness. About half of all nineteenth-century victims died; the other half became “acclimated” or immune for life. The Cotton Kingdom was a slave society where whites dominated free people of color and enslaved people through legally sanctioned violence. But another invisible hierarchy came to co-mingle with the racial order; white “acclimated citizens” stood atop the social pyramid, followed by white “unacclimated strangers,” followed by everyone else. Here, the acclimated wielded their immunity at every turn, making epidemiological discrimination a major form of bias in this already unequal society.

Agenda:

12:30 p.m. – Welcome Remarks by IIEP Director James Foster and Facing Inequality co-organizer Prof. Trevor Jackson
12:35 p.m. – Introductory Remarks and Setting the Stage by Dayna Matthew, GW Law School Dean
12:50 p.m. – “Immunocapital: Disease, Power, and Inequality in the Antebellum Cotton Kingdom” by Kathryn Olivarius, Stanford University
1:30 p.m. – Discussant Remarks by Martin Saavedra, Oberlin College
1:40 p.m. – Response by Kathryn Olivarius
1:45 p.m. – Audience Q&A moderated by IIEP Director James Foster
2:00 p.m. – Event Conclusion

About the Speakers:

Kathryn Olivarius is an Assistant Professor of History at Stanford University, where she has taught since 2017. Her research and teaching focus on slavery’s rise and fall in the American South and the wider Atlantic World, disease in the nineteenth century, the history of race and ethnicity, and the social upheaval of the Age of Revolutions. Last year, she was awarded Stanford’s Phi Beta Kappa teaching prize for undergraduate teaching. Before moving to California, she was a Past and Present postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Historical Research in London. Her book entitled Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom will be published by Harvard University Press in Fall 2021. Her article “Immunity, Power, and Belonging in Antebellum New Orleans,” was published by the American Historical Review last year.

About the Discussant:

Martin Saavedra is an Associate Professor of Economics at Oberlin College and earned his PhD in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014. He primarily works in the fields of economic history, health economics, and labor economics, and his research focuses on the economics of infectious disease, infant health, and the WW2 internment of Japanese Americans. His work has been published in the Journal of Economic History, Explorations in Economic History, the Journal of Economic Literature, among others.

About GW Law School Dean Danya Bowen Matthew:

Dayna Bowen Matthew, JD, PhD, is the Dean and Harold H. Greene Professor of Law at the George Washington University Law School. Dean Matthew is a leader in public health and civil rights law who focuses on racial disparities in health care. She joined the UVA Law faculty in 2017 and is the author of the book Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care. At UVA, she served as Co-Founder and Inaugural Director of The Equity Center, a transdisciplinary research center that seeks to build better relationships between UVA and the Charlottesville community through community-engaged scholarship that tangibly redresses racial and socioeconomic inequality.

Dean Matthew previously served on the University of Colorado law faculty as a Professor, Vice Dean, and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. She was a member of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities on the Anschutz Medical Campus. Dean Matthew held a joint appointment at the Colorado School of Public Health. In 2013, she co-founded the Colorado Health Equity Project, a medical-legal partnership incubator aimed at removing barriers to good health for low-income clients by providing legal representation, research, and policy advocacy. In 2015, she served as the Senior Adviser to the Director of the Office of Civil Rights for the US Environmental Protection Agency, where she expedited cases on behalf of historically vulnerable communities besieged by pollution. She then became a member of the health policy team for US Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and worked on public health issues. During 2015-16, she was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow in Residence in Washington, DC, and pivoted her work toward population-level clients.

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India’s COVID-19 Challenge: Outcomes and Options

September 29, 2020March 25, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, India, Past Events

Thursday, October 15, 2020
10:30 am – 12:00 pm EDT
WebEx

This was the second webinar in the “Envisioning India” series, co-sponsored by the Sigur Center for Asian Studies and the Institute for International Economic Policy. It is a platform for dialogue and debate. We invited you to engage with us in this series of important discussions.

The “Envisioning India” series is organized under the stewardship of IIEP Co-Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, and IIEP Distinguished Visiting Scholar Ajay Chhibber. The second event, “India’s COVID-19 Challenge: Outcomes and Options” featured Raghuram Rajan, Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago, and Bina Agarwal, Professor of Development Economics and Environment at the University of Manchester. The discussion was moderated by Professor James Foster, with an introduction by Dr. Ajay Chhibber.

India has been hit hard by the Coronavirus. Today it has amongst the highest number of cases world-wide and daily rising death rates. One of the world’s strictest lockdowns in March, with no warning, flattened the economy instead of flattening the Covid-19 curve. In Q1 FY 2020-21 (April to June), India’s GDP fell by almost 24%, while the FY 2020-21GDP growth is projected to be between -5% and -10%, amongst the largest drop globally. The economy was already ailing prior to Covid, with growth falling for 7 previous quarters. COVID will set it back further, perhaps by at least 5 years and push millions out of work and into poverty. India’s ambitious goal of becoming a $5 Trillion economy by 2025 seems a distant dream now.

The lockdown also forced millions of urban migrants to return to their rural homes, under great hardship, carrying with them the virus and the despair of joblessness. India’s woefully inadequate public health system is now overwhelmed. Central and State finances are in deep trouble and the GST (as a sign of Cooperative Federalism) is beset with intense political friction. The already struggling financial system is likely to sink even deeper into the mire. The Rs 20 Trillion (10% of GDP) package announced by the government with much fanfare under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-reliant India scheme), is too small – especially its fiscal component -to repair the economic damage or revive livelihoods. The package includes a series of reforms in agricultural markets and labor markets as well as a greater push for “ Make in India”. But will these reforms help India at this stage?

India is between a rock and a hard place. Did it have to get so bad? Is there any good news? A silver lining anywhere? Is there scope for some transformative change? Or do we, as with the virus, have to brace ourselves to “live with” this economic downturn for a long stretch ahead?

Our distinguished panelists discussed these challenges and possible options and solutions.

About the Panelists:

Raghuram Rajan is the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. He was the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between 2013 and 2016, and also served as Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Bank for International Settlements between 2015 and 2016. Dr. Rajan was the Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund from 2003 to 2006.

Dr. Rajan’s research interests are in banking, corporate finance, and economic development, especially the role finance plays in it. He co-authored Saving Capitalism from the Capitalists with Luigi Zingales in 2003. He then wrote Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy, for which he was awarded the Financial Times-Goldman Sachs prize for best business book in 2010. His most recent book, The Third Pillar: How Markets and the State hold the Community Behind was published in 2019.

Dr. Rajan was the President of the American Finance Association in 2011 and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Group of Thirty. In 2003, the American Finance Association awarded Dr. Rajan the inaugural Fischer Black Prize for the best finance researcher under the age of 40. The other awards he has received include the Deutsche Bank Prize for Financial Economics in 2013, Euromoney magazine’s Central Banker of the Year Award 2014 and The Banker magazine’s Global Central Banker of the Year award in 2016.

Bina Agarwal is Professor of Development Economics and Environment at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester, UK, and former Professor and Director, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi. She has been President, International Society for Ecological Economics; Vice-President, International Economic Association; President, International Society for Feminist Economics; and held distinguished positions at the Universities of Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, Michigan, Minnesota, and the New York University School of Law. Dr. Agarwal’s publications include the multiple award-winning book, A Field of One’s Own: Gender and Land Rights in South Asia (Cambridge University Press, 1994), Gender and Green Governance (OUP, 2010) and Gender Challenges (OUP, 2016), a three volume compendium of her selected papers on Agriculture, Property, and the Environment. Her pioneering work on gender inequality in property and land and on environmental governance, has had global impact. Her many awards include a Padma Shri, 2008; book prizes; the Leontief Prize 2010; Louis Malassis Scientific Prize 2017; and the International Balzan Prize, 2017.

About the Organizers:

James E. Foster is the Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs, Professor of Economics, and Co-Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy at the George Washington University. He is also a Research Associate at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at Oxford University. Professor Foster’s research focuses on welfare economics — using economic tools to evaluate and enhance the wellbeing of people. His joint 1984 Econometrica paper (with Joel Greer and Erik Thorbecke) is one of the most cited papers on poverty. It introduced the FGT Index, which has been used in thousands of studies and was employed in targeting the Progresa CCT program in Mexico. Other research includes work on economic inequality with Amartya Sen; on the distribution of human development with Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva and Miguel Szekely; on multidimensional poverty with Sabina Alkire; and on literacy with Kaushik Basu.

Professor Foster’s work underlies many well-known social indices including the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) published annually by the UNDP in the Human Development Report, dozens of national MPIs used to guide domestic policy against poverty, the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) at USAID, the Gross National Happiness Index of Bhutan, the Better Jobs Index of the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the Statistical Performance Index of the World Bank.

Ajay Chhibber is a Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Institute of International Economic Policy, George Washington University and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, the Atlantic Council, Washington DC. He was earlier Director General, Independent Evaluation Office, Government of India and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), India. He held senior positions at the UN as Assistant Secretary General and Assistant Administrator, UNDP and managed their program for Asia and the Pacific. He also served in senior positions at the World Bank. He has a PhD from Stanford University, a Masters from the Delhi School of Economics. He taught at Georgetown University and at the University of Delhi.

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Short and long-run distributional impacts of COVID-19 in Latin America

September 28, 2020March 25, 2022Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Stephen B. Kaplan

Monday, October 12, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

“Facing Inequality” is a webinar series hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy. This virtual series focuses on current and emerging inequality issues in the U.S. and around the globe. The series brings attention to aspects of inequality being made increasingly relevant by the current COVID-19 pandemic and associated crises. It is organized under the stewardship of IIEP Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, and IIEP Faculty Affiliate Trevor Jackson, Assistant Professor of History. The series is co-sponsored by the GW Interdisciplinary Inequality Series, co-organized by Prof. Jackson from the Department of History and Prof. Bryan Stuart from the Department of Economics.

This was the eighth event in the facing inequality series. Our distinguished speakers, Nora Lustig and Guido Neidhöfer discussed their paper, “Short and long-run distributional impacts of COVID-19 in Latin America ” (Lustig, Neidhöfer and Tommasi). They simulate the short- and long-term distributional consequences of COVID-19 in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. They show that the short-term impact on income inequality and poverty can be very significant but that additional spending on social assistance has a large offsetting effect in Brazil and Argentina. The effect is much smaller in Colombia and nil in Mexico, where there has been no such expansion. To project the long-term consequences, they estimate the impact of the pandemic on human capital and its intergenerational persistence. Hereby, they use information on school lockdowns, educational mitigation policies, and account for educational losses related to parental job loss. Their findings show that in all four countries the impact is strongly asymmetric and affects particularly the human capital of the most vulnerable. Consequently, educational inequality and inequality of opportunity are expected to increase substantially, in spite of the mitigation policies.

About the Speakers:

Nora Lustig is Samuel Z. Stone Professor of Latin American Economics and the founding Director of the Commitment to Equity Institute (CEQ) at Tulane University. She is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, the Center for Global Development and the Inter-American Dialogue. Professor Lustig’s research focuses on economic development, inequality and social policies with emphasis on Latin America. Her recent publication Commitment to Equity Handbook: Estimating the Impact of Fiscal Policy on Inequality and Poverty is a step-by-step guide to assessing the impact of taxation and social spending on inequality and poverty in developing countries. Prof. Lustig is a founding member and President Emeritus of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA) and was a co-director of the World Bank’s World Development Report 2000, Attacking Poverty. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Economic Inequality and is a member of the Society for the Study of Economic Inequality’s Executive Council. Prof. Lustig served on the Atkinson Commission on Poverty, the High-level Group on Measuring Economic Performance and Social Progress, and the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance. She received her doctorate in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Guido Neidhöfer is an advanced researcher in the Labor Markets and Human Resources department at ZEW Mannheim, Germany, as well as a fellow at the College for Interdisciplinary Educational Research (CIDER), visiting scholar at the Center for Distributive, Labor and Social Studies (CEDLAS) of the National University of La Plata, and an associated researcher of the Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo Humano (CEDH) of the Universidad de San Andres in Argentina. His research focuses on the causes and consequences of economic inequality, social mobility, education and migration.

About the Discussants:

Stephen B. Kaplan is an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs. Professor Kaplan’s research and teaching interests focus on the frontiers of international and comparative political economy, where he specializes in the political economy of global finance and development, the rise of China in the Western Hemisphere, and Latin American politics.

Professor Kaplan joined the GWU faculty in the fall of 2010 after completing a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University and his Ph.D at Yale University. While at Yale, Kaplan also worked as a researcher for former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo at the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. Prior to his doctoral studies, Professor Kaplan was a senior economic analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, writing extensively on developing country economics, global financial market developments, and emerging market crises from 1998 to 2003.

Dr. Michael C. Wolfson received his B.Sc with honours from University of Toronto jointly in mathematics, computer science and economics in 1971, and then a Ph.D. from Cambridge in economics in 1977. He retired as Assistant Chief Statistician, Analysis and Development (which included the Health Statistics program and the central R&D function) at Statistics Canada in 2009. He was awarded a Canada Research Chair in Population Health Modeling in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa for 2010-2017. Prior to joining Statistics Canada, he held increasingly senior positions in the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Finance, the Privy Council Office, the House of Commons, and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office. While a senior public servant, he was also a founding Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Program in Population Health (1988-2003). He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, an elected member of the International Statistical Institute, and a member of the recently created Canadian Statistics Advisory Council.

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No Going Back: Post Corona Reconstruction Program

September 18, 2020March 25, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Tuesday, September 29, 2020
11 am EDT
WebEx

We are pleased to invite you to a conversation with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, the founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh who created a model for combating poverty through microlending. He is also the founder of the Yunus Centre, a think tank for issues related to social business. He is the author of three books, including Banker to the Poor. The event will be moderated by Dr. James Foster, Co-Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy and Oliver T. Carr Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics at the George Washington University. This event is jointly sponsored by IIEP, the Elliott School of International Affairs, the LEAP Initiative, and the George Washington University.

About the Speaker:
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus is the father of both social business and microcredit, the founder of Grameen Bank, and of more than 50 other companies in Bangladesh. For his constant innovation and enterprise, Fortune magazine named Professor Yunus in March 2012 as “one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time. In 2006, Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work to “create economic and social development from below.”

Dr. Yunus is the recipient of 61 honorary degrees from universities across 24 countries. He has received 136 awards from 33 countries including state honours from 10 countries. He is one of only seven individuals to have received the Nobel Peace Prize, the United State Presidential Medal of Freedom and the United States Congressional Gold Medal. He has appeared on the cover of Time magazine, Newsweek and Forbes magazine. In 2016 GWU awarded him the President’s Medal in recognition of his service.

About the Moderator:

James E. Foster is the Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs, Professor of Economics, and Co-Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy at the George Washington University. He is also a Research Associate at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at Oxford University. Professor Foster’s research focuses on welfare economics — using economic tools to evaluate and enhance the wellbeing of people. His joint 1984 Econometrica paper (with Joel Greer and Erik Thorbecke) is one of the most cited papers on poverty. It introduced the FGT Index, which has been used in thousands of studies and was employed in targeting the Progresa CCT program in Mexico. Other research includes work on economic inequality with Amartya Sen; on the distribution of human development with Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva and Miguel Szekely; on multidimensional poverty with Sabina Alkire; and on literacy with Kaushik Basu.

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement: Trading Up in the Era of COVID-19

September 10, 2020April 11, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Friday, October 23, 2020
9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (EDT)
Via Webex

The ACFTA and Africa’s Economic Future

A conversation with Albert Muchanga, African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry, on the road ahead for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. If successful, the AfCTFA agreement will create the largest free trade area in the world, connecting 1.3 billion people across 55 countries, for a combined GDP of some $3.4 trillion. The COVID-19 crisis has generated new challenges but has made the success of the agreement–which offers a major opportunity to accelerate growth, increase exports and foreign direct investment, and potentially lift 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty–a matter of even greater urgency. Joining the conversation was be Florizelle Liser, president and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa and former U.S. Trade Representative for Africa; and Anthony Carroll, Vice President of Manchester Trade, and a specialist in trade, investment, and development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

About the Speakers:

Albert Muchanga joined the African Union Commission as Commissioner for Trade and Industry in March 2017. In this position, he has spearheaded the AU’s efforts in driving the negotiations, conclusion and ratification of the AfCFTA agreement, which entered into force in May 2019. Ambassador Muchanga has extensive experience in the promotion of inter-governmental relations, engagement with the private sector and civil society as well as promotion of regional integration and cooperation as levers of sustainable development. He previously worked in the Zambian Civil Service and served as Zambia’s Ambassador to Brazil and Ethiopia, and Deputy Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community.

Florizelle (Florie) Liser is the third President and CEO of CCA. Ms. Liser brings expertise and an extensive network on trade and Africa to her new role, along with a strong track record of working with the private sector to translate policy into action. She is the first woman to lead the Council since its founding in 1993.

Ms. Liser joined CCA from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she was the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa since 2003. At USTR, she led trade and investment policy towards 49 sub-Saharan African nations and oversaw implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).  Previously, Ms. Liser served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Industry, Market Access, and Telecommunications from 2000-2003. She also served as Senior Trade Policy Advisor in the Office of International Transportation and Trade at the Department of Transportation from 1987-2000; worked as a Director in USTR’s Office of GATT Affairs, and served as an Associate Fellow at the Overseas Development Council (ODC) from 1975-1980.

Currently, she is a member of the Advisory Council for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Advisory Committee and Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee for the Export-Import Bank (EXIM), and a Board member with the Women in International Trade (WITT). Ms. Liser holds a M.A. in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from Dickinson College.

Tony Carroll is vice president of Manchester Trade, a Washington trade, development and business consulting firm. He is also an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University/SAIS and senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He has 35 years of business and development experience in Africa dating from his Peace Corps service in Botswana (1976-78). He specializes in investments that involve transferring new technologies and methodologies to Africa. He served as assistant general counsel to the Peace Corps, member of the advisory boards of EXIM Bank, OPIC and USTR and was a congressional nominee to the Board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. He currently serves as a director to the Acorus Fund in Hong Kong. He has degrees in economics and law from the University of Denver and an MAPA from the Robert M. LaFollette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Cooke joined George Washington University in August 2018, after 18 years as director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she led research and analysis on political, economic, and security dynamics in Africa. While at CSIS, Cooke directed projects on a wide range of African issues, including on violent extremist organizations in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, China’s growing role in Africa, democracy and elections in Nigeria, religion and state authority in Africa, “stress-testing” state stability in Africa, Africa’s changing energy landscape, and more. She is a frequent writer and lecturer on U.S.-Africa policy and has provided briefing, commentary, and testimony to the media, US Congress, AFRICOM leadership and the U.S. military.

She has traveled widely in Africa and has been an election observer in Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, and Nigeria. As a teenager, she lived in Cote d’Ivoire and the Central African Republic. She holds an M.A. in African studies and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. in government, magna cum laude, from Harvard University.

Cosponsored by:

Fiscal Dominance: A Theory of Everything in India

August 4, 2020March 25, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events, India, International Finance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Wednesday, September 9, 2020
10:00 am – 11:30 am EDT
WebEx

Read Prof. Acharya’s responses to our discussants here.

This was the first webinar in the “Envisioning India” series, co-sponsored by the Sigur Center for Asian Studies and the Institute for International Economic Policy. It is a platform for dialogue and debate. We invited you to engage with us in this series of important discussions.

He discussed the following: Financial stability is perhaps the most important prerequisite for stable growth. It is surprisingly also the most compromised one. Encouraging cheap credit and rapid balance-sheet growth in the financial sector is a temptation that many governments find hard to resist to register well on the short-run growth scorecard. Post 1991 reforms, India undertook an upward and onward march in economic progress for close to two decades. Since then, lack of financial stability has emerged as its Achilles’ heel. The reasons for this are many but a first and foremost contributor has been the increasing dominance of banking and financial sector regulation by the unyielding deficit situation of the consolidated government balance-sheet. Reining in this fiscal dominance requires not just a strengthening of the institutional framework of financial sector regulation but also the right balance between the role played by the government, the central bank, the markets, and the private sector in the economy.

About the Speaker:

Viral V. Acharya is the C.V. Starr Professor of Economics in the Department of Finance at New York University Stern School of Business (NYU-Stern) and an Academic Advisor to the Federal Reserve Banks of New York and Philadelphia. Viral was a Deputy Governor at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) during 23rd January 2017 to 23rd July 2019 in charge of Monetary Policy, Financial Markets, Financial Stability, and Research. His speeches while at the RBI will release in the end of July 2020 in the form of a book titled “Quest for Restoring Financial Stability in India” (SAGE Publications India), with a new introductory chapter “Fiscal Dominance: A Theory of Everything in India”. Viral completed Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai in 1995 and Ph.D. in Finance from NYU-Stern in 2001. Prior to joining Stern, he was at London Business School (2001-2008), the Academic Director of the Coller Institute of Private Equity at LBS (2007-09) and a Senior Houblon-Normal Research Fellow at the Bank of England (Summer 2008). Viral’s primary research interest is in theoretical and empirical analysis of systemic risk of the financial sector, its regulation and its genesis in government-induced distortions, an inquiry that cuts across several other strands of research – credit risk and liquidity risk, their interactions and agency-theoretic foundations, as well as their general equilibrium consequences. He has published articles in the American Economic Review, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Review of Finance, Journal of Business, Journal of Financial Intermediation, Rand Journal of Economics, Journal of Monetary Economics, Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, and Financial Analysts Journal. He is currently associate editor of the Review of Corporate Finance Studies (RCFS, 2011-) and Review of Finance (2006-), and was an editor of the Journal of Financial Intermediation (2009-12) and associate editor of the Journal of Finance (2011-14).

Discussants:

Liaquat Ahamed is the author of the critically acclaimed best-seller, Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World, about central bankers during the Great Depression of 1929-1932. The book won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for History, the 2010 Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Gold Medal, and the 2009 Financial Times-Goldman Sachs Best Business Book of the Year Award. Ahamed was a professional investment manager for twenty-five years. He has worked at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., and the New York-based partnership of Fischer Francis Trees and Watts, where he served as chief executive. He is currently a director of the Putnam Funds. He is on the board of trustees of the Journal of Philosophy, the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference and a former trustee of the Brookings Institution and the New America Foundation. He has degrees in economics from Harvard and Cambridge.

Rakesh Mohan is one of India’s senior-most economic policymakers and an expert on central banking, monetary policy, infrastructure and urban affairs. Most recently he was executive director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., representing India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan, and chairman, National Transport Development Policy Committee, Government of India, in the rank of a Minister of State. He is also a former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As deputy governor he was in charge of monetary policy, financial markets, economic research and statistics. In addition to serving in various posts for the Indian government, including representing India in a variety of international forums such as Basel and G20, Mohan has worked for the World Bank and headed prestigious research institutes. He is also Senior Advisor to the McKinsey Global Institute and Distinguished Fellow of Brookings India. Mohan has written extensively on urban economics, urban development, Indian economic policy reforms, monetary policy and central banking.

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A Paradox of Morality: Using Games to Understand Group Moral Responsibility

August 4, 2020March 25, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Thursday, August 20, 2020
10:00 am – 11:30 am EDT
WebEx

This event is co-sponsored by the Elliott School, the Leadership, Ethics, and Practice (LEAP) Initiative, the GW Economics Department‘s Microeconomics Workshop, and the GW Philosophy Department.

The challenge of distributing moral responsibility when a group behaves badly occurs in many walks of life, from war and politics to corporate behavior. This has been discussed at length in economics, philosophy and law. This lecture will draw on moral philosophy and game theory to shed light on this topic, and demonstrate how we often make mistakes when attributing responsibility for collective behavior to individuals. The lecture will present real-life contexts where this problem arises and develop some new games which help us deal with the challenge. It will also present some open-ended questions for further research.

Event Schedule:

Welcome Remarks by IIEP Director James Foster and LEAP Director Christopher Kojm
Address by Prof. Kaushik Basu
Discussant Remarks by James Foster
Q&A moderated by James Foster

About the Speaker:

Kaushik Basu is Professor of Economics and Carl Marks Professor of International Studies at Cornell University. He is currently the President of the International Economic Association and a nonresident senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution. He recently served as Chief Economist at the World Bank and before that was Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India. During his four years at the Bank he co-taught a popular course in the Elliott School with James Foster, entitled Introduction to Game Theory and Strategic Thinking, which every week brought 150 GW students and many visitors from the Bank and other neighboring institutions to the Harry Harding Auditorium of the Elliott School. One class per term was held in Preston Auditorium of the World Bank. As one student commented “Being taught by Prof. Basu was definitely an only at GW moment!” He has now returned to Cornell but fondly remembers his time in DC – especially his weekly chats with GW students and his daily strolls across the GW campus from home to work in the Bank, and back again.

Professor Basu has research interests that span across development economics, welfare economics, game theory, industrial organization, and law. As a professor at the Delhi School of Economics, he founded the Centre for Development Economics in 1992 and served as its first Executive Director. Kaushik Basu holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and M.Sc. and PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics, and several honorary degrees, including doctorates from IIT Bombay, Fordham University New York, Bath University, England, and the University of Florence. His recent books are “An Economist in the Real World” and “The Republic of Beliefs.”

In this presentation, Professor Basu will be recounting his latest research which shows how simple insights from game theory can shed light on problems in moral philosophy. After the presentation, Professor Foster will provide a short commentary and then will moderate an extended session for Q&A from the audience.

A Discussion of the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2020

July 24, 2020March 25, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, James Foster, Past Events

Wednesday, July 29, 2020
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

Please join the Institute for International Economic Policy for a virtual discussion of the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative’s Global MPI 2020: – Charting pathways out of multidimensional poverty: Achieving the SDGs

Participants:

James E. Foster is the Oliver T. Carr Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics at the George Washington University. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University and holds a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (Mexico). Professor Foster’s research focuses on welfare economics — using economic tools to evaluate and enhance the wellbeing of people. His joint 1984 Econometrica paper (with Joel Greer and Erik Thorbecke) is one of the most cited papers on poverty. It introduced the FGT Index, which has been used in thousands of studies and was employed in targeting the Progresa CCT program in México. Other research includes work on economic inequality with Amartya Sen; on the distribution of human development with Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva and Miguel Szekely; on multidimensional poverty with Sabina Alkire; and on literacy with Kaushik Basu. Foster regularly teaches introductory and doctoral courses on international development and each spring joins with Professor Basu in presenting an undergraduate course on Game Theory and Strategic Thinking, to which staff and Board members of the World Bank are also invited. Professor Foster is also Research Fellow at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), Department of International Development, Oxford University, and a member of the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity (HCEO) Working Group, Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics, University of Chicago. He also previously served as an Advisory Board Member on the World Bank’s Commission on Global Poverty.

Sabina Alkire directs the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), a research centre within the Oxford Department of International Development, University of Oxford. Dr Alkire works on a new approach to measuring poverty and well-being that goes beyond the traditional focus on income and growth. This multidimensional approach to measurement includes social goals, such as health, education, nutrition, standard of living and other valuable aspects of life. She devised a new method for measuring multidimensional poverty with her colleague James Foster (OPHI Research Associate and Professor of Economics at George Washington University) that has advantages over other poverty measures and has been adopted by the Mexican Government, the Bhutanese Government in their ‘Gross National Happiness Index’ and the United Nations Development Programme. Dr Alkire has been called upon to provide input and advice to several initiatives seeking to take a broader approach to well-being rather than just economic growth, for example, the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (instigated by President Sarkozy); the United Nations Human Development Programme Human Development Report Office; the European Commission; and the UK’s Department for International Development.

Pedro Conceição has been Director of the Human Development Report Office and lead author of the Human Development Report since 1 January 2019. Prior to this, Pedro served as Director, Strategic Policy, at the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (from October 2014), and Chief Economist and Head of the Strategic Advisory Unit at the Regional Bureau for Africa (from 1 December 2009). Before that, he was Director of the Office of Development Studies (ODS) from March 2007 to November 2009, and Deputy Director of ODS, from October 2001 to February 2007. His work on financing for development and on global public goods was published by Oxford University Press in books he co-edited (The New Public Finance: Responding to Global Challenges, 2006; Providing Global Public Goods: Managing Globalization, 2003). He has published on inequality, the economics of innovation and technological change, and development in, amongst other journals, the African Development Review, Review of Development Economics, Eastern Economic Journal, Ecological Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Food Policy, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change. He co-edited several books including: Innovation, Competence Building, and Social Cohesion in Europe- Towards a Learning Society (Edward Elgar, 2002) and Knowledge for Inclusive Development (Quorum Books, 2001). Prior to coming to UNDP, he was an Assistant Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal, teaching and researching on science, technology and innovation policy. He has degrees in Physics from Instituto Superior Técnico and in Economics from the Technical University of Lisbon and a Ph. D. in Public Policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with a Fulbright scholarship.

Ajay Chhibber is Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Institute of International Economic Policy, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, the Atlantic Council, Washington DC. He is Chief Economic Advisor, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). He was earlier the first Director General ( Minister of State) , Independent Evaluation Office, Government of India and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), India – affiliated institute of the Ministry of Finance – where he completed a major study on India’s Public Sector Enterprises. He held senior positions at the UN as Assistant Secretary General and Assistant Administrator, UNDP and managed their program for Asia and the Pacific. At the World Bank he served as Country Director in Turkey and Vietnam and Division Chief for Indonesia and the Pacific and Lead Economist, West Africa Department. He was also Director of the 1997 World Development Report on the Role of the State. He also worked in the World Bank’s Research Department, as Advisor to the Chief Economist of the World Bank and at the Public Economics Division. He has a Ph.D from Stanford University, a Masters from the Delhi School of Economics. He also has attended advanced management programs at the Harvard Business School, Harvard University and INSEAD, France. He taught at Georgetown University and at the University of Delhi. He has published widely including 5 books in development economics, and is a contributor (columnist) to several newspapers. He is now writing a book on “India: A Reset for the 21st Century” under contract with Harper-Collins.

Monica Pinilla-Roncancio is a Physiotherapist with a Master’s degree in Economics from Universidad del Rosario. She has also a Master’s degree in Health Economics, Policy and Law from Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands. She finished her PhD in Social Policy at the University of Birmingham, UK. From 2016 to 2018 she was as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Universidad de los Andes and currently is an Assistant Professor at the same university. She is the Co-director of Metrics and Policy at OPHI and has been working in OPHI since 2014. She coordinates the work in Latin America, East Asia and some countries in Africa and Middle East. Her main research interest are disability, multidimensional poverty, inequality and health economics.

Frances Stewart was Director of ODID from 1993-2003 and Director of the Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity (CRISE) at the department between 2003 and 2010. She has a DPhil from the University of Oxford and an honorary doctorate from the University of Sussex. Among many publications, she is coauthor of UNICEF’s influential study, Adjustment with a Human Face (OUP 1987); War and Underdevelopment (OUP 2001); and leading author and editor of Horizontal Inequalities and Conflict: Understanding Group Violence in Multiethnic Societies (Palgrave, 2008). She has directed a number of major research programmes including several financed by the UK Government’s Department for International Development, and others by the Swedish Development Agency and the Carnegie Corporation. An Emeritus Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford, Frances has acted as consultant for early Human Development Reports; she has been President of the Human Development and Capability Association; President of the British and Irish Development Studies Association; Chair of the United Nations Committee on Development Policy and Vice-Chair of the Board of the International Food Policy Research Institute. She received the Leontief prize in 2013 for advancing the frontiers of economic thought from Tufts University. She was given the UNDP’s Mahbub ul Haq award for her lifetime’s achievements in promoting human development in 2009; and named one of fifty outstanding technological leaders for 2003 by Scientific American (Policy Leader in Economic Development Strategies for promoting anti-poverty campaigns to help quell armed conflicts in developing countries).

Ricardo Nogales is a Research Officer at OPHI since May 2018. He holds a BSc. and a MSc. In Economics and a PhD in Econometrics, all from the University of Geneva (Switzerland). Before joining OPHI, he was a Professor of Economics at the School of Economics and Finance of the Universidad Privada Boliviana in Bolivia and a Research Assistant at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) in Switzerland. He carried on research activities in the field of development economics, poverty reduction and human development with the IDB, UNDP, ILO, World Bank, Oxfam and IDRC. He has been an external consultant for several public organizations in Bolivia, including the Program for Strategic Research, the Central Bank, the Institute for Agricultural Insurance and the Ministry of Economics and Public Finance.

Dean Jolliffe is a Lead Economist in the Development Data Group of the World Bank and member of the LSMS-ISA team. He has extensive experience in the design and implementation of household surveys and is currently managing ongoing LSMS-ISA work in Ethiopia. He has also worked in the South Asia region at the Bank on poverty assessments for Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Previously, he was a Research Economist at the Economic Research Service of USDA, an Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, an Assistant Professor at the Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education in Prague, and a Post-doctoral Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. Dean holds appointments as a Research Fellow with the Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn, and as a Research Affiliate with the National Poverty Center at the University of Michigan. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University.

Are Informal Workers Benefiting from Globalization? Evidence from a Survey Experiment in India

July 15, 2020April 11, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, James Foster, Maggie Chen, Past Events, Seminar

Tuesday, August 4, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

We were pleased to invite you to the webinar series “Facing Inequality”, hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy. This virtual series focuses on current and emerging inequality issues in the U.S. and around the globe. The series brings attention to aspects of inequality being made increasingly relevant by the current COVID-19 pandemic and associated crises. The series is organized under the stewardship of IIEP Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, and IIEP Faculty Affiliate Trevor Jackson, Assistant Professor of History. The series is co-sponsored by the GW Interdisciplinary Inequality Series, co-organized by Prof. Jackson from the Department of History and Prof. Bryan Stuart from the Department of Economics.

The seventh event, “Are Informal Workers Benefiting from Globalization? Evidence from a Survey Experiment in India” featured Dr. Nita Rudra of Georgetown University. The discussion focused on the following: Are citizens in the developing world convinced about the benefits of globalization? By leveraging their comparative advantage in low labor costs, economists predict once-poor citizens will be better off with open markets. Yet, surprisingly little rigorous research exists on if and how workers in developing countries actually experience the benefits of increasing trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), particularly in an era of rapidly expanding global supply chains. To answer this question, we focused on the largest cluster of low-wage laborers in developing countries, informal workers, and their experience with FDI. Using observational and experimental methods, we find that both formal and informal workers in India strongly approve of foreign investment. However, the latter are deeply skeptical that the benefits of FDI will ever trickle down to themselves or their future generations. India’s much smaller population of formal workers, by contrast, are confident that they have privileged access to coveted jobs in foreign firms – regardless of skill level- and social mobility prospects will improve. These findings provide new insights on (macro and micro-level) drivers of growing global inequalities, and call for caution amongst scholars, policymakers, the international business community, and all those who anticipate that globalization is lifting all boats.

About the Moderator:

James Foster is the Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs, Professor of Economics, and Co-Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy at the George Washington University. He is also a Research Associate at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at Oxford University. Professor Foster’s research focuses on welfare economics — using economic tools to evaluate and enhance the wellbeing of people. His work underlies many well-known social indices including the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) published annually by the UNDP in the Human Development Report, dozens of national MPIs used to guide domestic policy against poverty, the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) at USAID, the Gross National Happiness Index of Bhutan, the Better Jobs Index of the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the Statistical Performance Index of the World Bank. Prof. Foster received his PhD in Economics from Cornell University and has a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Universidad Autónoma del Estado Hidalgo (Mexico).

About the Speaker:

Nita Rudra is a Professor of Government at Georgetown University. Her research interests include: the distributional impacts of trade and financial liberalization as they are mediated by politics and institutions; the influence of international organizations on policies in developing economies; the politics of trade agreements involving developing economies, and the causes and effects of democracy in globalizing developing nations. Her most critical works appear in the British Journal of Political Science, World Politics, Journal of Politics, American Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, International Organization and International Studies Quarterly . Her most recent book with Cambridge University Press is entitled: Democracies in Peril: Taxation and Redistribution in Globalizing Economies. Her current projects analyze how and why widespread poverty persists in rapidly globalizing economies, the politics supporting/resisting changes to the informal sector, the anti-globalization backlash, and the politics of trade and trade agreements.

About the Discussants:

Maggie Chen is Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University. She has served as Director of GW’s Institute for International Economic Policy and worked as an economist in the research department of the World Bank and a consultant for the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. Professor Chen’s research areas include multinational firms, international trade, and regional trade agreements. Her work has been published in academic journals such as the Review of Economics and Statistics, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Journal of International Economics, and Journal of Development Economics. She is a co-editor of Economic Inquiry and an associate editor of Economic Modeling.

Picture of Deepa Ollapally Deepa Ollapally is a political scientist specializing in Indian foreign policy, India-China relations, and Asian regional and maritime security. She is Research Professor of International Affairs and the Associate Director of the Sigur Center. She also directs the Rising Powers Initiative, a major research program that tracks and analyzes foreign policy debates in aspiring powers of Asia and Eurasia. Dr. Ollapally is currently working on a funded book, Big Power Competition for Influence in the Indian Ocean Region, which assesses the shifting patterns of geopolitical influence by major powers in the region since 2005 and the drivers of these changes. She is the author of five books including Worldviews of Aspiring Powers (Oxford, 2012) and The Politics of Extremism in South Asia (Cambridge, 2008). Her most recent books are two edited volumes, Energy Security in Asia and Eurasia (Routledge, 2017), and Nuclear Debates in Asia: The Role of Geopolitics and Domestic Processes (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016). Dr. Ollapally has received grants from the Carnegie Corporation, MacArthur Foundation, Smith Richardson Foundation, Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Asia Foundation for projects related to India and Asia. Previously, she was Associate Professor at Swarthmore College and has been a Visiting Professor at Kings College, London and at Columbia University. Dr. Ollapally also held senior positions in the policy world including the US Institute of Peace, Washington DC and the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India. She is a frequent commentator in the media, including appearances on CNN, BBC, CBS, Diane Rehm Show and Reuters TV. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University.

More From This Series

IMF’s Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Economic Outlook (REO)

July 10, 2020March 25, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events, James Foster, Past Events, Stephen C. Smith

Thursday, July 23, 2020
11:00 am – 12:30 pm EDT
WebEx

Please join the Institute for International Economic Policy for a virtual discussion of the International Monetary Fund’s Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Economic Outlook

Schedule
11:00 – 11:05 a.m. Welcoming Remarks:

James Foster, George Washington University

Jennifer Cooke, IAFS Director, George Washington University

11:05 – 11:35 a.m. Chapter 1: Covid-19: An Unprecedented Threat to Development

Presenter: Andrew Tiffin John, Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund

Discussant: Louise Fox, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings, and on the Advisory Board of the G-7
Inclusive Growth Financing Forum, former USAID Chief Economist and World Bank official

11:40 – 12:05 p.m. Chapter 2: Adapting to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

Presenter: Seung Mo Choi, Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund

Discussant: Stephen C. Smith, Chair, Economics Department, and Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University

12:05 – 12:30 p.m. Chapter 3: Digitalization in Sub-Saharan Africa 

Presenters: Preya Sharma, Special Assistant to the Director, African Department, International Monetary Fund

Discussant: Esther Chibesa, Head of Treasury and Trade Solutions for SSA, Citigroup; and Michael Mutiga,
Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance for SSA, Citigroup

12:30 p.m. Concluding Remarks

Summary Chapter: A Cautious Reopening

The outlook for 2020 for sub-Saharan Africa is considerably worse than was anticipated in April and subject to much uncertainty. Economic activity this year is now projected to contract by some 3.2 percent, reflecting a weaker external environment and measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Growth is projected to recover to 3.4 percent in 2021 subject to the continued gradual easing of restrictions that has started in recent weeks and, importantly, if the region avoids the same epidemic dynamics that have played out elsewhere. Africa’s authorities have acted swiftly to support the economy, but these efforts have been constrained by falling revenues and limited fiscal space. Regional policies should remain focused on safeguarding public health, supporting people and businesses hardest hit by the crisis, and facilitating the recovery. The region cannot tackle these challenges alone, and a coordinated effort by all development partners will be key.

Chapter 2: Adapting to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is especially vulnerable to climate change, as it relies heavily on rain-fed agriculture and has limited resilience and coping mechanisms. On average, climate change could reduce GDP growth by at least 1 percentage point in the month a climate shock occurs. Improving access to finance and insurance, education, health, telecommunications, and physical infrastructure would be most effective in raising resilience. Ensuring food security and raising agricultural productivity in the face of intensifying weather shocks will require targeted social assistance, crop diversification, and improved irrigation. While these measures involve large public spending, they should be prioritized as they will be more cost-effective than frequent disaster relief. Limited fiscal space poses a challenge and means that development partners’ support will be critical.

Chapter 3: Digitalization in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is rapidly becoming digitally connected and closing gaps with the rest of the world. Digital solutions have taken on added importance as countries grapple with the unprecedented fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. While countries have leveraged digital solutions and policy responses, the connectivity gap between sub Saharan Africa and the rest of the world suggests that greater digital readiness could have allowed the region to do even more. Analysis conducted before the pandemic found that a one percentage point increase in internet penetration in the region can raise per capita growth by 0.1–0.4 percentage points. There does not appear to be an impact on overall employment, although the share of service sector jobs increases. Evidence suggests that digitalization can help reduce corruption, improve public sector accountability and efficiency, and support financial development. However, digitalization brings new risks (e.g., cybersecurity, business continuity) and challenges to macro-policy making (e.g., monetary policy transmission, changes to the tax base). As attention turns to policies for the recovery, the pandemic will likely serve to accelerate the digital transformation. Policies to enable and leverage greater connectivity include investing in complementary infrastructure and human capital; developing legislative and regulatory frameworks; and supervisory powers to ensure consumer protection and address risks.

Participants:

Jennifer G. Cooke is director of the Institute for African Studies at The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. The Institute serves as central for research, scholarly discussion, and debate on issues relevant to Africa. She is a professor of practice in international affairs, teaching courses on U.S. Policy Toward Africa and Transnational Security Threats in Africa. Cooke joined George Washington University in August 2018, after 18 years as director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she led research and analysis on political, economic, and security dynamics in Africa. While at CSIS, Cooke directed projects on a wide range of African issues, including on violent extremist organizations in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, China’s growing role in Africa, democracy and elections in Nigeria, religion and state authority in Africa, “stress-testing” state stability in Africa, Africa’s changing energy landscape, and more. She is a frequent writer and lecturer on U.S.-Africa policy and has provided briefing, commentary, and testimony to the media, US Congress, AFRICOM leadership and the U.S. military. She has traveled widely in Africa and has been an election observer in Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, and Nigeria. As a teenager, she lived in Cote d’Ivoire and the Central African Republic. She holds an M.A. in African studies and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.A. in government, magna cum laude, from Harvard University.

Andrew Tiffin is a senior economist at the IMF, working in the regional studies division of the Fund’s African Department. He is also keenly involved in the effort to incorporate artificial intelligence/machine-learning techniques into the standard analytical toolkit of the Fund. Previously, he has worked on Middle Eastern countries, with a particular interest in refugee issues in Jordan and Lebanon, as well as numerous countries in Europe–he was part of the Italy team during the debt crisis of 2012, and part of the Russia team for the global financial crisis of 2008. Raised in Sydney, Andrew is an Australian national. He received his post-graduate training at Princeton University, where he obtained both a Ph.D. in economics and an M.P.A. in international relations. In addition to his work with the Fund, Andrew has held positions at the Reserve Bank of Australia, and with the Australian Government.

Louise Fox is an experienced development economist who specializes in strategies for employment creation, opportunity expansion, economic empowerment, and poverty reduction. She has advised governments in the developed and developing world, international organizations, and philanthropic and non-profit organizations on problem diagnosis, strategies for results, and outcome measurement. She held full-time positions at USAID (as Chief Economist) and at the World Bank. She is currently affiliated with the African Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution and the Blum Center for Developing Economies, University of California, Berkeley. She was previously affiliated with the Overseas Development Institute, where she led a major research project. Louise has published in the areas of inclusive growth, structural transformation, youth employment, the political economy of poverty reduction, gender and women’s economic empowerment, employment, labor markets, and labor regulation, pension reform, reform of child welfare systems, social protection, effective public expenditures in the social sectors, and female-headed households and child welfare. Her most recent book was Youth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa, published by the World Bank in 2014.

Seung Mo Choi is a Senior Economist working on regional surveillance in the IMF’s African Department. He has worked on banking crises, financial market policies, climate change, low-income country issues, and capacity development, including in the IMF’s European Department and in the Institute for Capacity Development. His research has been published in economics and finance journals such as International Economic Review. Prior to joining the IMF, he worked as an Assistant Professor at Washington State University and obtained a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in economics from Seoul National University.

Stephen C. Smith is Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University. In 2018 he was UNICEF Senior Fellow at the UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti, Florence, Italy. Smith received his Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University and has been a Fulbright Research Scholar, a Jean Monnet Research Fellow, a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings, a Fulbright Senior Specialist, a member of the Advisory Council of BRAC USA, and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. He has twice served as Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy at GWU. Smith is the co-author with Michael Todaro of Economic Development (12th Edition, Pearson, 2014). He is also author of Ending Global Poverty: A Guide to What Works (paperback edition Palgrave Macmillan, 2009), and co-editor with Jennifer Brinkerhoff and Hildy Teegen of NGOs and the Millennium Development Goals: Citizen Action to Reduce Poverty (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007). He is also author or coauthor of about 45 professional journal articles and many other publications. Smith’s recent research has focused on extreme poverty and strategies and programs to address it; and on the economics of adaptation and resilience to climate change in low-income countries, emphasizing autonomous adaptation by households and communities and its effects, and adaptation financing.

Preya Sharma is a senior economist in the African Department of the IMF where she is Special Assistant to the Director. Her research has focused on structural transformation, the future of work, and digitalization in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as emerging market crises and development. Before joining the IMF she was the Head of Emerging Markets at HM Treasury in the UK. She holds a Masters in Public Administration in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics.

Esther Chibesa has 20 years of diverse corporate banking experience, serving in various capacities for Citigroup in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia. In her current role, Esther is driven by Africa’s promise, and seeks to realize the opportunities presented at the intersection of technology, regulatory evolution, and inclusive finance. She leads a team in the visioning and execution of a transaction services strategy that addresses the continent’s ongoing financial services transformation. She leads the execution and deployment of innovative treasury & trade finance solutions for multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organizations across Sub-Saharan Africa. In her various roles within the organization, she has championed the development of several groundbreaking solutions such as fully integrated tax & fiscal collections systems, receivables digitization solutions, automated mobile money channels and settlement processes, and enhanced, digitized trade and supply chain solutions. She is a past recipient of the prestigious Top 40 Women under 40 (Business Daily Kenya), past member of the Junior Achievement Zambia Board, is an alum of University of Botswana (First Class Honors), and holds an MBA from Heriot Watt Business School, Edinburgh University.

Webinar: Innovations in Digital Trade: The Sequel

July 9, 2020April 11, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Thursday July 16, 2020

11:00AM – 12:00PM EDT

via Zoom.us

The US and the UK have a long history of collaborating to create innovative trade agreements. Continuing discussions on innovations in digital trade and data governance, this webinar addresses how the two nations may negotiate the digital trade chapter of the proposed US/UK trade agreement. The UK’s approach may build on its draft negotiating language for its free trade agreement with the EU, while the US plans to include “state of the art” rules, including a ban on mandates to disclose source code and algorithms and “rules limiting platform liability for third-party content.” The event was held on Thursday, July 16. Our speakers included:

– Sabina Ciofu, Head of EU and Trade Policy, techUK

– Sam duPont, Deputy Director, Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative, German Marshall Fund (former Director, Digital Trade, Office of the US Trade Representative)

– Nigel Cory, Associate Director, Trade Policy, Information and Technology Innovation Foundation (and former Australian trade official)

– Susan Aaronson, (moderator) Research Professor and Director of the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, also GWU Cross-Disciplinary Fellow and Senior Fellow at CIGI

This event is co-sponsored by Digital Trade & Data Governance Hub; UK Trade Policy Observatory; Internet Society: Greater Washington DC Chapter; George Washington Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER); Centre for International Governance Innovation; World Wide Web Foundation; and Institute for International Science and Technology Policy.

Central Banking in the Age of Inequality

July 1, 2020March 25, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Tuesday, July 28, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

Dr. Benjamin Braun of the Institute for Advanced Study

The series is organized under the stewardship of the following IIEP Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, IIEP Faculty Affiliate and Assistant Professor of History Trevor Jackson and Aditi Sahasrabudde, PhD Candidate in the Department of Government at Cornell University. The series is co-sponsored by the GW Interdisciplinary Inequality Series, co-organized by Prof. Jackson from the Department of History and Prof. Bryan Stuart from the Department of Economics.

The sixth event, “Central Banking in the Age of Inequality,” will feature Dr. Benjamin Braun of the Institute for Advanced Study. Monetary policy during the so-called Great Moderation was defined by the trinity of price stability as the primary goal; central bank independence as the institutional arrangement; and short-term open market operations as the central bank’s sole instrument. The distributional consequences of monetary policy were considered negligible, and inequality was not a concern for central bankers. After more than a decade of ever-expanding central bank interventions and balance sheets, this narrow conception of monetary policy looks unlikely to return anytime soon. Focusing primarily on the European Central Bank, this talk will examine the political economy of central bank actions beyond conventional open market operations. This includes large-scale asset purchases as well as central bank forays into regulatory policy-making, notably in the areas of financial and labor market policies. The unequal distributional consequences of these actions raise important questions about central bank mandates, independence, and democratic accountability.

Aditi Sahasrabudde, PhD Candidate in the Department of Government at Cornell University (discussant)

Trevor Jackson, IIEP Faculty Affiliate and Assistant Professor of History (discussant)

More From This Series

How Should We Measure Multidimensional Inequality? A Philosopher’s Approach (with COVID applications)

July 1, 2020March 25, 2022Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Tuesday, July 14, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

We are pleased to invite you to a new webinar series, “Facing Inequality”, hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy. This virtual series will focus on current and emerging inequality issues in the U.S. and around the globe. The series will bring attention to aspects of inequality being made increasingly relevant by the current COVID-19 pandemic and associated crises. The series is organized under the stewardship of IIEP Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, and IIEP Faculty Affiliate Trevor Jackson, Assistant Professor of History. The series is co-sponsored by the GW Interdisciplinary Inequality Series, co-organized by Prof. Jackson from the Department of History and Prof. Bryan Stuart from the Department of Economics.

The fifth event, “How Should We Measure Multidimensional Inequality? A Philosopher’s Approach (with COVID applications)” will feature Dr. Kristi Olson of Bowdoin College. The discussion will focus on the following: When we measure multidimensional inequality, we must decide how much weight to give each dimension. The simple approach—giving each dimension equal weight—is almost certainly wrong, but what are the alternatives? This paper critiques some of the familiar approaches: subjective utility and the envy test. It then introduces a new approach. We take as the equal baseline those bundles that could be cooperatively distributed if everyone were free to choose from among all bundles. Using these bundles as the baseline, we can measure the extent of deviation from equality. The approach can be used to evaluate inequalities in, for example, the distribution of COVID risk and income.

About the Speakers:

Kristi Olson

Kristi A. Olson is an assistant professor of philosophy at Bowdoin College where she works on issues of distributive justice. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard University under the supervision of Thomas Scanlon, Frances Kamm, and Amartya Sen. Her research has been published in such journals as Philosophy & Public Affairs, the Canadian Journal of Philosophy, and Politics, Philosophy & Economics. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., she worked as a public interest lawyer.

Discussants
Luis Felipe López-Calva, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, United Nations Development Programme
Jeffrey Brand, Associate Professor of Philosophy, the George Washington University

More From This Series

Imperfect Competition on the Cathedral Floor: Labourers in London 1672 to 1748

June 19, 2020March 25, 2022Barry Chiswick, Bryan Stuart, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Tuesday, June 30, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

The fourth event, “Imperfect Competition on the Cathedral Floor: Labourers in London 1672-1748” will feature Judy Stephenson and Patrick Wallis. In their paper, they present a new data set for the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century to explore the operation of the market for unskilled construction workers, the reference occupation for long run urban wage series, at one major building site in London. They find patterns of work distribution and pay which indicate characteristics of imperfect competition, most notably high worker and job flows alongside remarkable nominal wage rigidity, and evidence of an internal labour market alongside a much shorter and more fragile working year than has been previously found. The results suggest that wages, or labour’s share of income, may resist response to changes in productivity and labour supply and demand even in the long run, and highlight that labour markets created inequalities of experience, income and returns to work before modern institutions and firms. Professor Bryan Stuart will be a discussant.

About the Speakers:

Judy Stephenson

Judy Stephenson is a Professor of Construction Economics and Finance, and Economic History; a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; and a Departmental Tutor and Director of Teaching & Learning at Bartlett CPM. She is an economic historian of early modern London, its construction industry and associated markets. She researches construction, labour markets, institutions, firms, finance and industries in London between about 1600 and 1850 and is known for her work on London and English wages between 1650 and 1800. She has published on contracts and wages, and the boundaries of the firm before 1800.

Patrick Wallis

Patrick Wallis is a Professor of Economic History at the London School of Economics. His research explores the economic, social and medical history of Britain and Europe from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. His two main interests are in apprenticeship and human capital and the transformation of healthcare in early modern England. He has recently published two publications, including Access to the Trade: Monopoly and Mobility in European Craft Guilds in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries in the Journal of Social History and Apprenticeship in Early Modern Europe (Cambridge University Press; November 2019).

About the Discussants:

Bryan Stuart is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan in 2017 and joined George Washington University in August 2017. His research interests include labor, public, and urban economics. Recent and current projects examine the effects of recessions on individuals and local areas, the effects of government policies on labor market outcomes, and the determinants and consequences of household location decisions.

Barry Chiswick is a Professor of Economics and International Affairs. He received his Ph.D. in Economics with Distinction from Columbia University and joined George Washington University in 2011. He has held permanent and visiting appointments at UCLA, Columbia University, Stanford University, Princeton University, University of Chicago, City University (New York), Hebrew University (Jerusalem), Tel Aviv University, the University of Haifa, and Ben-Gurion University. From 1973 to 1977, he was Senior Staff Economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. In addition, he served as chairman of the American Statistical Association Census Advisory Committee and past president of the European Society for Population Economics. He is currently Associate Editor of the Journal of Population Economics and Research in Economics of the Household and is on the editorial boards of four other academic journals. Since 2004, he has been the Program Director for Migration Studies at the Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn, Germany.

More From This Series

Just Governance: Lessons on Climate Change Justice from People in Poverty

June 16, 2020March 25, 2022Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Tuesday, June 16, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

We are pleased to invite you to the third webinar of the “Facing Inequality” series, hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy. This virtual series focuses on current and emerging inequality issues in the U.S. and around the globe – especially those revealed by the current COVID-19 pandemic. It brings together historians, economists, sociologists, political scientists, and epidemiologists, within the academy and without, to present work and discuss ideas that can facilitate new interdisciplinary approaches to the problem of inequality. This is a platform for dialogue and debate. We invite you to engage with us in this series of important discussions.

The “Facing Inequality” series is organized under the stewardship of IIEP Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, and IIEP Faculty Affiliate Trevor Jackson, Assistant Professor of History. The series is co-sponsored by the GW Interdisciplinary Inequality Series, co-organized by Prof. Jackson from the Department of History and Prof. Bryan Stuart from the Department of Economics.

The third event, “Just Governance: Lessons on Climate Change Justice from People in Poverty”, focuses on issues of climate change and inequality. Specifically, the discussion will prompt attendees to ask, as our world faces catastrophic climate change and related global injustice and oppression, what can those living in the poorest communities most vulnerable to its effects teach us about its causes? Drawing on interdisciplinary and collaborative research in southwestern Bangladesh, this talk shifts the paradigm of responsibility for climate change from the familiar terrain set out by law, economics, and moral philosophy focused on ‘commons’ problems and distributive inequalities to one centered on the lived experience of climate change. Those living with environmental degradation that is exacerbating with climate change and that foreshadows the effects of climate change elsewhere offer clarifying insight into the kinds of normative problems that climate change raises for both justice and governance. Relying on community fabric worn thin by the legacies of colonialism, foreign aid experiments, and exploitable social hierarchies, these communities’ experiences and reflections have implications for how political theorists and policy-influencers, especially large global philanthropists and investors, do and should attend to justice and governance in their work for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and survival.

The climate change crisis reveals the full gamut of humanity’s failure to govern itself in ways that do not exploit nature and humans. This talk identifies what those in poverty most urgently facing the consequences of this failure can teach those must urgently trying to address it. Richly informed by ethnographies, surveys, interviews, and project assessments in 26 communities of those most effected by climate change, the talk will point toward new normative approaches to climate justice and provide a refreshed ethical map to political efficacy.

About the Speaker:

Brooke Ackerly is a Professor of Political Science, Philosophy, and Law, and Affiliated Faculty in Women’s and Gender Studies at Vanderbilt University and co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Feminist Journal of Politics (2018-2021). In her research, teaching, and collaborations, she works to clarify without simplifying the most pressing problems of global justice, including human rights and climate change. Using feminist methodologies, she integrates into her theoretical work empirical research on activism and the experiences of those affected by injustice (Grounded Normative Theory). See Political Theory and Feminist Social Criticism (Cambridge 2000), Universal Human Rights in a World of Difference (Cambridge 2008), Doing Feminist Research with Jacqui True (Palgrave Macmillan 2010, second edition forthcoming), and most recently, Just Responsibility: A Human Rights Theory of Global Justice (Oxford University Press 2018), which won the APSA Victoria Schuck Award for the best book on women and politics.

She is currently working on the intersection of global economic, environmental, and gender justice in their material and epistemic dimensions. She teaches courses on justice, ethics and public policy, feminist theory, feminist research methods, human rights, contemporary political thought, and gender and the history of political thought. She is the winner of the Vanderbilt College of Arts and Science Graduate Teaching Award and the Margaret Cuninggim Mentoring Prize. She is the founder of the Global Feminisms Collaborative, a group of scholars and activists developing ways to collaborate on applied research for social justice. She advises academics and donors on evaluation, methodology, and the ethics of research. She serves the profession through committees in her professional associations including the American Political Science Association (APSA), International Studies Association (ISA), and the European Consortium on Politics and Gender (ECPG). She currently serves on the APSA Committee for the Status of Women in the Profession. She has been a member of the editorial board for Politics and Gender (Journal of the APSA, Women and Politics Section) and is currently a member of the editorial boards of the Political Research Quarterly, Journal of Politics, and Politics, Gender and Identities.

More From This Series

IMF April 2020 World Economic Outlook

June 5, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, International Finance Events, Jay Shambaugh, Past Events, Research Conference

Thursday, June 11, 2020
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm EDT
via Webex

Please join the Institute for International Economic Policy for a virtual discussion of the International Monetary Fund’s April 2020 World Economic Outlook.

Agenda

1:00 – 1:05 p.m.: Welcoming Remarks

James Foster, George Washington University

1:05 – 1:35 p.m.: Chapter 1: Global Prospects and Policies

Presenter: Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti, International Monetary Fund

Discussant: Jason Furman, Harvard Kennedy School

1:40 – 2:05 p.m.: Chapter 2: Countering Future Recessions in Advanced Economies: Cyclical Polices in an Era of Low Rates and High Debt

Presenter: Wenjie Chen, International Monetary Fund

Discussant: Jay Shambaugh, George Washington University & Hamilton Project

2:05 – 2:30 p.m.: Chapter 3: Dampening Global Financial Shocks in Emerging Markets: Can Macroprudential Regulation Help?

Presenters: Katharina Bergant, International Monetary Fund

Niels-Jakob Hansen, International Monetary Fund

Discussant: Sunil Sharma, George Washington University

2:30 p.m.: Concluding Remarks

Read the full World Economic Outlook here.

Chapter 1: Global Prospects and Policies

The COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting high and rising human costs worldwide, and the necessary protection measures are severely impacting economic activity. As a result of the pandemic, the global economy is projected to contract sharply by –3 percent in 2020, much worse than during the 2008–09 financial crisis. In a baseline scenario–which assumes that the pandemic fades in the second half of 2020 and containment efforts can be gradually unwound—the global economy is projected to grow by 5.8 percent in 2021 as economic activity normalizes, helped by policy support. The risks for even more severe outcomes, however, are substantial. Effective policies are essential to forestall the possibility of worse outcomes, and the necessary measures to reduce contagion and protect lives are an important investment in long-term human and economic health. Because the economic fallout is acute in specific sectors, policymakers will need to implement substantial targeted fiscal, monetary, and financial market measures to support affected households and businesses domestically. And internationally, strong multilateral cooperation is essential to overcome the effects of the pandemic, including to help financially constrained countries facing twin health and funding shocks, and for channeling aid to countries with weak health care systems.

Chapter 2: Countering Future Recessions in Advanced Economies: Cyclical Policies in an Era of Low Rates and High Debt

More than a decade after the global financial crisis, the world is struggling with the health and economic effects of a profound new crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Advanced economies entered this crisis with interest rates at historical lows and public debts, on average, higher than they had been over the past 60 years. They will come out from the crisis with even higher public debts. Drawing on analysis completed before the emergence of the pandemic, this chapter examines policymakers’ options to respond to adverse shocks and build resilience when rates are low and debts high.

Chapter 3: Dampening Global Financial Shocks in Emerging Markets: Can Macroprudential Regulation Help?

As discussed in Chapter 1, the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting emerging markets through an unprecedented mix of domestic and external shocks whose combined effects are very hard to predict. Among these, emerging markets are confronting a sharp tightening in global financial conditions. Against this backdrop, this chapter asks whether, based on historical experience, countries that have adopted a more stringent level of macroprudential regulation—aimed at strengthening financial stability—are better placed to withstand the impact of global financial shocks on domestic macroeconomic conditions.

Can Internationally Accepted Principles Yield Trustworthy AI?

June 5, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Thursday June 4, 2020

11:00AM – 12:00PM EDT

When you use spell-check, shop on Amazon, or find a movie on Netflix, you are using AI. While AI may improve our quality and standard of living, use of poorly designed AI may undermine human autonomy, reduce employment, and yield discriminatory outcomes. To forestall such potential negative spillovers, in 2019, the 37 members of the OECD (and 7 non-members) approved Principles on Artificial Intelligence, the first internationally accepted principles for AI. The principles include recommendations for policymakers and all stakeholders.

The OECD is not the only body working on such principles. The members of the G-7 are also working on mutually agreed principles to govern trustworthy explainable AI.

For this webinar, on Thursday June 4 at 11:00AM – Noon EDT, we will explore these principles, focusing in particular on those at the OECD, which our speakers helped design. We will discuss whether these principles can help all stakeholders. Moreover, we will examine whether such principles should evolve into an internationally shared rules-based system, given the wide diversity in national capacity to produce and govern AI. We will begin with a moderated discussion and then move on to your questions. Please join us. Please note some of our speakers have changed.

Speakers:

– Ryan Budish, Assistant Research Director, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University

– Adam Murray, U.S. diplomat in the Office of International Communications and Information Policy at the Department of State.

– Nicolas Miailhe, Founder and President, The Future Society

Women and the Web Webinar

May 25, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

When: Thursday May 28, 11AM EDT
Where: Zoom.us

While we can’t generalize, gender identity colors how many individuals experience the web. We write to invite you to our next webinar, where we will focus on women’s online experience. Our discussion will build on research done by the World Wide Web Foundation and US Agency for International Development, among others. The webinar, Women and the Web, will take place on Thursday May 28 at 11 AM EDT. We will discuss issues of access and participation, discrimination, bullying, other online issues, and potential remedies. We will begin with a moderated discussion and then move on to your questions. Please join us.

Speakers:
– Chenai Chair, Research Manager – Gender and Digital Rights, Web Foundation, Johannesburg, South Africa
– Revi Stirling, Director, US AID, WomenConnect Challenge

We are grateful to Dhanaraj Thakur, Research Director at Center for Democracy and Technology, who suggested this webinar. Until then, the DataGovHub team — Thomas Struett, James Nelson, and Susan Aaronson, wish you the best.
datagovhub.elliott.gwu.edu

This event is co-sponsored by Digital Trade & Data Governance Hub; Internet Society: Greater Washington DC Chapter; George Washington Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER); Centre for International Governance Innovation; World Wide Web Foundation; Center for New American Security; and Institute for International Science and Technology Policy.

Will Covid-19 Raise Inequality? Evidence from Past Epidemics and Crises

May 22, 2020March 28, 2022Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Remi Jedwab

Tuesday, May 26, 2020
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
WebEx

We are pleased to invite you to the second webinar of the “Facing Inequality” series, hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy. This virtual series focuses on current and emerging inequality issues in the U.S. and around the globe – especially those revealed by the current COVID-19 pandemic. It brings together historians, economists, sociologists, political scientists, and epidemiologists, within the academy and without, to present work and discuss ideas that can facilitate new interdisciplinary approaches to the problem of inequality. This is a platform for dialogue and debate. We invite you to engage with us in this series of important discussions.

The second event, “Will Covid-19 Raise Inequality? Evidence from Past Epidemics and Crises”, features Prakash Loungani and Jonathan D. Ostry. Major epidemics in this century, such as SARS and H1N1, have raised income inequality and disproportionately hurt employment prospects of people with low skills and education levels. What impacts will the COVID-19 pandemic have on inequality in the near term? And how will inequality evolve over the longer-term as governments act to mend the disruptions to globalization and unwind the build-up in their public debts? The talk will draw on the authors’ recent work (with Davide Furceri) on the distributional impacts of epidemics and their book on other drivers of inequality such as austerity and financial globalization. Discussants Lucia Rafanelli and Remi Jedwab will provide commentary from the perspectives of political science and economic history, respectively.

About the Speakers:

Prakash Loungani is Assistant Director and Senior Personnel Manager in the IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office. He is a co-author of Confronting Inequality: How Societies Can Choose Inclusive Growth (Columbia University Press, 2019). Previously, he headed the Development Macroeconomics Division in the IMF’s Research Department and was co-chair of the IMF’s Jobs and Growth working group from 2011-15. He is an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Carey School of Business, a member of the Research Program in Forecasting at George Washington Univeristy, and Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a think-tank based in Rabat, Morocco.

Jonathan D. Ostry is Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department at the International Monetary Fund and a Research Fellow at the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). His recent responsibilities include leading staff teams on capital account management and financial globalization issues; fiscal sustainability issues; and the nexus between income inequality and economic growth. Past positions include leading the division that produces the IMF’s flagship multilateral surveillance publication, the World Economic Outlook. He is the author of a number of books on international macro policy issues and numerous articles in scholarly journals. His most recent books include Taming the Tide of Capital Flows (MIT Press, 2017) and Confronting Inequality (Columbia University Press, 2018).

With James Foster, Lucia Rafanelli, Remi Jedwab, and Trevor Jackson

Co-sponsored by the GW Inequality Series

More From This Series

Elliott Experts Weigh in: The Global Economic System in the Age of Coronavirus

May 3, 2020April 11, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Maggie Chen, Past Events

Thursday, May 7, 2020
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
via Zoom (EDT)

In this edition of the Elliott School’s Experts Weigh In Series, Professor Maggie Chen (George Washington University) discussed the global economic system in the age of coronavirus. Following the best year for stocks since 2019, coronavirus managed to fell the global market faster than during the Great Depression. More Americans have filed for unemployment than ever before and dozens of countries have already sought the assistance of the IMF. Professor Chen will provide an overview of the current state of play and the factors influencing the global economic situation, as well as offer thoughts on what recovery might look like.

Maggie Xiaoyang Chen is Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University. She has worked as an economist in the research department of the World Bank and a consultant for the World Bank, the International Finance Cooperation, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. She has served as Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy at George Washington University and is a co-editor of the Economic Inquiry and an associate editor of the Economic Modelling. Professor Chen’s research areas include multinational firms, international trade, and regional trade agreements. Her work has been published in academic journals such as the Review of Economics and Statistics, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Journal of International Economics, and Journal of Development Economics. Professor Chen received her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her B.A. in Economics from Beijing Normal University.

Global Income Inequality: Current Developments and Their Political Implications

April 30, 2020March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Past Events

Tuesday, May 5, 2020
12:30-2:00pm
WebEx

Branko Milanovic
Visiting Presidential Professor and Stone Center Senior Scholar,
The Graduate Center, CUNY;
Centennial Professor, International Inequalities Institute, LSE

The goal of the series is to bring together historians, economists, sociologists, political scientists, and epidemiologists, both within the academy and without, to present their work and to discuss both their ideas and methods, with the intention of working towards new interdisciplinary approaches to the problem of inequality. This is a platform for dialogue and debate, and will help cultivate a community of current and future researchers and practitioners. We invite you to engage with us in this series of important discussions.

Branko Milanovic is a visiting presidential professor at The Graduate Center, CUNY, and a senior scholar at the Stone Center on Socio-economic Inequality. He is also Centennial Professor at LSE’s International Inequalities Institute. He obtained his Ph.D. in economics (1987) from the University of Belgrade with a dissertation on income inequality in Yugoslavia. He served as lead economist in the World Bank’s Research Department for almost 20 years, leaving to write his book on global income inequality, Worlds Apart (2005). His most recent book Capitalism, Alone was published in September 2019.

Milanovic’s main area of work is income inequality, in individual countries and globally, including in preindustrial societies. He has published articles in Economic Journal, Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Economic Literature, Journal of Development Economics, and Journal of Political Philosophy, among others. His book The Haves and the Have-nots (2011) was selected by The Globalist as the 2011 Book of the Year. Global Inequality (2016) was awarded the Bruno Kreisky Prize for the best political book of 2016 and the Hans Matthöfer Prize in 2018, and was translated into 16 languages. It addresses economic and political effects of globalization and introduces the concept of successive “Kuznets waves” of inequality. In March 2018, Milanovic was awarded (jointly with Mariana Mazzucato) the 2018 Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Knowledge.

Among his other roles, Milanovic was a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington (2003-2005) and has held teaching appointments at the University of Maryland (2007-2013) and at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University (1997- 2007). He was a visiting scholar at All Souls College in Oxford, and Universidad Carlos III in Madrid (2010-11).

Please RSVP to receive a link to join the webinar.

More From This Series

Data & Human Rights During the Pandemic

April 22, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Thursday April 30 2020

11AM EDT

Zoom

While many analysts have focused on threats to online privacy, other human rights, including freedom of expression and access to information online, can also be affected. For example, some countries have not fully informed their citizens about public health risks, which can affect not only their citizens’ right to access information, but possibly their right to life. This webinar will examine the responsibilities of both firms and governments during this pandemic, with a particular focus to human rights online.

Digital Trade & Data Governance Hub’s speakers will be:

– Professor David Kaye, University of California, Irvine, Director, International Justice Clinic and UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression

– Dr. Courtney Radsch, Advocacy Director at the Committee to Protect Journalists and author of Cyberactivism and Citizen Journalism in Egypt

Our speakers will speak for 10 minutes each and then answer questions from the audience. Please email questions in advance to: datagovhub@gwu.edu

Due to the growing popularity of this webinar series, Digital Trade & Data Governance Hub is streamlining their registration process. Please register for each individual webinar in order to receive a Zoom link to attend. Please read on for details and the registration link for the next webinar.

This event is co-sponsored by Digital Trade & Data Governance Hub; Internet Society: Greater Washington DC Chapter; Centre for International Governance Innovation; World Wide Web Foundation; and Institute for International Science and Technology Policy.

Webinar on Data Governance in Smart Cities

April 17, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, International Finance Events, Past Events

Thursday, April 9, 2020
11:00 am EST
Zoom

We are pleased to invite you to the second webinar hosted by The Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub. The webinars focus on current and emerging data governance issues. Seminar 2 will be on “Data Governance in Smart Cities” and will take place on April 9 at 11am EST. This event will be co-sponsored by the Internet Society, the World Wide Web Foundation, the Centre for International Governance Innovation, and the Institute for International Economic Policy.

Although we often talk about data governance as a national or international issue, cities are on the front lines of dealing with a wide range of data governance issues from privacy to the regulation of AI. This webinar will give attendees a greater understanding of why they might want to learn more about how cities are trying to balance the costs and benefits of data-driven services.

The speakers will be Professor Teresa Scassa, Canada Research Chair in Information Law, University of Ottawa Law School and Bianca Wylie, Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). They will address the following questions:

What is a smart city?
What kinds of rules must cities develop to determine what entities can own, utilize and monetize smart city data?
Should cities adopt special rules and considerations for personal data and human behavioral data?
Cities have bought into very complex data-driven systems, in the belief that data is “the solution.” Is it adding value and leading to more effective city management? What are the trade offs–e.g. energy efficiency vs. the loss of privacy

Webinar on E-Commerce at the WTO: What’s Going On?

April 17, 2020April 11, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Monday, March 30, 2020
11:00 am EST
Zoom

We were pleased to invite you to the first webinar hosted by The Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub in a series of free webinars on current and emerging data governance issues. As we “social distance,” we can simultaneously build a broader understanding of domestic and international data governance issues. The Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub is partnering with business associations such as the Computer and Communications Industry Association, civil society groups such as the Internet Society Washington DC and the World Wide Web Foundation, and other research organizations such as the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) to host these events. The webinars were conducted on Zoom and attendees were encouraged to ask questions of the speakers.

The inaugural seminar, which took place at 11am (EST) on March 30, 2020, was “E-Commerce at the WTO: What’s Going On?” The speaker was be Victor do Prado, Director, Council and Trade Negotiations Committee Division, WTO. The event was be co-organized with the Computer and Communications Industry Association and co-sponsored with the Institute for International Economic Policy. Mr. do Prado’s remarks covered the history, status and future of the talks, including the e-commerce moratorium. He spoke for 15 minutes and then the floor was opened to questions using Zoom’s raise-your-hand application. As a WTO official, Mr. do Prado spoke off the record. His remarks cannot be attributed but can be used on background. The press was welcome to attend and observe Chatham House rules.

Please contact James Nelson, Director of Communications and Strategy at the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, with any questions or suggestions for webinars jinelson@gwu.edu

Why Has Data Become a National Security Issue?

April 14, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Thursday, April 16, 2020
11:00 am EDT
via Zoom

We are pleased to invite you to the third webinar hosted by The Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub. The webinars focus on current and emerging data governance issues. Seminar 3 will be on “Why has data become a national security issue?” and will take place on April 16 at 11am EDT. This event will be co-sponsored by the Internet Society, the World Wide Web Foundation, the Centre for International Governance Innovation, the Center for a New American Security, the Institute for International Science & Technology Policy, GW Ciber, and the Institute for International Economic Policy.

The speakers will be Carrie Cordero, Robert M. Gates Senior Fellow and General Counsel at the Center for a New American Security, Colonel Sarah Albrycht, Senior Military Fellow, CNAS and Colonel in the US Army, and Susan Aaronson, Hub Director and Senior Fellow, CIGI. While the conversation will be on the record, Colonel Abrycht’s views are her own, and do not reflect the official position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense or the U.S. government. Our moderator will be Aaron Shull, Managing Director and General Counsel at CIGI.

For a quick overview of their perspectives, see

Cordero – The National Security Imperative of Protecting User Data (CNAS, Apr. 24, 2019)

Albrycht – When the homefront becomes the (cyber) front line (Fifth Domain, Feb. 3, 2020)

Aaronson – Inadequate data protection: A threat to economic and national security (VoxEU, Feb. 5, 2020) (this is a summary of the full CIGI paper, available shortly.)

Cordero, Albrycht and Aaronson will speak for 7 minutes each and then answer questions from the audience. Please email questions in advance to: datagovhub@gwu.edu

A Zoom link will be sent out 24 hours prior to the webinar.

Please join us!

The LEAP Initiative with Jorge Dajani, Chief Ethics Officer, World Bank

April 13, 2020March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Tuesday, April 14th, 2020

12:00pm – 1:00pm EST

The event will be held virtually via Zoom Webinar with a Moderated Q&A.

Jorge Dajani is the Chief Ethics Officer of the World Bank Group. He will describe the organization and activities of the ethics function of the World Bank Group, and explain, more generally, the specificities of ethics functions in international public organizations. He will emphasize the importance of creating a value-based culture. He will conclude with examples of challenging questions that an ethics function needs to address and discuss these with the students.

Jorge Dajani’s Bio:

Jorge Dajani became the Chief Ethics Officer of the World Bank Group on June 15, 2018.

Dajani brings to this role a deep knowledge of multilateral development banks, a proven track record in corporate strategy and development, and a reputation for effective stakeholder engagement. He has been widely recognized for his management skills and stewardship of policies and procedures within international financial institutions with a focus on strategy, ethics and governance.

Prior to this position, Mr. Dajani was Alternate Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund, a position he held since 2016. Previously, he served as Director General for Macroeconomic Analysis and International Finance at the Ministry of Economy of Spain. He has served on the Boards of Governors and Boards of Directors of several multilateral banks, including the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, CAF-Development Bank of Latin America, and the African Development Bank. He was Spain’s chief negotiator for the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Green Climate Fund. He has also been a member of the economic policy committees of the European Union and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

As Chief Ethics Officer, Mr. Dajani directs the Ethics and Business Conduct Department, which promotes the development and application of the highest ethical standards by staff members in the performance of their duties. He provides overall strategic leadership on ethics and business conduct, ensuring that ethics and the Bank Group’s values are fully incorporated into the strategy of the entire World Bank Group. He reports directly to the President of the World Bank Group.

Mr. Dajani, a Spanish national, has a Bachelor´s and a Master´s degree in Economics from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. He speaks Spanish, English, French and Mandarin.

This event is co-sponsored by the Elliott School of International Affairs, and is a part of the Leadership, Ethics, and Practice (LEAP) Initiative.

“Intervention without Empire: The Ethics of Foreign Influence in a Neo-Colonial World” with Dr. Lucia Rafanelli

February 5, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Monday, February 3, 2020

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Lindner Family Commons 602

The Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E St. NW

In a world filled with state-sanctioned oppression, many look to the international community to help secure justice when states fail or refuse to do so. But attempts by actors in one society to “promote justice” in another evoke the specter of colonialism. Indeed, even after formal decolonization, global politics bears potent markers of its imperial past. Current geopolitical power structures, embodied in both formal institutions and informal behavioral patterns, continue to empower people in the global West and North and disempower people in the global South, and what some refer to as the “Third World.” This raises the question: is there any way international actors can promote (their ideas of) justice around the world without reinforcing and perpetuating the objectionable power hierarchies associated with colonialism?

Dr. Rafanelli will argue there are ways for international actors to do so, but to meet this challenge, they must adhere to certain moral principles.

SPEAKER BIO

Dr. Lucia Rafanelli’s work has been published in Political Studies (2019) and The Journal of Political Philosophy (2017). Her book project, Promoting Justice Across Borders: Political Theory for the New Global Politics, develops ethical standards for what she calls “reform intervention” – an expansive category encompassing any deliberate attempt to promote justice in another society. Her primary research interests include contemporary political theory, global justice, and theories of human rights. She also has philosophical interests in collective agency and collective personhood, philosophy of law, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. She received her Ph.D. in Politics (with a specialization in Political Theory) from Princeton University in 2018.

She is an Assistant Professor of Political Science & International Affairs at the George Washington University and is a former affiliate of the Princeton Dialogues on AI and Ethics program and a current affiliate of the Institute for International Economic Policy at the George Washington University.

Covering The Other Half Billion: China’s Rural Sector

January 28, 2020April 11, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Past Events, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Thursday, February 27th, 2020
4:30 PM-6:00 PM

Lindner Family Commons, Room 602
Elliott School of International Affairs
The George Washington University
1957 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052

For much of post-1949 history, the rural sector has been the poor relation of China’s society and economy. Today, however, the rural sector lies at the heart of Xi Jinping’s economic agenda for China’s comprehensive development. The party’s and government’s ability to fulfill major economic goals—those relating to employment, food security and rebalancing of the economic system—depend critically on the success of its rural policies. So too does its ability to realize important social and other goals—including poverty reduction, the creation of a more inclusive society, and environmental sustainability. An economically and socially revitalised Chinese countryside will also impact the political stability which China’s leaders see as the bedrock of their continuing rule. This lecture will explore all of these dimensions.

Speakers

Professor Robert Ash

Professor of Economics with reference to China and Taiwan

School of Oriental & African Studies

University of London

Professor Robert Ash is a Professorial Fellow in the China Institute at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), where he teaches in the School of Financial and Management Studies as Professor of Economics with reference to China and Taiwan. From 1986 to 1995 he was Head of the Contemporary China Institute at SOAS, and from 1997-2001 was Director of the EU-China Academic Network (ECAN). From 1999 to 2013 he was also Director of the SOAS Taiwan Studies Programme.

Professor Ash has held visiting research and teaching positions at universities in Australia, Hong Kong, France and Italy. He has been researching China for more than 40 years and has published on development issues relating to China, as well as on Taiwan and Hong Kong. His most recent major publication (2017) is a study of China’s agricultural development between 1840 and the present day, Agricultural Development in the World Periphery: A Global Economic History Approach. He has also undertaken a wide range of consultancy work in both private and public sectors—including for the British Government, the European Commission, European Parliament and the UN International Labour Organisation.

Moderator

Professor David Shambaugh

Gaston Sigur Professor of Asian Studies, Political Science & International Affairs

Director, China Policy Program

The George Washington University

Agricultural Transformation and Farmers’ Expectations: Experimental Evidence from Uganda

January 23, 2020April 11, 2022Adaption to Climate Change Events, Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

12:30 pm -2.00pm

Monroe Hall, Seminar Room 321

2115 G St NW, Washington, DC 20052

Why adoption rate of potentially pro table agricultural technologies in Africa remains low is still puzzling. This paper uses a randomized control trial to study Ugandan subsistence smallholders’ decisions to adopt cash crops. A unique way of eliciting farmers price and yield expectations allows us to investigate the role of farmers’ ex-ante beliefs about crop profitability on adoption decisions. We find that the provision of extension services increases oilseeds adoption by 15%, and farmers who underestimate oilseeds price at baseline are the most likely to adopt the new crops. The results suggest that changes in expectations drive agricultural technology take-up.

Paper: “Agricultural Transformation and Farmers’ Expectations: Experimental Evidence from Uganda” by Harounan Kazianga (Oklahoma State University)

Colonial Origins and Fertility: Can the Market Overcome History?

January 23, 2020February 5, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

12:30 pm -2.00pm

Monroe Hall, Seminar Room 321

2115 G St NW, Washington, DC 20052

Can market incentives overcome the long-term impact of historical institutions? We address this question by focusing on the role of colonial reproductive laws in shaping fertility behavior in Africa. Exploiting the arbitrary division of ancestral ethnic homelands and the resulting discontinuity in institutions across the British-French colonial borders, we find that women in former British areas are more likely to delay sexual debut and marriage, and that they have fewer children. However, these effects disappear in areas with exogenously high market access, where the opportunity cost of childbearing appears to be high irrespective of colonizer identity. They are only present in areas with low market access, where economic opportunities are scarcer. This heterogeneous impact of colonial origins remarkably extends to various measures of local economic development and household welfare. Examining causal mechanisms, we find that the fertility effect of colonial origins is directly linked to colonial reproductive laws and their impact on the use of modern methods of birth control. We rule out the impact of British colonization on income and women’s human capital as the primary channels through which its fertility effect operates. By uncovering novel findings on the heterogeneous nature of the colonial origins of comparative fertility behavior and economic development, our analysis implies that appropriately designed economic incentives can overcome the bonds of historical determinism.

Paper: “Colonial Origins and Fertility: Can the Market Overcome History?” by Roland Pongou (University of Ottawa)

The Biden Administration Turns to a Deteriorating US-China Relationship

January 15, 2020March 28, 2022Past Events, Research Conference, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Friday, January 15, 2021
09:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
WebEx

The Institute for International Economic Policy is pleased to invite you to the 13th annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations. This year, the conference will take place as a virtual series. This conference is co-sponsored by the Sigur Center for Asian Studies and the GW Center for International Business Education and Research.

In this event, Professor David Michael Lampton will give a keynote address on the future of U.S.-China relations under a new American administration. He will be joined by Barbara Stallings, IIEP Distinguished Visiting Scholar and William R. Rhodes Research Professor at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, and Deborah Lehr, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Paulson Institute.

About the Speakers:

David M. Lampton is Senior Fellow at the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute and Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins–SAIS. Immediately prior to his current post he was Oksenberg- Rohlen Fellow at Stanford University’s Asia-Pacific Research Center from 2019-2020. For more than two decades prior to that he was Hyman Professor and Director of China Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Lampton is former Chairman of the The Asia Foundation, former President of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, and former Dean of Faculty at SAIS. Among many written works, academic and popular is his most recent book (with Selina Ho and Cheng-Chwee Kuik), Rivers of Iron: Railroads and Chinese Power in Southeast Asia (University of California Press, 2020). He received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Stanford University in political science where, as an undergraduate student, he was a firefighter. Lampton has an honorary doctorate from the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Far Eastern Studies. He served for many years on the Board of Trustees of Colorado College and was in the US Army Reserve in the enlisted and commissioned ranks.

Deborah Lehr is the Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Paulson Institute. In that capacity, she advises the Chairman on U.S.–China relations as well as oversees the development and implementation of Paulson Institute programs and initiatives. In addition, Ms. Lehr manages the Green Finance Center for the Paulson Institute.

Ms. Lehr has served in the public, private and not for profit sectors focused on China, the Middle East and emerging markets. She advised Mr. Paulson when he was the CEO and Chairman of Goldman Sachs and helped then-Treasury Secretary Paulson to create and launch the U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue.

In addition, she served as Senior Advisor to the Chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch and was a Senior Managing Director at the New York Stock Exchange. Ms. Lehr has built several successful consulting businesses, including as a partner at Mayer Brown, a top-10 law firm, as President of Stonebridge China and then with her own firm, Basilinna. Basilinna is focused on China and the Middle East.

Ms. Lehr also served in the U.S. Government in the Executive Office of the President as a Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China, where she was a lead negotiator for China’s accession to the World Trade Organization, for two intellectual property rights negotiations and on the team for the 1992 Market Access Agreement. Also, Ms. Lehr was one of the youngest Directors of Asian Affairs at the National Security Council. Previous to that, she was involved in export control and trade policy issues at the Department of Commerce.

As the Founder and Chairman of the Antiquities Coalition, she works with governments around the world to fight against the illicit trade in antiquities. She serves on the International Advisory Board of the London School of Economics, the World Monuments Fund Board and the Middle East Institute Board. Ms. Lehr is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. UNESCO listed Ms. Lehr on its inaugural list of accomplished global women. She also received the prestigious Hadrian Award from the World Monument Fund for her work in fighting the illicit trade in antiquities.

Ms. Lehr has lived and studied around the world, including China, England, France, and Germany. Her writings have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Foreign Affairs, South China Morning Post, U.S. News and World Report, Caixin Magazine, and Xinhua.net, among others.

About the Moderator:

Barbara Stallings is William R. Rhodes Research Professor at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University and editor of Studies in Comparative International Development. She is also a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Institute for International Economic Policy at George Washington University. Before arriving at Brown in 2002, she was director of the Economic Development Division of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile (1993–2002), and professor of political economy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1977–1993). She has doctorates in economics (University of Cambridge) and in political science (Stanford University) and is a specialist in development economics, with an emphasis on development strategies and international finance. In addition, she works on issues of economic relations between Asia and Latin America and comparisons between the two regions. Her recent books are Innovation and Inclusion in Latin America: Strategies to Avoid the Middle Income Trap (2016) and Promoting Development: The Political Economy of East Asian Foreign Aid (2017). Her most recent book, Dependency in the Twenty-First Century? The Political Economy of China-Latin America Relations (2020), was selected as one of Foreign Affairs’ best books of 2020. She has taught at various universities in China and elsewhere in Asia; currently she is a distinguished visiting professor at the Schwarzman Program at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Entrepreneurship and Empowerment

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, March 18, 12:30-2
Chris Blattman (Columbia)
“Entrepreneurship and Empowerment”

Productivity As If Space Mattered: An Application to Factor Markets Across China

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, October 1, 2013, 12:30-2:00pm
John Morrow, LSE
“Productivity As If Space Mattered: An Application to Factor Markets Across China”

Cash or Coupons? Testing the Impacts of Cash versus Vouchers in the Democratic Republic of Congo

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, October 8, 2014, 12:30-2:00pm
Jenny Aker, Tufts University
“Cash or Coupons? Testing the Impacts of Cash versus Vouchers in the Democratic Republic of Congo”

Firm-to-Firm Trade: Imports, Exports, and the Labor Market

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, November 5, 2014, 12:30-2:00pm
Jonathan Eaton, Brown
“Firm-to-Firm Trade: Imports, Exports, and the Labor Market”

Railroads and American Economic Growth: A “Market Access” Approach

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, March 5, 2013 12:30-2:00pm
Richard Hornbeck, Harvard University
“Railroads and American Economic Growth: A “Market Access” Approach,” joint with Dave Donaldson, MIT

Micro/International Finance & Macroeconomics Seminar with John Haltiwanger

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

John Haltiwanger, University of Maryland

The Positive Effect of Labor Mobility Restrictions on Human Capital Accumulation in China

January 7, 2020March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, International Trade Events, Past Events, Yao Pan

Tuesday, November 13, 12:30 – 2:00pm
Yao Pan, George Washington University
“The Positive Effect of Labor Mobility Restrictions on Human Capital Accumulation in China”

Who Smooths What? Asset Smoothing versus Consumption Smoothing in Burkina Faso

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, November 15, 12:30-2, Monroe 321
Travis J. Lybbert, University of California, Davis (joint with Michael Carter, UC Davis):
“Who Smooths What? Asset Smoothing versus Consumption Smoothing in Burkina Faso”

The Measurement of Human Development in Theory and in Practice

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Adaption to Climate Change Events, Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, November 22, 12:30-2, Monroe 321
Eduardo Zambrano, California Polytechnic State University and Cornell University,
“The measurement of human development in theory and in practice.”

Magic Transition? Intergenerational Economic Mobility in Rural China from 1988 to 2002

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, International Trade Events, Past Events

Tuesday, March 8, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Yan Sun, George Washington University
“Magic Transition? Intergenerational Economic Mobility in Rural China from 1988 to 2002”

Report Cards: The Impact of Providing School and Child Test Scores on Educational Markets

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Past Events

Tuesday, October 19, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Asim Khwaja, Harvard University
“Report Cards: The Impact of Providing School and Child Test Scores on Educational Markets”

Diagnosing and Addressing India’s Post-2011 Growth Slowdown

January 5, 2020March 28, 2022Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, India, Past Events

Friday, January 22nd, 2021
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. EST
WebEx

This was the fifth webinar in the “Envisioning India” series, co-sponsored by the Sigur Center for Asian Studies and the Institute for International Economic Policy. It is a platform for dialogue and debate. We invite you to engage with us in this series of important discussions.

The “Envisioning India” series is organized under the stewardship of IIEP Co-Director James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, and IIEP Distinguished Visiting Scholar Ajay Chhibber. The fifth event, “Diagnosing and Addressing India’s Growth Slowdown Since 2011” featured Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah. The talk was based on their book In Service of the Republic: The Art and Science of Policy-Making in India, named a Top 20 Book of 2020 by Bloomberg. Ashima Goyal from IGIDR and Devesh Kapur from SAIS provided discussant remarks. The discussion was moderated by Professor James Foster, with an introduction by Dr. Ajay Chhibber.

India’s GDP has crashed in 2020 due to the pandemic – but it was showing a decline even before that. Private investment surged in India from 2003 to 2012, and has declined thereafter. In 2020 rupees, the stock of under implementation private projects has dropped from Rs.83 trillion in 2012 to Rs.35 trillion today. The most important puzzle in Indian economics today consists of diagnosing and addressing the disenchantment of the private sector, the change in conditions when compared with the high growth of the 1991-2011 period. Most GDP growth, and almost all jobs, are made when private persons choose to invest in building firms. What happened to the promise? Where have we faltered? How do we change course? How do we overcome the dangers of the middle-income trap and get rich before we grow old? What do we need to do to make our tryst with destiny?

This requires going back to first principles, in public economics and public administration, to rethink the foundations of public policy in India, to rethink the concept of the Indian state and its engagement with private persons. Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah wrote an ambitious book, “In service of the Republic: The art and science of economic policy“, around these questions.

About the Authors:

Vijay Kelkar served the Government of India as petroleum secretary, finance secretary and chairman of the Thirteenth Finance Commission of India. He also served as director of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and as executive director of the International Monetary Fund. In 2011, the President of India conferred the Padma Vibhushan upon him. He has a masters from the University of Minnesota and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.

Ajay Shah has worked at the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, the Indira Gandhi Institute for Development Research, the Ministry of Finance and the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP). His areas of research include economics, law and public administration. He has a BTech in aeronautical engineering from IIT, Bombay, and a PhD in economics from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

About the Discussant:

Ashima Goyal, professor IGIDR, Mumbai, is widely published in institutional and open economy macroeconomics, international finance and governance, edits a Routledge journal, has received many fellowships, national and international awards, is active in the Indian public debate with a monthly column at Hindu Business Line, and has a served on several boards and policy committees including the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council. Currently she is a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of India’s Central Bank.

Devesh Kapur, is the Starr Foundation South Asia Studies Professor and Director of Asia Programs at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University. His recent books include Navigating the Labyrinth: Perspectives on India’s Higher Education; The Other One Percent: Indians in American; Rethinking Public Institutions in India, The Costs of Democracy: Political Finance in India and Regulation in India: Design, Capacity, Performance. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, he held appointments at the Brookings Institution, Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania. He holds a B. Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT (BHU) Varanasi; an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota; and a Ph.D. in public policy from Princeton.

More From This Series

Data as a Development Issue Conference

January 5, 2020March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Friday, January 31, 2020
9:00am-5:00pm
Elliott School of International Affairs
Linder Commons Room
1957 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052

Livestream Link

Agenda

9:00am: Welcome Professor James Foster, Professor and Director, Institute for International Economic Policy and George Washington University

9:15am: Presentation by Vivien Foster, World Bank, Chief Economist for the Infrastructure Vice-Presidency

9:50am: Coffee Break

10:00am: Data and Development: How will data and the data-drive economy affect development?

Emmanuel F. LeTouze, Co-founder and Director, Data Pop
Vivian Ranson, Lead, Development Informatics Team, US Agency for International Development
Stefaan Verhulst, Co-Founder and Chief of Research and Development, Governance, The Governance Lab
Chair: Susan Aaronson, Research Professor and Director, Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, George Washington University

11:30am: Lunch & Keynote Presentation by Claire Melamed, CEO, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data

1:15pm: Governing Data for Development: What does good data governance look like? How can

development organizations best promote sound data practices?

Shaida Badiee, Managing Director, Open Data Watch
Agnieszka Rawa, Managing Director, Data Collaboratives for Local Impact, Millennium Challenge Corporation
Priya Vora, CEO, Future State
Chair: Michael Pisa, Policy Fellow, Center for Global Development

2:45pm: Coffee Break

3:00pm: A Global Framework for Inclusive Development: How can low- and middle-income countries participate on equal terms in a data-driven economy?

Burcu Kilic, Director, Digital Rights Program & Research Director, Public Citizen
Nanjala Nyabola, Writer, Humanitarian Advocate and Political
Analyst
Sreekanth Mukku, Project Manager, Data Privacy in the Global South, Konnektiv Kollektiv
Teresa Scassa, Canada Research Chair in Information Law and Policy, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law
Chair: Sabine Muscat, Program Director, Technology and Digital Policy, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Washington, DC

4:30pm: Concluding remarks by Shantayanan Devarajan, Commissioner of the Pathways to Prosperity Commission on Technology and Inclusive Development and Professor at Georgetown University

5:00pm: Conference Concludes

Conference Organizers
Susan Aaronson, Ph.D, George Washington University
Sebastian Duwe, Ph.D., Heinrich Boll Foundation, Washington DC
Michael Pisa, Center for Global Development, Washington DC
Sabine Weyand Heinrich Boll Foundation, Washington DC
Thanks to Kyle Renner and his staff for making the trains run on time, outreach, and food..

7th Annual Conference Washington Area Development Economics Symposium (WADES)

January 5, 2020January 5, 2020Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, April 5, 2019
Center for Global Development
2055 L St NW, 5th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036

The Washington Area Development Economics Symposium (WADES) is an annual research conference which highlights academic work from researchers at leading economics institutions in development economics in the Washington DC area. Researchers from George Washington University, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Virginia, the World Bank, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), American University, George Mason University, and the Center for Global Development are all participants in the symposium.

Conference Organizers:
Remi Jedwab, George Washington University
Jessica Goldberg, University of Maryland
Molly Lipscomb, University of Virginia
Andrew Zeitlin, Georgetown University

Agenda

8:30 – 9:00: Registration

9:00 – 9:45: Faculty Presentation:

“The Sustainability of Early Education Interventions: Do Learning Gains and Improved Teacher Practices Persist?” Jacobus Cilliers (Georgetown University)

9:45 – 10:30: Graduate Student Presentation:

“The gains from market integration: Rural roads, and separability of production and consumption decisions in smallholder farms” Hundanol Kebede (University of Virginia), Discussant: Jessica Goldberg (University of Maryland)

10:30 – 10:45: Coffee Break

10:45 – 11:30: Graduate Student Presentation:

“Measuring External Validity” Hao Bo (University of Maryland), Discussant: Owen Ozier (World Bank)
11:30 – 12:15 Faculty presentation: “Repelling Rape: Foreign Direct Investment Empowers Women” Sheetal Sekhri (University of Virginia)

12:15 – 1:00: Lunch

1:00 – 1:45: Graduate Student Presentation:

“The Precocious Period: Menarche, Education and Marriage in India” Madhulika Khanna (Georgetown University), Discussant: Pamela Jakiela (Center for Global Development)

1:45 – 2:30: Graduate Student Presentation:

“The Silenced Women: An Investigation on Reporting of Violence Against Women” Abhilasha Sahay (George Washington University), Discussant: Kelly Jones (American University)

2:30 – 3:15: Faculty Presentation:

“Peer effects on Violence: Experimental Evidence in El Salvador” Lelys Dinarte (World Bank)

3:15 – 3:30: Coffee Break

3:30 – 4:15: Faculty Presentation:

“Including Males: Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health for Female Adolescents” Jennifer Muz (George Washington University)

4:15 – 5:00: Faculty Presentation:

“Persuasion by Populist Propaganda: Individual Level Evidence from the 2015 Argentine Ballotage” Sebastian Galiani (University of Maryland)

Sensitivity Analyses in Poverty Measurement: The Case of the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index

January 1, 2020March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, James Foster, Past Events

Monday January 18th, 2021

10:00 AM-11:15AM EST

Paper Description:

This paper provides an extensive sensitivity analyses of the global multidimensional poverty index (MPI), a counting-based measure of acute poverty covering over 100 developing countries. Empirically, the paper probes the sensitivity of poverty measures and comparisons to modifications in key parameters. Outcomes studied include the adjusted headcount and headcount ratios and their subnational rankings, as well as the exact set of people who are identified as poor. The parameters that are adjusted include the poverty cutoff, weights or deprivation values, and indicators. Multidimensional poverty measures are generated using 10 alternative poverty cutoffs, 231 alternative weighting schemes, and six alternative indicator selections, in addition to the global MPI baseline specifications. The present paper also suggests ‘second-order’ sensitivity analyses to deepen the understanding of the underlying methods by varying poverty cutoffs and indicators simultaneously.

Broadly speaking, the results suggest that parameter choices can make a difference, which is consistent with the fact that often dominance results may not emerge. Specifically, the evidence suggests that fundamentally different parameters may substantially change the performance of the entire poverty measure or even its very nature (e.g., for a union cutoff or extreme weighting schemes). However, the results also suggest little sensitivity of outcomes when changing parameters within plausible ranges. One implication of these results is that sensitivity analyses in poverty measurement have a central role in the initial process fixing the parameters, in which usually numerous stakeholders participate, including policymakers and experts alike. The reason is that an agreement on a range of values is easier to achieve than on one particular number. An important technical insight is that union-based measures are more sensitive than the base-line measure, e.g., with respect to indicator selections.

About the Presenter:

Nicolai Suppa is currently postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Demographic Studies in Barcelona and Research Associate with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford. He holds a PhD in economics from TU Dortmund in Germany, where he also studied economics and sociology. His research interests are best described as applied welfare economics, including multidimensional poverty measurement and analysis, research on subjective well-being, the capability approach, labour economics, and applied econometrics. Nicolai has published articles in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Social Choice & Welfare, Empirical Economics, and the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities. At OPHI he is co-leading the estimation of the global MPI since 2018 and editing the OPHI Working Paper Series.

About the Discussant:

Dr Suman Seth is an associate professor at the Leeds University Business School. He joined the business school in 2015. He is also a Research Associate at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) within the Oxford Department of International Development at the University of Oxford. He obtained a PhD degree in Economics from Vanderbilt University in the USA. After his PhD, he served as a Research Office and as a Senior Research Officer at OPHI between 2010 and 2015. He is primarily interested in Development Economics with a particular emphasis on measurement methodologies and policy-oriented applications. Previously, he has served as consultants to the Regional Bureau of Latin America and the Caribbean, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to the Development Research Groups at the World Bank, and to the Asian Development Bank.

About the Moderator:

James E. Foster is the Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs, Professor of Economics, and Co-Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy at the George Washington University. He is also a Research Associate at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at Oxford University. Professor Foster’s research focuses on welfare economics — using economic tools to evaluate and enhance the wellbeing of people. His work underlies many well-known social indices including the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) published annually by the UNDP in the Human Development Report, dozens of national MPIs used to guide domestic policy against poverty, the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) at USAID, the Gross National Happiness Index of Bhutan, the Better Jobs Index of the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the Statistical Performance Index of the World Bank. Prof. Foster received his PhD in Economics from Cornell University and has a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Universidad Autonoma del Estado Hidalgo (Mexico).

This event and seminar series was jointly organized with the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the UNDP Human Development Report Office. The seminars will be hosted by IIEP Co-Director James Foster.

More Fro This Series

Technology, Taxation, and Corruption Evidence from the Introduction of Electronic Tax Filing

December 12, 2019January 5, 2020Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, International Finance Events, Past Events

Tuesday, December 10, 2019
12:30pm-2:00pm
John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Monroe Hall/Hall of Government, Room 321
2115 G St. Washington, D.C. 20052

Please join us with welcoming Oyebola Okunogbe (World Bank) as she will be be presenting a Trade & Development Workshop.

Many e-government initiatives introduce technology to improve efficiency and avoid potential human bias. Electronic tax filing (e-filing) is an important example, as developing countries increasingly adopt online submission of tax declarations to replace in-person submission to tax officials. This paper examines the impact of e-filing on compliance costs, tax payments, and bribe payments using experimental variation and data from Tajikistan firms. Firms that e-file have lower compliance costs, spending five fewer hours each month on fulfilling tax obligations. There are no significant average effects of e-filing on tax or bribe payments, but significant heterogeneity exists across firms by their baseline likelihood of tax evasion. Among firms previously more likely to evade, e-filing doubles tax payments, likely by disrupting collusion with officials. Conversely, among firms less likely to have been evading, e-filing reduces tax payments, suggesting that officials had previously required them to pay more. These firms also pay fewer bribes, as e-filing reduces opportunity for extortion. In all, the results indicate that e-filing limits tax officials’ discretion and makes the distribution of tax payments across firms arguably more equitable.

Mardi Dungey Memorial Research Conference

November 18, 2019March 28, 2022Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Global Economic Governance Events, International Finance Events, International Trade Events, Past Events, Research Conference, Tara Sinclair

Mardi Dungey Memorial Research Conference
Friday, February 21, 2020
8:00 am – 5:30 pm (Conference)
5:30pm – 7:30 pm (Reception)
Lindner Commons, Suite 602
1957 E St NW
Washington, D.C. 20052

Livestream Link

On behalf of the Institute for International Economic Policy, the Research Program on Forecasting, the Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, University of Tasmania, and the Society for Nonlinear Dynamics and Econometrics, you are cordially invited to the Mardi Dungey Memorial Research Conference on February 21, 2020. The event is named in honor of Mardi Dungey, Professor of Economics and Finance at the University of Tasmania, Adjunct Professor and Program Director, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, ANU, Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Financial Analysis and Policy at Cambridge University, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

Agenda

8:00am- 8:45am: Breakfast

8:45am – 9:10am

Introduction, Stephen Smith, Chair, Department of Economics and Professor of Economics and International Affairs, Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU

Opening Remarks, Tara Sinclair, George Washington University

9:10 – 9:30am: A Panel on Mardi Dungey’s Contributions

Vanessa Smith, University of York

Renee Fry-McKibbin, Australian National University

Warwick McKibbin, Australian National University

Chaired by: Renee Fry-McKibbin, Australian National University

9:30 – 10:30am

Econometrics of Option Pricing with Stochastic Volatility, Eric Renault, University of Warwick

Chaired by: Vance Martin, University of Melbourne

10:30 – 11:00am: Coffee Break

11:00 – 11:45am

Leaning Against the Wind: An Empirical Cost-Benefit Analysis, Gaston Gelos, International Monetary Fund

Chaired by: Tara Sinclair, George Washington University

11:45am – 12:30pm

The Gains from Catch-up for China and the U.S.: An Empirical Framework, Denise Osborn, University of Manchester

Chaired by: Simon van Norden, HEC Montréal, CIREQ & CIRANO

12:30 – 1:30pm: Lunch Break

1:30 – 2:30pm

Measurement of Factor Strength: Theory and Practice, Hashem Pesaran, Cambridge University

Chaired by: Nigel Ray, International Monetary Fund

2:30 – 2:45pm: Coffee Break

2:45 – 3:30pm

Inflation: Expectations, Structural Breaks, and Global Factors, Pierre Siklos, Wilfrid Laurier University

Chaired by: Gerald Dwyer, Clemson University

3:30 – 4:15pm

Multivariate Trend-Cycle-Seasonal Decomposition with Correlated Innovations, Jing Tian, University of Tasmania

Chaired by: Edda Claus, Wilfrid Laurier University

4:15 – 4:30pm: Coffee Break

4:30 – 5:15pm

The Center and the Periphery: Two Hundred Years of International Borrowing Cycles, Graciela Kaminsky, George Washington University

Chaired by: Brenda Gonzalez-Hermosillo, International Monetary Fund

5:15 – 5:30pm: Closing Remarks

Marty Robinson, Australian Treasury

Vladimir Volkov, University of Tasmania

Warwick McKibbin, Australian National University

Chaired by: Renee Fry-McKibbin, Australian National University

5:30 – 7:30pm: Reception

2nd Annual Washington Area Labor Economics Symposium (WALES)

November 18, 2019April 4, 2020Past Events, Research Conference

February 28th, 2020
8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Linder Family Commons, Suite 602
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E St NW
Washington, D.C. 20052

RSVP

WALES is a one-day labor economics conference that brings together researchers from DC-area institutions. The goal is to provide an outlet to share work in progress and get to know other researchers. Breakfast, lunch and coffee will be served.

Click here to find an archive of the previous WALES conferences.

Agenda

8:15am- 8:50am: Breakfast & Welcome

8:45am-9:00am: Welcome Bryan Stuart and TBD

Session 1: Recessions and the Labor Market

9:00am-9:30pm: “The Long-Lived Cyclicality of the Labor Force Participation Rate”, Joshua

Montes, Federal Reserve, with Tomaz Cajner and John Coglianese

9:30am-10:00am: “Did Timing Matter? Life Cycle Differences in Exposure to the Great Recession”,

Kevin Rinz, Census Bureau

10:00am-10:30am: “Excess Capacity and Heterogeneity in the Fiscal Multiplier: Evidence from the

Obama Stimulus Package”, Thomas Hegland, Agency for Healthcare Research and

Quality with Arindrajit Dube, Ethan Kaplan, and Ben Zipperer

10:30am-11:00am: Coffee Break

Session 2: Discrimination

11:00am-11:30am: “Gender Bias and Intergenerational Educational Mobility: Theory and Evidence

from China and India”, Forhad Shilpi, World Bank with M. Shahe Emran and

Hanchen Jiang

11:30am- 12:00pm: “In-group Bias and the Police: Evidence from Award Nominations”, Nayoung

Rim, US Naval Academy, with Bocar Ba and Roman Rivera

12:00pm- 1:30pm: Lunch & Poster Session

Session 3: Public Sector Employment

1:30pm-2:00pm: “Managers and Productivity in the Public Sector”, Alessandra Fenizia, GWU

2:00pm-2:30pm: “Recruitment, effort, and retention effects of performance contracts for civil

servants: Experimental evidence from Rwandan primary schools”, Andrew Zeitlin,

Georgetown University, with Clare Leaver, Owen Ozier, and Pieter Serneelsz

2:30pm-2:50pm: Coffee Break

Session 4: Labor Supply

2:50pm-3:20pm: “Rural Labor Market Responses to Large Lumpy Cash Transfers: Evidence from

Malawi”, Kate Ambler, International Food Policy Research Institute, with Alan de

Brauw and Susan Godlonton

3:20pm-3:50pm: “Hope for the Family: The Effects of College Costs on Maternal Labor Supply”,

Breno Braga, Urban Institute, with Olga Malkova

3:50pm-4:00pm: Break

Session 5: Education and the Labor Market

4:00pm-4:30pm: “Inequality and Wage Dynamics by Academic Majors”, Natalia Radchenko,

American University, with Natalia Kyui

4:30:pm-5:00pm: “Do Postsecondary Training Programs Respond to Changes in the Labor Market?”,

Michel Grosz, FTC

5:00pm-6:00pm: Reception

Posters

Miriam Bruhn, World Bank, “The Impact of Mobile Money on Poor Rural Households: Experimental Evidence from Uganda” (with Christina Wieser, Johannes Kinzinger, Christian Ruckteschler, Soren Heitmann)

Elizabeth Anna Weber Handwerker, Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Variation in the Impact of Explicit Oligopsony by Occupation” (with Matthew Dey)

Kelly Jones, American University, Reducing Maternal Labor Market Detachment: A role for Paid Family Leave (with Britni Wilcher)

Joshua Mask, University of Illinois Chicago, “Consequences of Immigrating During a Recession: Evidence from the US Refugee Resettlement Program”

Daniela Morar, Yale University, “Foreign TAs and student STEM outcomes”

Dani Sandler, Census Bureau, “Maternal Labor Dynamics: Participation, Earnings, and Employer Changes” (with Nichole Szembrot)

Tara Sinclair, George Washington University, “Mismatch in Online Job Search” (with Martha Gimbel)

All Aboard: The Aggregate Effects of Port Development

October 30, 2019December 4, 2019Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events

Wednesday, October 30, 2019
2:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Kendrick Conference Room
Monroe Hall, Room 321
2115 G St NW Washington, D.C., 20052.

Please join us to listen to Claudia Steinwender from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Steinwender has written extensively in the area of international trade, economic history and innovation and productivity. She will be presenting a paper called “All Aboard: The Aggregate Effects of Port Development”.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Digital Trade

October 30, 2019March 28, 2022International Trade Events, Past Events, Research Conference, Susan Aaronson

Thursday, October 31, 2019
12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
Lindner Family Commons, Room 602
1957 E Street NW
Washington, D.C 20052

Data has become the most traded good and/or service across borders. The American economy is increasingly reliant on digital trade. But the US does not yet participate in any explicit binding digital trade agreements. Meanwhile, many countries have adopted policies that inhibit digital trade, including requirements that data be stored locally or restricting services provided by foreign firms. Such policies not only affect U.S. Internet and technology firms, but the users and small businesses that rely on an open digital environment.

There have been lots of panels on digital trade, but this event will provide an opportunity to better understand why data is governed in trade agreements, what are the barriers to digital trade, and how digital trade rules may affect important policy objectives such as internet openness, the gig economy, innovation, and national security.

PANELISTS:
Matthew Reisman
Microsoft
Meredith Broadbent
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Rachael Stelly
Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA)
Burcu Kilic
Public Citizen

MODERATOR:
Susan Aaronson
Research Professor, GWU and Director, Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub

This event is co-sponsored by the Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP at GWU), the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, and the Internet Society DC (ISOC-DC). This event is also organized in conjunction with the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA).

Click Here for Live Stream

Elusive Development in Latin America: Structural Challenges and Instability Hotspots

October 10, 2019March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events

Friday, October 11th, 2019

2:00 – 3:30pm, Room 212

Elliott School of International Affairs

1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052

The event will feature Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva, Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP. He will be speaking as part of IIEP’s International Economic Policy Forum series.

This event is co-sponsored by the Latin American and Hemispheric Studies M.A. program (LASP).

Seminar on Governing Finance for Sustainability

September 30, 2019March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

9:30am-11:30am, Light Lunch: 11:30am-12:30pm

City View Room, 7th Floor

Elliott School of International Affairs

1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052

Synopsis

The nexus between financial governance, macroeconomic and financial stability, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability has become the subject of a growing debate among policymakers and market participants. Current beliefs on central banking and financial regulation are being questioned in the face of systemic challenges such as rising income inequality, growing market concentration, political polarization, accelerating climate change, and disruptions from new financial technologies.

Do the mandates and instruments of financial authorities remain fit for purpose? Do the objectives and operations of central banks and financial regulators, along with their independence and accountability, need revision to deal with the rapidly changing conditions of the 21st century? How do financial authorities ensure alignment with longer term policy goals? To what extent should social and environmental sustainability feature on their agendas?

The panel discussion will examine this important debate, including the following questions:

What objectives should central banks and financial regulators pursue?
What reforms, if any, are required to reflect these objectives in mandates, instruments, and institutions?
What could be the pathways to reform?

Agenda

9.00 – 9.30 am: Arrival of panelists and participants

9.30 – 9.45 am: Welcome and Introductory Remarks

James Foster, Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor of International Affairs and Economics, and Director, Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP), Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University (GWU).

Sunil Sharma, Distinguished Visiting Scholar, IIEP, Elliott School, GWU, former Assistant Director, Research Department, IMF.

9.45 – 11.30 am: Panel Discussion and Q & A

Patrick Honohan, Honorary Professor of Economics, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland; former Governor, Central Bank of Ireland.

Signe Krogstrup, Assistant Governor, Head of Economics and Monetary Policy, Danmarks Nationalbank; former Adviser, Research Department, IMF.

Gillian Tett, Chair, Editorial Board, and Editor-at-Large, US, The Financial Times.

William White, Senior Fellow, C.D. Howe Institute, Canada; and former Economic Adviser and Head of the Monetary and Economic Department, Bank for International Settlements.

Moderator: Alexander Barkawi, Director, Council on Economic Policies, Switzerland.

11.30 am – 12.30 pm: Light Lunch

Organizing Committee: Alexander Barkawi (CEP), Kyle Renner (IIEP, GWU), Sunil Sharma (IIEP, GWU), Simon Zadek (UNDP).

Co-sponsored by the Council on Economic Policies

A New Push on Women’s Economic Empowerment: A High Level Ministerial Panel

September 30, 2019March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019
3:00pm- 4:15pm
City View Room, 7th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW Washington DC 20052

The aim of the high-level ministerial panel is to provide fresh impetus to the push for Women’s Economic Empowerment, bringing together thought leaders and policy practitioners in a frank discussion of what more can be done in the context of effective and inclusive development strategies. The panel will focus on concrete ways to remove constraints to women’s economic activity, enabling them to increase incomes and status, while at the same time contributing to more equitable economic growth.

Speakers include:

Hon. Arturo Herrera, Minister of Finance, Mexico.

Hon. Benigno Lopez, Minister of Finance, Paraguay.

Dr. Nancy Birdsall, Founder of the Center for Global Development and former Executive Vice President of the Inter-American Development Bank.

Moderated by: Prof. Danny Leipziger, Professor of International Business and International Affairs, George Washington University, Managing Director of the Growth Dialogue

This event is co-sponsored by the Growth Dialogue at the George Washington Business School and the Latin American and Hemispheric Studies M.A. Program and the Gender Equality in International Affairs Initiative.

Policy-making in a World of Greater Uncertainty

September 15, 2019March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Wednesday, October 16, 2019
4:45 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
City View Room, 7th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Washington, D.C., 20052

The aim of the high-level panel is to consider the host of new economic challenges facing policymakers, as they face increased global uncertainty. In Emerging Market Economies in particular, trade wars, uncertain monetary stances, disruptive technologies, and increased nationalism have created new sets of policy problems for governments attempting to deal with their domestic concerns in an increasingly fractured global environment.

Speakers include:

Hon. Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance, Ethiopia.
Dr. Reza Moghadam, Vice Chairman, Morgan Stanley International.
Dr. Joaquim Levy, former Minister of Finance, Brazil.

Moderator: Dr.Danny Leipziger, Professor of International Business and International Affairs, George Washington University and Managing Director of the Growth Dialogue.

This event is co-sponsored by the Growth Dialogue at the George Washington School of Business and the Latin American and Hemispheric Studies M.A. program (LASP).

Ethics and Leadership: A discussion on ‘America First’ Foreign Policy with Patrick Fine

September 11, 2019March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Monday, September 16th from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Elliott School of International Affairs
Conference Room 505
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Patrick C. Fine is the Chief Executive Officer of FHI 360, a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions.

Before joining FHI 360, Fine served as the Vice President for Compact Operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), where he helped to shape nontraditional approaches to U.S. bilateral assistance through his oversight of large-scale investment partnerships with 24 countries. From 2006 to 2010, he was Senior Vice President of the Global Learning Group at the Academy for Educational Development (AED).

As a career member of the Foreign Service at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Fine served as the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Africa Bureau and Mission Director in Afghanistan, where he led the rapid expansion of U.S. assistance for reconstruction and development…read more

The Power of Public Private Partnerships to Drive Gender Equality – SDG #5

September 10, 2019March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Global Economic Governance Events

Thursday, October 17th, 2019

4:00 pm – 5:30pm

Lisner Auditorium

800 21st St NW, Washington, DC 20052

Watch Video

This panel aims to build a greater understanding of the power of public-private partnership investments and their ability to impact and accelerate change in support of SDG #5.

The program will provide a forum for exchange on global best practices related to education, healthcare, access to capital/business and leadership.

Please also join us for a networking reception immediately following the panel session.

MODERATOR:
Ambassador Melanne Verveer
Co-founder Seneca Women

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie von Friedeburg
Chief Operating Officer, International Finance Corporation
Jane Fraser
CEO of Latin America, Citi
Julie Monaco
Global Head of Public Sector Coverage, Citi
Henriette Kolb
Manager, Gender Business Department, International Finance Corporation
Kathryn Kaufman
Managing Director for Global Women’s Initiatives, Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Jacqueline Caglia
Director of Communications and US Programs, Merck
Jill Miller
Chief Program and Administrative Officer, Girl Rising
Anna Falth
Senior Programme Manager of the WE EMPOWER – G7, UN Women

This event is co-sponsored by Citi and the International Finance Corporation.

IMF October 2019 World Economic Outlook

September 1, 2019March 28, 2022Danny M. Leipziger, Global Economic Governance Events, International Finance Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, November 1, 2019
9:30a.m. – 12:15p.m.
Lindner Family Commons (6th Floor)
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20052

Schedule of Events

9:00 a.m. – Breakfast and Registration

9:30 a.m. – Opening Remarks
James Foster, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy,
GWU

9:45 a.m. – Chapter 1:Global Prospects and Policies
Presenter: Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti

10:15 a.m. – Coffee Break

10:30 a.m. – Chapter 2: Closer Together or Further Apart? Subnational Regional
Disparities and Adjustment in Advanced Economies

Presenter: Natalija Novta
Discussant: Ryan Nunn

Chapter 2 of the latest World Economic Outlook examines the rise in within-country regional disparities in economic performance across advanced economies. The chapter explores how lagging regions differ from the rest, in terms of demographics, labor market outcomes, sectoral labor productivity and sectoral employment. It also explores how regions adjust to trade and technology shocks, comparing lagging to other regions.

11:15 a.m. – Coffee Break

11:30 a.m. – Chapter 3: Reigniting Growth in Emerging Market and Low-Income
Economies: What Role for Structural Reforms?

Presenter: Cian Ruane
Discussant: Danny Leipziger

The forthcoming IMF World Economic Outlook analytical chapter provides new evidence on the short-to-medium-term effects of reforms, based on a newly constructed database of reforms in domestic and external finance, trade, labor and product markets. The chapter discusses sources of cross-country heterogeneity in reform payoffs, including the role of governance and informality in mediating the gains from reforms, and political economy issues related to reform implementation.

12:15 p.m. – Concluding Remarks

12:30 p.m. – Lunch

Read the full World Economic Outlook here.

12th Annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Relations

August 31, 2019March 28, 2022Chao Wei, Past Events, Research Conference, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Friday, November 8th, 2019

Lindner Family Commons, 6th Floor

Elliott School for International Affairs

1957 E Street, NW Washington DC 20052

Schedule of Events

08:15-08:50: Coffee and Registration

08:50-09:00: Welcoming Remarks: James Foster (IIEP Director, GWU)

09:00-09:45: Keynote:

Daniel Xu (Duke University): “Fiscal Policies and Firm Investment in China”

09:45-10:45: The Political Economy of Protests

Moderator: Bruce Dickson (GWU)

David Yang (Harvard University): “Persistent Political Engagement: Social Interactions and the Dynamics of Protest Movements”

Davin Chor (Dartmouth College): “The Political Economy Consequences of China’s Export Slowdown”. Chor’s work is available here.

10:45-11:15: Coffee Break

11:15-12:15: Capital Market Liberalization and Industrial Policy

Moderator: Chao Wei (GWU)

John Rogers (Federal Reserve Board): “The Effect of the China Connect”

Wenli Li (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia): “Demographic Aging, Industrial Policy, and Chinese Economic Growth”. Li’s work is available here.

12:15-13:15: Lunch and Poster Session

13:15–14:30: Policy Keynotes:

Chad Bown (Peterson Institute for International Economics): “The U.S.-China trade relationship under the Trump administration”. Bown’s work is available here

David Shambaugh (GWU): “Stresses and Strains in U.S.-China Relations: Origins, Consequences, and Outlook”

14:30-15:00: Coffee Break

15:00-16:00: Industrial Policy, Technology Transfer, and Financial Access

Moderator: Maggie Chen (GWU)

Jie Bai (Harvard University): “Quid Pro Quo, Knowledge Spillovers and Industrial Quality Upgrading”

Jing Cai (University of Maryland): “Direct and Indirect Effects of Financial Access on SMEs”

16:00-17:00: The Belt and Road Initiative

Moderator: Stephen Kaplan (GWU)

Jamie P. Horsley (Brookings Institution): “Belt & Road Governance Challenges and Developments”

Scott Morris (Center for Global Development): “Belt & Road’s Debt and Project Risks”

An archive of all previous Annual Conferences on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations is available here.

For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

Cosponsored by:

Trade and Development Seminar

August 31, 2019September 30, 2019International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

6th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference

August 31, 2019September 16, 2019Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events

Monday, September 9th, 2019.

South Africa: Rebuilding the Dream

August 31, 2019March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Stephen C. Smith

Monday, November 11th, 2019

2:00pm – 3:30pm

Lindner Family Commons, Room 602

Elliott School for International Affairs

1957 E Street, NW Washington DC 20052

Event Overview

Twenty-five years after the end of apartheid, South Africa’s economy is in crisis. Inequality in South Africa is the highest in the world; unemployment is on the rise; and economic growth (projected at 0.8 percent in 2019) has hovered precariously close to recession. In After Dawn: Hope After State Capture, former South African Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas, the man who first blew the whistle on corruption in the Zuma administration, offers a blunt assessment of the country’s economic woes and the failures of governance that caused it. He proposes a series of practical solutions to build a growing, job-creating economy that can begin to meet South African’s unfulfilled expectations of economic transformation.

Panelists

Mcebisi Jonas, Author of After Dawn: Hope after State Capture and former Deputy Finance Minister of South Africa

Mcebisi Jonas is author of After Dawn: Hope after State Capture, and chairman designate of MTN, one of Africa’s largest techonology companies. He is the former Deputy Finance Minister of South Africa, a position he held from 2014 to 2016. In that position, he was an early whistle-blower in the “Gupta-Gate” state capture scandal, and was subsequently fired by President Jacob Zuma. He currently serves on President Cyril Ramphosa’s team of international trade and investment “ambassadors.”

Stephen Smith, Professor of Economics and International Affairs and Chair, Department of Economics, GW

Stephen Smith’s work focuses on economic development, with a special focus on solutions to poverty. He also researches economic development strategies, developing country financing issues, and the economics of adaptation to climate change in low-income countries. He has also conducted extensive research on the economics of cooperatives, works councils, and codetermination. He is currently on sabbatical at the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, in Florence, Italy, where he is a UNICEF Senior Fellow.

Yusuf Shahid, Chief Economist, The Growth Dialogue

Shahid Yusuf is Chief Economist of the Growth Dialogue. Dr. Yusuf brings many decades of economic development experience to the Dialogue, having been intensively involved with the growth policies of many of the most successful East Asian economies during key periods of their histories. He has written extensively on development issues, with a special focus on East Asia and has also published widely in various academic journals. He has authored or edited 24 books on industrial and urban development, innovation systems and tertiary education.

Moderated by Jennifer Cooke, Director of the Institute for African Studies

Jennifer Cooke is formerly the director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she led research and analysis on political, economic, and security dynamics in Africa. She is a frequent writer and lecturer on U.S.-Africa policy and provides briefings, testimony, and policy recommendations to U.S. policymakers, the U.S. Congress, and the U.S. military.

This event is co-sponosored by the Institute for African Studies.

The Venezuelan Migration Crisis: its Human and Economic Faces

August 31, 2019March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Wednesday, November 13, 2019
5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.*
Linder Family Commons, Room 602
Elliot School of International Affairs
1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052

With a repressive regime and a collapsing economy driving millions of people out of Venezuela, the hemisphere is faced with the ramifications of this massive exodus. The tragic impact on the lives of Venezuelans living as refugees and migrants combined with the economic costs for the receiving countries makes this a crisis that is screaming for greater attention. This panel will examine these two different, yet overlapping, components by looking at the economic and human faces of this migration crisis. This discussion will be led by the following speakers:

Moderator/Commentator: Marie Price, Professor of Geography and International Affairs, George Washington University (GWU)

Oscar Valencia, Lead Specialist at the Fiscal Management Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

Francisco Quintana, Director of the Venezuelan Human Mobility Program and the Andean, North-American and Caribbean Region of the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)

This event is co-sponosored by the Latin American & Hemispheric Studies Program (LAHSP), the Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP at GWU), the International Development Studies Program (IDS), and LATAM@GW.

How Should We Measure City Size? Theory and Evidence Within and Across Rich and Poor Countries

August 11, 2019March 28, 20222019, Anthony Yezer, Anthony Yezer, Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Remi Jedwab, Working Papers

August 2019

Remi Jedwab, Prakash Loungani, and Anthony Yezer

IIEP working paper 2019-11

Abstract: It is obvious that holding city population constant, differences in cities across the world are enormous. Urban giants in poor countries are not large using measures such as land area, interior space or value of output. These differences are easily reconciled mathematically as population is the product of land area, structure space per unit land (i.e., heights), and population per unit interior space (i.e., crowding). The first two are far larger in the cities of developed countries while the latter is larger for the cities of developing countries. In order to study sources of diversity among cities with similar population, we construct a version of the standard urban model (SUM) that yields the prediction that the elasticity of city size with respect to income could be similar within both developing countries and developed countries. However, differences in income and urban technology can explain the physical differences between the cities of developed countries and developing countries. Second, using a variety of newly merged data sets, the predictions of the SUM for similarities and differences of cities in developed and developing countries are tested. The findings suggest that population is a sufficient statistic to characterize city differences among cities within the same country, not across countries.

JEL Codes: R13; R14; R31; R41; R42; O18; O2; O33

Keywords: Urbanization; Cities; Urban Giants; Population; Standard Urban Model; Measurement; Urban Technology; Building Heights; Sprawl; Housing; Transportation

Applied Micro Seminar

May 4, 2019May 13, 2019Past Events, Seminar

Wednesday, May 8, 12:30-2:00

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Yao Pan (Aalto University)
“Aladdin’s Lamp Unleashed: Successful Social Programs over Local Political Cycles”

Abstract: A social program can achieve great success in one case but not in another, and the reason is far from clear. This paper tests a new hypothesis that timing of program introduction relative to local political cycle greatly affects a program’s impact, using a government-implemented village fund program in China. Combining household-level panel data from a random experiment on loan provision and the exogenous variation in the timing of the program introduction relative to the village Party secretary’s reselection cycle, we show that the program achieves a higher loan take-up rate, better poor targeting, fewer violations, and a higher overall performance score if it is introduced in the year prior to reappointment. These divergencies are most likely driven by differences in effort levels the village fund committees put into the program and in loan terms set by them. Finally, we show villages with the program introduced in the year prior to reappointment experience higher levels of agricultural income, agricultural production assets, and food consumption. Taken together, these results signify the importance of politician’ incentives for successful social program implementation.

9th Washington Area International Trade Symposium (WAITS) Conference

April 26, 2019February 23, 2022Past Events, Research Conference

The 9th Annual Washington Area International Trade Symposium (WAITS) will be held on:

Friday, April 26, 2019
8:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Lindner Family Commons (6th Floor)
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW

The Washington Area International Trade Symposium (WAITS) is a forum that highlights trade research at institutions in the Washington D.C. area. Its primary activity is sponsoring an annual research conference where scholars present their latest academic work. Researchers from George Washington University, American University, the Census Bureau, the Federal Reserve Board, Georgetown University, the Inter-American Development Bank, Johns Hopkins University (SAIS), the U.S. International Trade Commission, the University of Maryland, and the World Bank have all participated in the symposium.

RSVP

Conference Program

08:15-08:55	Breakfast
08:55-09:00	Opening Remarks: Maggie Chen, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy, George Washington University
9:00-9:45	“Regional Spillovers through Multi-Market Firms: The Product Replacement Channel” Presenter: Ryan Kim, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University Discussant: Ana Fernandes, World Bank
9:45-10:30	“Non-Tariff Barriers and Bargaining in Generic Pharmaceuticals” Presenter: Sharat Ganapati, Georgetown University Discussant: Gloria Sheu, Department of Justice
10:30-11:00	Coffee Break
11:00-11:45	“Training and Labor Adjustment to Trade” Presenter: Marisol Rodriguez Chatruc, Inter-American Development Bank Discussant: Claire Brunel, American University
11:45-12:30	“Trade, Jobs, and Worker Welfare” Presenter: Eunhee Lee, University of Maryland Discussant: Ricardo Reyes-Heroles, Federal Reserve Board
12:30-13:15	Lunch
13:15-14:00	“Family Leave Law and the Demand for Female Labor: Evidence from a Trade Shock” Presenter: Fariha Kamal, U.S. Census Bureau Discussant: Mina Kim, Bureau of Labor Statistics
14:00-14:45	“Robots, Tasks, and Trade” Presenter: Erhan Artuc, World Bank Discussant: Heiwai Tang, Johns Hopkins University
14:45-15:00	Coffee Break
15:00-15:45	“Testing Stolper-Samuelson with a Natural Experiment” Presenter: Dan Bernhofen, American University Discussant: Colin Hottman, Federal Reserve Board
15:45-16:30	“What are the Price Effects of Trade: Evidence from the U.S. and Implications for Quantitative Trade Models” Presenter: Erick Sager, Federal Reserve Board Discussant: Paul Piveteau, Johns Hopkins University
16:30-17:15	“Your (Country’s) Reputation Precedes You: Information Asymmetry, Externalities and the Quality of Exports” Presenter: Yingyan Zhao, Penn State University and George Washington University Discussant: Paulo Bastos, World Bank

Previous WAITS Conferences

8th WAITS Conference

7th WAITS Conference

6th WAITS Conference

5th WAITS Conference

4th WAITS Conference

3th WAITS Conference

2th WAITS Conference

1th WAITS Conference

Shared Values in U.S.- Taiwan Relations: Strengthening Democracy Through Open Governance

April 23, 2019February 23, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Global Governance, Past Events

Tuesday, April 23, 2019
12 – 2 p.m.
Lindner Family Commons (6th Floor)
Elliott School of International Affairs – GWU
1957 E Street, NW

Open. Collective. Experimental. Sustainable. Taiwan’s first Digital Minister Audrey Tang will address what happens when people who grew up on the internet get their hands on the building blocks of government. As a self-described “conservative anarchist” and a so-called “white-hat hacker,” Minister Tang will show how she works with her team to channel greater combinations of intelligence into policy-making decisions and the delivery of public services. Minister Tang will also discuss “tech for good” and how Taiwan is “SDG

(Sustainable Development Goals) indexing everything.” This event is free and open to the public and the media. This event will be live streamed on the Sigur Center’s YouTube channel. During the moderated Q&A session, Minister Tang will use the Sli.do polling platform to include audiences on the internet in the discussion.

Agenda

12 – 12:05 p.m. Welcome Remarks by Sigur Center for Asian Studies Director Benjamin Hopkins

12:05 – 12:25 p.m. Keynote Address by Minister Audrey Tang

12:25 – 12:45 p.m. Commentary by Dr. Susan Aaronson and Dr. Scott White

12:45 – 1:15 p.m. Moderated Q&A Discussion by Dr. Deepa Ollapally

1:15 – 1:45 p.m. Conclusion and Lunch

Earth Day: The Ethics of Climate Change

April 18, 2019March 28, 2022Adaption to Climate Change Events, Climate Adaptation, Past Events

The Leadership, Ethics and Practice (LEAP) Initiative, the Institute for
International Economic Policy (IIEP), and the Masters of Arts in International
Affairs (MAIA) program present:

Earth Day:
The Ethics of Climate Change
A lunch discussion with Dr. Andrew Steer, President and CEO of World
Resources Institute

Monday, April 22, 2019
12:00pm to 1:00p

Elliott School of International Affairs
Room 505, 5th floor
1957 E Street NW Washington, DC 20052

About the Speaker

Dr. Andrew Steer is the President and CEO of the World Resources Institute, a global research organization that works in more than 50 countries, with offices in the Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States. WRI’s more than 500 experts work with leaders to address six urgent global challenges at the intersection of economic development and the natural environment: food, forests, water, climate, energy and cities.Dr. Steer joined WRI from the World Bank, where he served as Special Envoy for Climate Change from 2010 – 2012. From 2007 to 2010, he served as Director General at the UK Department of International Development (DFID) in London. Dr. Steer is a Global Agenda Trustee for the World Economic Forum, and is a member of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), the Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the Energy Transitions Commission, the Champions 12.3 Coalition to reduce food loss and waste, the Sustainable Advisory Groups of both IKEA and the Bank of America, and he serves on the Executive Board of the UN Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy For All Initiative. In earlier years, Andrew held several senior posts at the World Bank, including Director of the Environment Department. He also has directed World Bank operations in Vietnam and Indonesia and served as Chief of the Country Risk Division and Director and Chief Author of the 1992 World Development Report on Environment and Development.

IMF Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Economic Outlook (REO)

April 18, 2019May 13, 2019Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Thursday, May 9, 2019
10:00am to 12:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Schedule:

10 a.m.	Welcome Remarks by Maggie Chen and Jennifer Cooke
10:05 a.m.	Opening remarks and REO summary – Mahvash S. Qureshi
10:20 a.m.	“The Economic Consequences of Conflict” – Shanta Devarajan
10:40 a.m.	Discussant remarks and presenter response
10:55 a.m.	Audience Q&A
11:10 a.m.	“Is the African Continental Free Trade Area a Game Changer for the Continent?” – Jason Weiss and Yunhui Zhao Florie Liser, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa
11:30 a.m.	Discussant remarks and presenter response – Discussant (TBD)
11:45 a.m.	Audience Q&A
12:00 p.m.	Event conclusion

SUMMARY Chapter – Presented by Mahvash S. Qureshi - IMF

The economic recovery in sub-Saharan Africa continues. Regional growth is set to pick up from 3.0 percent in 2018 to 3.5 percent in 2019, before stabilizing at about 4.0 percent over the medium term. These region‑wide statistics mask considerable heterogeneity in the growth performance and prospects of countries across the region. About half of the countries—mostly non-resource-intensive—are expected to grow at 5 percent or more, implying that their per capita incomes over the medium term would rise faster than the average for the rest of the world. For other countries (mostly resource intensive), improvements in living standards will be slower. Notwithstanding these different economic prospects, countries share the challenge of strengthening resilience and creating higher, more inclusive and durable growth. Addressing these challenges requires enhancing resilience to shocks by building fiscal space including through revenue mobilization, boosting productivity, and spurring private investment.

The two analytical chapters in the REO focus on the economic costs of conflicts in the region and the implications of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT: presented by Siddharth Kothari

This chapter explores the challenges faced by conflict-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa, providing a comprehensive analysis of the trends and economic consequences of conflicts. Although the intensity of conflicts in recent years is lower than that observed in the 1990s, the region remains prone to conflicts, with around 30 percent of the countries affected in 2017. Moreover, the nature of conflicts has changed, with traditional civil wars being replaced by non-state-based conflicts, including the targeting of civilians through terrorist attacks. Conflicts in the region are associated with a large and persistent decline in per capita GDP and have significant spillover effects on nearby regions and countries. They also pose significant strains on countries’ public finances, lowering revenue, raising military spending, and shifting resources away from development and social spending, which further aggravates the conflicts’ economic and social costs. The findings highlight the significant costs and formidable challenges faced by countries suffering from conflict and underscores the need to prevent conflicts, including by promoting inclusive economic development, building institutional capacity, and social cohesion. For countries in conflict, efforts should focus on limiting the loss of human and physical capital by protecting social and development spending. While this may be especially daunting given fiscal pressures, well-targeted and coordinated humanitarian aid and concessional financial assistance can provide some relief.

Is The African Continental Free Trade Area A Game Changer For The Continent?

potential benefits and challenges of implementing the AfCFTA. The AfCFTA agreement envisions elimination of tariffs on most goods, liberalization of trade of key services, addressing nontariff obstacles that hamper intraregional trade, and eventually creating a continental single market with free movement of labor and capital. The AfCFTA will likely have important macroeconomic and distributional effects. It can significantly boost intra-African trade, particularly if countries tackle nontariff bottlenecks to trade, including physical infrastructure, logistical costs, and other trade facilitation hurdles. The picture is not uniform. More diversified economies and those with better logistics and infrastructure will benefit relatively more from trade integration. Fiscal revenue losses from tariff reductions are likely to be limited on average, with a few exceptions. Moreover, deeper trade integration is associated with a temporary increase in income inequality. The findings suggest that, in addition to tariff reductions, policy efforts to boost regional trade should focus on reforms to address country-specific nontariff bottlenecks. To ensure that the benefits of regional trade integration are shared by all, policymakers should be mindful of the adjustment costs that integration may entail. For less developed and agriculture-based economies, trade policies should be combined with structural reforms to improve agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Furthermore, governments should facilitate the reallocation of labor and capital across sectors (for example, active-labor market programs such as training and job-search assistance, and measures that enhance competitiveness and productivity) and bolster safety nets (income support and social insurance programs) to alleviate the temporary adverse effects on the most vulnerable.

IMF World Economic Outlook

April 12, 2019March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, International Finance, International Finance Events, International Trade, International Trade Events, Maggie Chen, Past Events

Schedule

9:30 – 9:45	Opening Remarks: Maggie Chen, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy, George Washington University
9:45 – 10:15	Chapter 1: Global Prospects and Policies • Presenter: Malhar Nabar, Deputy Division Chief, WEO Division, Research Department, International Monetary Fund
10:15 – 10:30	Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:15	Chapter 2: The Rise of Corporate Market Power and Its Macroeconomic Effects • Presenter: Romain Duval, Advisor to the Chief Economist, Research Department, International Monetary Fund • Discussant: Zia Qureshi, Visiting Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institution
11:15 – 11:30	Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:15	Chapter 3: The Price of Capital Goods: A Driver of Investment Under Threat? • Presenter: Natalija Novta, Economist, WEO Division, Research Department, International Monetary Fund • Discussant: Paulo Bastos, Senior Economist, DECTI, World Bank
12:15	Concluding Remarks

Maggie Chen

George Washington University

Maggie Chen is a professor of economics and international affairs at The George Washington University. Her areas of research expertise include foreign direct investment, international trade, and regional trade agreements and her work has been published extensively in academic journals such as American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, and Journal of International Economics. She has worked as an economist in the research department of the World Bank, a trade policy advisor at the U.S. Congressional Budget Office leading policy analysis on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, and a consultant for various divisions of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation advising issues ranging from foreign direct investment and technical trade barriers to the Belt and Road Initiative and contributing to various World Bank flagship studies and the World Development Report. She is a co-editor of the Economic Inquiry. Professor Chen received her Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her B.A. in Economics from Beijing Normal University.

Malhar Nabar

International Monetary Fund

Malhar Nabar is Deputy Division Chief in the World Economic Studies Division, where he is part of the core team that produces the WEO. In previous roles at the IMF, Malhar has covered China and Japan, and was Mission Chief to Hong Kong SAR. Prior to joining the IMF, Malhar taught at Wellesley College. His research interests are in investment and productivity growth, and he has published in various journals including Journal of Development Economics, Economic Inquiry, and Journal of Macroeconomics. He holds a PhD from Brown University and a BA from Oxford University.

Romain Duval

International Monetary Fund

Romain Duval is an advisor to the Chief Economist in the IMF Research Department, where he also leads the Structural Reforms Unit. Previously he was the division chief for Regional Studies of the IMF Asia Pacific Department and led the Regional Economic Outlook. Prior to joining the Fund, he was the division chief for Structural Policies Surveillance at the OECD Economics Department, where he was also the editor of the flagship publication Going for Growth. He has published extensively in leading academic and policy-oriented journals on a wide range of topics including the economics and political economy of labor and product market regulations, growth, productivity, trade, monetary policy, equilibrium real exchange rates, and climate change economics. Over the years his research has also been profiled numerous times in leading global newspapers and magazines such as The Economist, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

Zia Qureshi

Brookings Institution

Zia Qureshi is a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He also advises and consults for several other organizations. His research and commentary cover a broad range of global economic issues, including a recent focus on how technology is reshaping the economic agenda. He has published widely on these issues. Prior to joining Brookings, he worked at the World Bank and the IMF for thirty-five years, holding several leadership positions, including serving as Director, Development Economics, at the Bank and as Executive Secretary of the Joint Bank-Fund Ministerial Development Committee. He represented the Bank at major international forums, including the G20. He led a number of Bank and Fund flagship publications. He holds a DPhil in Economics from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

Natalija Novta

International Monetary Fund

Natalija Novta is an Economist at the IMF’s Research Department, where she works on the World Economic Outlook. She previously worked in the Western Hemisphere and the Fiscal Affairs Departments contributing to the Regional Economic Outlook and the Fiscal Monitor, respectively. Before joining the Fund, she worked at the Fiscal Council of Serbia, the Serbian Ministry of Finance, and the National Bureau of Economic Research. She holds a PhD in Economics from New York University, and a BA from Harvard University. Her research has focused on economic development, conflict, climate change, trade flows, and public sector employment. She has published at the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of the European Economic Association, Journal of Conflict Research and International Tax and Public Finance.

Paulo Bastos

World Bank

Paulo Bastos is a Senior Economist with the Development Research Group of the World Bank in the Trade and International Integration Unit (DECTI). His research interests include the drivers of firm performance in export markets, links between globalization and technological change, and the distributional impacts of trade and FDI. His recent research exploits large administrative data sets to address these topics. He has published in scholarly journals such as the American Economic Review, Journal of International Economics, Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Industrial Economics and International Journal of Industrial Organization. Prior to joining the World Bank, he held positions at the Research Department of the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Commission and the University of Nottingham. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Nottingham and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Porto.

Full WEO Report

Financing the Sustainable Development Goals

April 10, 2019March 28, 2022Adaption to Climate Change Events, Climate Adaptation, International Finance, International Finance Events, Maggie Chen, Past Events

Wednesday, April 10th 2019 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM

Lindner Family Commons

Watch

Information: The last few years have witnessed a seismic shift in investors’ attitudes and demand for social and economic investments in emerging markets. Impact investing, ESG, Green Finance and SDGs are among many of the words that have recently populated investment committees and investor conferences as well as boardrooms. Leveraging GWU’s IIEP Visiting Scholar’s work on Assessing and Monitoring the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAA) and Citi’s GPS research, UN’s SDG: Pathways to Success- A Systemic Framework for Aligning Investment, the event will provide the opportunity to evaluate the progress of SDG financing and to appraise the degree of mobilization of private sector capital in support of the SDGs. Within this analytical context, market participants — issuers, investors, Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) and donors — will discuss the advances and challenges of financing sustainable development. The forum will seek to address the means to scale private sector capital investment, the need to institutionalise SDG financing instruments and structures and the critical contributions that public sector actors, such as donor agencies, can make to realize the “disruption” of the development aid paradigm. The discussion will also touch upon the importance of data capture and disclosure as it relates to the impact and outcomes of the SDG’s investments.

Agenda

7:30–8:00am: Breakfast and Registration 8:00–8.05am: Welcome Remarks

Maggie Chen, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU
Julie Monaco, Managing Director, Global Head Public Sector Group, Corporate and Investment Bank, Citi

8:05–8:20am: Setting the Stage (Presentations of Relevant Research)

Ajay Chhibber, Visiting Scholar, Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU
Jason Channell, Head of Social & Responsible Investment Research, Citi

8:20–9:30am: High-Level Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A Panelists

Denis Duverne, Chairman, Board of Directors, AXA
Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President, 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations, and Partnerships, World Bank
Donna Sims Wilson, President, Smith Graham & Co.
Sean Jones, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Food Security, USAID
Tim Turner, Group Chief Risk Officer, African Development Bank

Organizing Committee: Peter Sullivan (Citi), Ajay Chhibber, Kyle Renner, Sunil Sharma (all George Washington University), and Andreas (Andy) Jobst (World Bank)

Joint MACRO-INTERNATIONAL-Trade-Development SEMINAR

April 5, 2019April 12, 2019Past Events, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Wednesday, April 10, 2019
2:30 – 4:00 PM

“Structural Change and Aggregate Employment Fluctuations in China and the U.S.”
Xiaodong Zhu (University of Toronto)

Kendrick Conference Room, Monroe Hall, Room 321

Can Globalization Be Saved?

April 3, 2019March 28, 2022Danny M. Leipziger, International Economic Policy, International Trade, Past Events

Thursday, April 11, 2019
2:15- 3:40pm

Panel of discussion and conversation between high-level senior officials in the field of globalization and economics.

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Family Commons
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Economic Diversification in the Post-Oil Era

April 3, 2019February 23, 2022Development Economics, Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, International Trade, International Trade Events, Past Events

Friday, April 12, 2019
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Hosting Kuwait’s Minister of Finance

Elliott School of International Affairs
State room, 7th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Schedule

09:00-09:30 a.m	Registration, Light Refreshments, and Networking
09:30-09:40 a.m.	Welcome Remarks by Amb. Ghnem
09:40-10:20 a.m	one -on-one discussion with H.E. Dr. Nayef F. Al-Hajraf moderated by Prof. Robert Weiner
10:20 a.m.-10:30 a.m	Audience Q&A

Washington Area Labor Economics Symposium

March 29, 2019February 23, 2022Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, March 29th 2019

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Lindner Family Commons

Information:

WALES is a one-day labor economics conference that brings together researchers from several DC institutions. The goal is to provide an outlet to share work in progress and get to know other researchers. Researchers from the George Washington University, American University, the Census Bureau, the Federal Reserve Board, Georgetown University, the University of Maryland, the Urban Institute and the World Bank will be participating in the symposium. Breakfast, lunch and coffee will be served.

8:30-8:50 Light breakfast

8:50-9:00 Opening remarks

9:00-9:40 Tomas Monarrez (Urban Institute). “The Effect of Charter Schools on School Segregation”

9:40-10:20 Nolan Pope (Maryland). “Timing is Everything: Evidence from College Major Decisions”

10:20-10:40 Coffee Break

10:40-11:20 Claire Brunel (American). “Climate Change and Internal Migration in Brazil: The Role of Geography and Road Infrastructure” (with Yuanyuan Maggie Liu)

11:20-12:00 Mary Ann Bronson (Georgetown). “The Wage Growth and Within-Firm Mobility of Men and Women: New Evidence and Theory” (with Peter Skogman)

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-1:40 John Coglianese (Federal Reserve). “Household Adaption to Seasonal Earnings Losses” (with Brendan Price)

1:40-2:20 Ana Fernandes and Joana Silva (World Bank). “Transmission of Foreign Business Cycles and Financial Shocks through the Lens of Individual Firms and Workers”

2:20-2:30 Coffee Break

2:30-3:10 Bryan Stuart (GWU). “Recessions and Local Labor Markets” (with Brad Hershbein)

3:10-3:50 James Spletzer (Census). “The Gig Economy and the Future of Work” (with Katharine Abraham, John Haltiwanger, and Kristin Sandusky)

3:50-4:00 Mini coffee break

4:00-4:15 Remi Jedwab (GWU). “Returns to Experience and Economic Growth” (with Asif Islam and Paul Romer)

4:15-4:30 Xavier Gine (World Bank). “Breaking the Glass Ceiling? Evidence from Female Mobile Money Agents in Bangladesh”

4:30-4:45 Austin Davis (American). “Missing Skills and Mobility Frictions: An Experiment in Urbanizing India”

4:45-5:00 Fredric Blavin (Urban Institute). “The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Exposure to the Earned Income Tax Credit on Outcomes”

India and USA: Shared Prosperity, Opportunities, and Challenges

March 19, 2019March 28, 2022India, International Trade, International Trade Events, Maggie Chen, Past Events

Tuesday, March 19th, 2019

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: City View Room

Watch

About the Event:

This event is hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP), the Federation of India’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and the Sigur Center for Asian Studies. Elliott School Dean Reuben Brigety III will provide welcoming remarks, which will be followed by a fireside chat with H.E. Amb. Shringla moderated by IIEP Visiting Scholar and FICCI Chief Economic Advisor, Ajay Chhibber. A panel of experts on education, infrastructure investments, and pharmaceuticals will conclude the event.

Schedule:

Welcome remarks………………… Professor Maggie Chen
Director, Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU
………………… Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II
Dean, Elliot School of International Affairs, GWU
Fireside chat………………………… H.E. Harsh Vardhan Shringla
Ambassador of India to the United States of America
…………………………. Ajay Chhibber
Visiting Scholar, Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU
Chief Economic Advisor, Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry
Expert panel……………………..… Subir V. Gokarn
Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and SriLanka, International Monetary Fund
…………………..…… Sofia Mumtaz
President, Lupin Limited
……..………………… Adrian Mutton
Founder & CEO, Sannam S4 Group of companies & U.S.
Business Centers
Moderated by………………….… Ridhika Batra
Country Head / Director, Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry, U.S.

Full Report

Should Leaders Focus on Poverty or Inequality? Ethical and Policy Perspectives

February 20, 2019March 28, 2022Development Economics, Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Economics of Ultra-Poverty Events, Past Events, Ultra Poverty

The Leadership, Ethics, and Practice Initiative and the Institute for International Economic Policy Presents:

Should Leaders Focus on Poverty or Inequality?

Ethical and Policy Perspectives

Monday, February 25, 2019

5:00pm to 6:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Join us for an evening discussion on the topic:

“Should Leaders Focus on Poverty or Inequality? : Ethical and Policy Perspectives”

with Dr. Douglas Hicks Professor of Religion and Dean of Oxford College at the Emory University.

This event is on the record and open to media.

Artificial Intelligence: What Can We Learn from Other Countries’ Approaches?

January 25, 2019March 28, 2022Global Economic Governance Events, Global Governance, International Trade Events, Past Events

Friday, January 25, 2019

12:30pm to 2:00pm – Lunch will be provided

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are changing the way that we live, work and learn. In many countries, policymakers and business leaders recognize the transformational importance of AI and are developing policies to ensure that their country is competitive. To be competitive in AI requires not only significant capital, but also skills, research, an adequate supply of data, and effective governance policies. Hence, the United States has the “Artificial Intelligence for the American People” strategy. The EU has a Euros 20 billion AI investment strategy and the European AI Alliance. Canadian officials have drafted a Pan-Canadian AI Strategyand the Superclusters initiative. Germany has prepared a new plan, investments and a marketing strategy for AI services. In addition, Japan has created an initiative to fund collaborative AI projects between start-ups and large companies.

This event will examine what policymakers can learn from these distinct government approaches. Should governments take the lead in AI investment and in prioritizing areas for research, development and commercialization? Or should the private sector lead with taxpayer investment in basic AI R & D and public-private partnerships where needed? Please join IIEP, the GWU Institute for International Science and Technology Policy, and the Software & Information Industry Association(SIIA) for a lunchtime discussion on these important issues.

Welcoming remarks: Susan Ariel Aaronson, Research Professor of International Affairs, The George Washington University

Moderator: Carl Schonander, Senior Director, International Public Policy, SIIA

Confirmed Speakers:

Anthony J. Scriffignano, Ph.D., SVP / Chief Data Scientist, Dunn and Bradstreet
Jesse Spector, Policy Officer, Digital Economy; ICT, European Union
Dr. Tim Persons, Chief Scientist and Managing Director of the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team of the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Brad Wood, Senior Policy Advisor, Embassy of Canada
Masayuki Matsui, Counselor, Economic Section, Embassy of Japan

Organizers: Carl Schonander and Dr. Susan Ariel Aaronson

Professor Aaronson will provide an overview document on comparative advantage in AI to all attendees.

Event Summary

This well attended event entitled: “Artificial Intelligence: What Can be Learned from Other Countries Approaches?” can be viewed on youtube here. Some takeaways included the reality that there are no meaningful estimates of the impact of AI on job creation – in fact, available data can be used to posit both that it contributes to job loss or gain; cybersecurity will include an AI component; and, the AI use skills deficiency in people capable of an inter-disciplinary approach to AI use is both real but also an opportunity. Given that McKinsey (among other estimates of the economic impact of AI) estimates that AI could deliver up to 16% higher global GDP by 2030, understanding and taking advantage of this technology in a “human-centric” way will be crucial to building popular acceptance of the technology if countries and companies are going to be able to take full advantage of possible AI applications.

Panelists

Japanese Embassy Economic Counselor Masayuki Matsui provided valuable information on the Japanese approach to AI development, especially in the international space. Japan is hosting the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Trade and the Digital Economy on June 8-9, 2019, which will include discussions on AI. The Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Chief Scientist and Managing Director, Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics Timothy M. Persons spoke (link needed) about the GAO’s work on Artificial Intelligence, as well as Administration policy in “Artificial Intelligence for the American People.” The GAO has focused on AI’s impact for cybersecurity, automated vehicles, criminal justice and financial services. Canadian Embassy Senior Policy Advisor Brad Wood focused on the AI ecosystem in Canada, especially efforts to foster research excellence, promote AI across sectors, enhance public trust in the technology, and spearhead international collaboration. European Union Digital Policy Officer Jesse Spector spoke about the “four pillars” of the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Policy, which includes policies around investment, data, skills and trust. With respect to trust, the Digital Policy Officer noted the European Commission’s draft ethics guidelines on Artificial Intelligence developed by a multi-stakeholder High Level Expert Group (SIIA will submit a comment on those guidelines on February 1, 2019). Dun and Bradstreet Senior Vice President and Chief Data Scientist Anthony J. Scriffignano talked about how while there are many “head winds” propelling AI adoption, there are “tail winds,” including a serious skills gap, something all the panelists agreed was a serious problem.

Some Takeaways

Cybersecurity and law enforcement in general will depend on smart applications of AI: The “changing face of malfeasance,” as Anthony J. Scriffignano puts it, involves using AI to combat it. The GAO considers that AI will be crucial in ensuring cybersecurity. For instance, automated systems can help by identifying vulnerabilities; patching vulnerabilities; detecting attacks, and defending against active attacks. In general, AI technologies are important to the SIIA member companies that are engaged in providing anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism, know-your-customer and other services important to law enforcement.

There are no meaningful estimates of the impact of AI on net job creation or destruction: There is a wide debate on the possible impact of AI on jobs. And there are many reports with estimates based on seemingly large data sets and solid methodologies. But the reality seems to be that available data can support the notion that AI leads to job loss and vice versa. For instance, many reports are based on what computer scientists guess with respect to which tasks in which jobs can possibly be done technically by today’s machine learning programs. So, for example, salad making could be programmed; therefore that part of the job of short order cooks is at risk and therefore there will be a need for fewer of them. However, often the cost of using a robot to make that salad is not factored into the analysis, thereby not providing a realistic sense of whether an employer would want to use AI technologies to make the salad in the first place.

There is a consensus that there is a need for skills development, especially in inter-disciplinary work: If there was one thing that all panelists agreed upon, other than than that AI will have a profound impact, it is that there is a growing need for skills development. Interestingly, that does not mean that everybody needs to learn how to write code and become a computer programmer, although there is certainly a need for more coders and more computer programmers. There is a reason why U.S. college students are demanding more courses in this field as the NYT recently reported. What it does mean, particularly in this era of growing calls for “explainable AI” (itself a challenging concept), is that there will be an increasing need for individuals who know how to use AI technologies appropriately. There was a discussion, for instance, about how AI is going to become an increasingly important part of the criminal justice system. So that means that prosecutors and others have to work with professionals who are conversant with the technology and who also understand the laws and ethical considerations underpinning criminal justice work. That is a different skill set from the work conducted by today’s IT professionals.

Conclusion

There is a reason why AI dominated the conversation at the Davos World Economic Forum. Although AI has experienced period of hype in the past, it seems like “this time it is different,” in terms of usable relatively near term potential AI applications in fields as different as drug discovery, criminal justice, cybersecurity, financial services, fraud prevention and many many other spaces. SIIA will continue to work with academic institutions such as George Washington University in exploring the policy implications of AI developments. We also hope to work with the U.S. Congress and international institutions in understanding better what kind of inter-disciplinary training is needed to prepare the professionals of tomorrow. Given the U.S., Japanese, EU, and Canadian interest in skills development, this need for inter-disciplinary expertise could perhaps be supported at the June 8-9, 2019 G20 meeting in Japan.

The Rise and Fall of Local Elections in China: Evidence on the Autocrat’s Trade-off

December 13, 2018December 16, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Nancy Qian

Northwestern University

Thursday, December 13, 2018

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Development and Microfinance: Learning from Steve Hollingworth

November 29, 2018December 1, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

Steve Hollingworth

President and CEO of the Grameen Foundation

Co-Sponsored with Sigma Iota Rho, Official Honor Society of the Elliott School

Thursday, November 29, 2018

7:30pm to 9:00pm – Reception to Follow

Elliott School of International Affairs
Room B12
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Steve Hollingworth’s unflagging commitment through 30 years of work in international development has been to ensure that the delivery of financial services benefits the world’s poorest people and fulfills its promise of alleviating poverty.

Prior to joining Grameen Foundation, Steve was President of Freedom from Hunger. Beginning in 2011, he focused that organization on the intersection of financial services and ending hunger through the empowerment of women in rural communities. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer for CARE, where he was instrumental in developing and implementing the organization-wide strategy and was responsible for direct-line management of global operations and programs with a total of 13,000 employees and a budget of $650 million. He has also held senior field positions in Asia (India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh), Africa (Lesotho) and Latin America (Bolivia), building collaboration between practitioners, technical assistance providers, donors and government agencies.

Steve’s roots in financial services for the very poor go back to early days with CARE-Bangladesh, the largest CARE mission in the world. Based on his leadership in the financial services sector, he also served for many years as a member of the Microfinance CEO Working Group. His areas of expertise include microenterprise and microfinance, education, agriculture, health and civil society strengthening.

Steve has an M.S. in Economics, Development Studies, from Victoria University of Manchester, in Manchester, England. He enrolled there as a Rotarian Fellow, and his thesis analyzed the field of microcredit and the role of Grameen Bank. In that sense, Steve’s position as President and CEO of Grameen Foundation brings him full circle. Steve has a B.A. in Economics from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, not far from his home town of Elgin, Illinois.

The Real Exchange Rate, Innovation and Productivity: Regional Heterogeneity, Asymmetries and Hysterisis

November 28, 2018December 1, 2018International Finance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Laura Alfaro

Harvard Business School

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Political Selection and Bureaucratic Productivity

November 27, 2018December 1, 2018Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Stuti Khemani

World Bank

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Ideas Have Consequences: The Impact of Law and Economics on American Justice

November 13, 2018November 23, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Tavneet Suri

MIT Sloan School of Business

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The Transmission of Quasi-Sovereign Default Risk: Evidence from Puerto Rico

November 7, 2018November 12, 2018International Finance Events, Past Events, Seminar

Anusha Chari

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

International Trade and Development Workshop

November 6, 2018November 12, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Suresh Naidu

Colombia University

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook

November 6, 2018March 28, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Jay Shambaugh, Past Events, Research Conference

We are delighted to invite you to the International Monetary Fund’s 2018 World Economic Outlook at the George Washington University. The talk will consist of three sections, starting with an overview of global prospects and policies and then moving onto a discussion of the global recovery 10 years after the global financial crisis and challenges for monetary policy in emerging economies.

Tuesday, November 6, 2018
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Commons, 6th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052

Schedule of Events

9:30 – 9:45 a.m. Opening Remarks

Maggie Chen, George Washington University

9:45 – 10:15 a.m. Chapter 1: Global Prospects and Policies

Presenter: Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti, International Monetary Fund

10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Chapter 2: The Global Recovery 10 Years after the 2008 Financial Meltdown

Presenter: Wenjie Chen, International Monetary Fund
Discussant: David Dollar, Brookings Institute

11:15 – 11:30 a.m. Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:15 p.m. Chapter 3: Challenges for Monetary Policy in Emerging Economies as Global Financial Conditions Normalize

Presenter: Rudolfs Bems, International Monetary Fund
Discussant: Jay Shambaugh, George Washington University

12:15 p.m. Concluding remarks

Chapter 1: Global Prospects and Policies

Global growth for 2018–19 is projected to remain steady at its 2017 level, but its pace is less vigorous than projected in April and it has become less balanced. Downside risks to global growth have risen in the past six months and the potential for upside surprises has receded. Global growth is projected at 3.7 percent for 2018–19—0.2 percentage point lower for both years than forecast in April. The downward revision reflects surprises that suppressed activity in early 2018 in some major advanced economies, the negative effects of the trade measures implemented or approved between April and mid-September, as well as a weaker outlook for some key emerging market and developing economies arising from country-specific factors, tighter financial conditions, geopolitical tensions, and higher oil import bills.

Chapter 2: The Global Recovery 10 Years after the 2008 Financial Meltdown

This chapter takes stock of the global economic recovery a decade after the 2008 financial crisis. Output losses after the crisis appear to be persistent, irrespective of whether a country suffered a banking crisis in 2007–08. Sluggish investment was a key channel through which these losses registered, accompanied by long-lasting capital and total factor productivity shortfalls relative to precrisis trends. Policy choices preceding the crisis and in its immediate aftermath influenced postcrisis variation in output. Underscoring the importance of macroprudential policies and effective supervision, countries with greater financial vulnerabilities in the precrisis years suffered larger output losses after the crisis. Countries with stronger precrisis fiscal positions and those with more flexible exchange rate regimes experienced smaller losses. Unprecedented and exceptional policy actions taken after the crisis helped mitigate countries’ postcrisis output losses.

Chapter 3: Challenges for Monetary Policy in Emerging Economies as Global Financial Conditions Normalize

Inflation in emerging market and developing economies since the mid-2000s has, on average, been low and stable. This chapter investigates whether these recent gains in inflation performance are sustainable as global financial conditions normalize. The findings are as follows: first, despite the overall stability, sizable heterogeneity in inflation performance and in variability of longer-term inflation expectations remains among emerging markets. Second, changes in longer-term inflation expectations are the main determinant of inflation, while external conditions play a more limited role, suggesting that domestic, not global, factors are the main contributor to the recent gains in inflation performance. Third, further improvements in the extent of anchoring of inflation expectations can significantly improve economic resilience to adverse external shocks in emerging markets. Anchoring reduces inflation persistence and limits the pass-through of currency depreciations to domestic prices, allowing monetary policy to focus more on smoothing fluctuations in output.

11th Annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations

October 26, 2018March 28, 2022Past Events, Research Conference, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

We are delighted to invite you to the 11th annual conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations at GWU. The importance of understanding China’s economic development has only become more important over the last decade. Understanding the structural building blocks of domestic Chinese economic activity is as necessary as understanding China’s foreign economic activity, whether regionally across the globe or in it’s interactions with the United States. Amidst talk of a “trade war” between the U.S. and China, it is vital that we have a shared understanding of what is taking place within the Chinese economy, how that affects relations with the U.S., and what it means for China’s global ambitions. We look forward to hosting you on the 26th to continue studying these important questions. For information on previous conferences, see our signature initiatives page. The entire conference can be viewed here.

Schedule of Events

08:15-08:50: Coffee and Registration

08:50-09:00: Welcoming Remarks: Maggie Chen (IIEP Director, GWU)

09:00-09:45: Keynote: Hanming Fang (University of Pennsylvania) (Watch Video)

“Growing Pains” in the Chinese Social Security System

09:45-10:45: Trends in China’s Macro Economy (Watch Video)

Moderator: Chao Wei (GWU)

Kaiji Chen (Emory University): “Macroeconomic Impacts of China’s Financial Policies”

Grace Li (IMF): “The State and China’s Productivity Deceleration: Firm-level Evidence”

10:45-11:00: Coffee Break

11:00-12:00: Technology, Institution and Firm Growth (Watch Video)

Moderator: Susan Aaronson (GWU)

Nancy Qian (Northwestern University): “The Dynamic Effects of Computerization on VAT in China”

Maggie Chen (GWU): “’Omnia Juncta in Uno’: Foreign Powers, Institutions and Firms in Shanghai’s Concession Era”

12:00-12:50: Lunch

12:50-13:00: Remarks by Elliott School Dean, Ambassador Reuben Brigety II

13:00-13:45: Keynote: Caroline Freund (World Bank)

“U.S.-China Trade Tensions” (Watch Video)

13:45-14:45: The Myths of U.S.-China Trade War (Watch Video)

Moderator: Steve Suranovic (GWU)

Jiandong Ju (Tsinghua University): “US-China Trade Dispute and Restructuring the Globalization”

Mary Lovely (Peterson Institute for International Economics): “China’s Techno-Industrial FDI Policy”

14:45-15:00: Coffee Break

15:00-16:00: Going Out: China’s Aid, Investment, and Finance to Developing Countries

Moderator: Joseph Pelzman (GWU)

Barbara Stallings (Brown and GWU): “China and its Neighbors: Aid and Investment in East Asia”

Stephen Kaplan (GWU): “The Rise of Patient Capital: The Political Economy of Chinese Finance in the Western Hemisphere”

16:00-17:00: Gender, Migration and Labor Market in China (Watch Video)

Moderator: Yao Pan (Aalto University)

Peter Kuhn (UC – Santa Barbara): “Gender-Targeted Job Ads in the Recruitment Process: Evidence from China”

Suqin Ge (Virginia Tech): “Assimilation and the Wage Growth of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China”

An archive of all previous Annual Conferences on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations is available here.

For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

Cosponsored by:

The Digital Revolution and the State: The Great Reversal

October 12, 2018March 30, 2022Forum, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

William H. Janeway

Senior Advisor and Managing Director, Warburg Pincus

Friday, October 12, 2018

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Lindner Commons, 6th floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

William H. Janeway is a Senior Advisor and Managing Director of Warburg Pincus. He joined Warburg Pincus in 1988 and was responsible for building the information technology investment practice. Previously, he was executive vice president and director at Eberstadt Fleming. Dr. Janeway is a director of Magnet Systems and O’Reilly Media. He is an Affiliated member of the Faculty of Economics at Cambridge University.

Dr. Janeway is a co-founder and member of the board of governors of the Institute for New Economic Thinking. He is a member of the board of directors of the Social Science Research Council and of the Field Institute for Research in the Mathematical Sciences and of the Advisory Board of the Princeton Bendheim Center for Finance. He is a member of the management committee of the Cambridge-INET Institute, University of Cambridge and a Member of the Board of Managers of the Cambridge Endowment for Research in Finance (CERF). He is the author of Doing Capitalism in the Innovation Economy: Reconfiguring the Three-Player Game between Markets, Speculators, and the State, the 2^nd edition of the book initially published by Cambridge University Press in November 2012.

Dr. Janeway received his doctorate in economics from Cambridge University where he was a Marshall Scholar. He was valedictorian of the class of 1965 at Princeton University.

International Trade and Development Workshop

September 26, 2018October 3, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Stelios Michalopoulos

Brown University

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Forging Pathways Out of Poverty: The Global Journey of BRAC

September 25, 2018March 30, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Elliott School of International Affairs
Room 602
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The Institute for International Economic Policy invites you to a talk by Faruque Ahmed, the executive director of BRAC International, on his organization’s efforts to spread innovative poverty solutions born in Bangladesh to the rest of Asia and Africa.

Faruque Ahmed is the executive director of BRAC International. He previously held the position of senior director at BRAC International. He is also a member of the executive management committee.

Prior to this, Mr Ahmed was the director of BRAC’s health programme for 10 years, playing a critical role in shaping the organisation’s health strategy and scaling several community-based health and nutrition interventions.

Before joining BRAC, Mr Ahmed worked as senior operations officer in the health, nutrition and population team at the World Bank, Bangladesh.

Mr Ahmed started his career as a research and planning officer in 1976, and then worked in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He serves as a member of the working group of Bangladesh Health Watch and formerly represented civil society on the GAVI Alliance board.

Mr Ahmed completed his master’s in health sciences from Johns Hopkins University, and master’s in economics from the University of Dhaka.

5th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference

September 7, 2018March 30, 2022Anthony Yezer, Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Remi Jedwab, Research Conference

Friday, September 7, 2018
8:30am to 7:30pm

Preston Auditorium, The World Bank
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, D.C., 20433

Across the developing world, the growth of cities is outpacing effective policy. Low density land use results in rapidly expanding cities, raising the costs of infrastructure and service provision and limiting liveability and productivity. At the same time, limited investments in transport infrastructure such as roads limits the connectivity between individuals and opportunities that make cities engines for growth. Effective policy to address these challenges requires an understanding of the spatial organisation of cities, and how the distribution of private and public investments across a city affect economic growth.

On 7 September 2018, the 5th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Conference will bring together academics and development practitioners to present and discuss questions relating to the spatial organisation of cities and economic growth. In particular, the conference will be focusing on effective land and transport policy in cities and the implications of urban development for national growth. This conference is hosted by the World Bank (Development Research Group), George Washington University (Institute for International Economic Policy), the International Monetary Fund, and the International Growth Centre.

8:30-9:00 – Coffee and Registration
9:00-10:45 – Welcoming Remarks
- Chair and Moderator:
  Shantayanan Devarajan
  Senior Director, Development Economics, World Bank
- Panelists:
  Aisa Kirabo Kacyira
  Deputy Director UN-Habitat, former mayor of Kigali
  Edward Glaeser
  Professor of Economics, Harvard and International Growth Center
10:45-11:00 – Coffee Break
11:00 -12:30 – Session One: Land
- Mini Keynote: Informal Land Use
  Harris Selod
  Development Research Group, The World Bank
- Backyarding
  Jan Brueckner, Claus Rabe, and Harris Selod
- Compactness
  Vernon Henderson
- Chair:
  TBC
- Discussant:
  Mariaflavia Harari
  Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania
12:30-13:30 – Lunch
13.30-14:15 – Keynote Address:
- The Geography of Development
  Esteban Rossi-Hansberg
  Princeton University
- Chair:
  Asli Demirguc-Kunt
  Research Director, Development Research Group, World Bank
14:15 -15:45 – Session Two: Transportation
- Mini Keynote: “Cars in Cities”
  Matthew Kahn
- Transport in a Congested City – A Computer Equilibrium Model Applied to Kampala City
  Louise Bernard, Julia Bird, Tony Venables
- Who Wins? Who Loses? Understanding the Spatially Differentiated Effects of Belt and Road within Central Asia
  Bader El Hifnawy, Somik Lall, Mathilde Lebrand
- Chair:
  Marianna Fay
  Chief Economist, Climate Change
- Discussant:
  Leah Brooks
  Assistant Professor, George Washington University
15:45-16:00 – Coffee Break
16:00-17:30 – Session Three: Urbanization, Growth, and Development
- Mini Keynote:
  Douglas Gollin
- In Search of a Spatial Equilibrium in the Developing World
  Douglas Gollin, Martina Kirchberger, David Lagakos
- Modern Urban Technology and the Future of the New Urban Giants
  Remi Jedwab, Prakash Loungani, Anthony Yezer
- Chair:
  Chris Papageorgiou
  International Monetary Fund
- Discussant:
  Deniz Igan
  Deputy Division Chief, Research Department’s Macro Financial Division, IMF
17:30-18:00 – Break
18:00-19:30 – Cocktail Reception and Welcome Speech by Maggie Chen
- At George Washington University, Lindner Commons Room (6th Floor) of the Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E St. N.W. (at the intersection of E and 19th Streets, on E Street), Washington, DC.

Fiscal Policy over the Business Cycle in Emerging Markets

April 30, 2018August 31, 2018Forum, International Finance Events, Past Events

Carlos Vegh

World Bank Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean

Fiscal Policy over the Business Cycle in Emerging Markets

Monday, April 30, 2018

5:30 to 7:00pm – Reception to Follow

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Carlos Vegh is the World Bank Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to this, Vegh was the Fred H. Sanderson Professor of International Economics at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).
He received his doctorate degree in economics from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in economics from American University and Universidad de la República.

This event is the fifth in a series celebrating IIEP’s 10th Anniversary. Louise Fox, Chief Economist at USAID, joined us in November for the series’ inaugural event. Bob Koopman, Chief Economist at WTO, visited on March 5th for the series’ second installment. On April 9th Martin Fleming, Chief Economist of IBM, presented his research on Artificial Intelligence and the future of work for the series’ third installment. Lastly, for the fourth installment, Santiago Levy of the Inter-American Development Bank, presented on April 23rd.

8th Annual Washington Area International Trade Symposium (WAITS) Conference

April 27, 2018May 22, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, April 27, 2018

Inter-American Development Bank CR-200
1330 New York Avenue NW
Washington DC 20577

Contact iiep@gwu.edu with any questions. Please note that WAITS conferences are open to the public but participants are asked to register here.

View the Schedule

8:15 – 8:50 AM: Continental Breakfast and Registration
8:50 – 9:00 AM: Opening Remarks
Antoni Estevadeordal, Manager, Integration and Trade Sector, Inter-American Development Bank

Mike Moore, George Washington University

9:00 – 9:45 AM: Policy Credibility and Firm Growth in the Global Economy
Nuno Limao, University of Maryland
Discussant: Luciana Juvenal, IMF

9:45 – 10:30 AM: Uncertainty and Trade Elasticities
Olga Timoshenko, George Washington University
Discussant: Ina Simonovska, University of Maryland

10:30 – 10:45 AM: Coffee Break

10:45 – 11:30 AM: Information and Exports: Firm-Level Evidence From an Online Platform
Christian Volpe Martincus, Inter-American Development Bank
Discussant: Maggie Chen, George Washington University

11:30 – 12:15 PM: The Impact of Trade on Managerial Incentives and Productivity
Cristina Tello-Trillo, U.S. Census Bureau
Discussant: Anna Maria Mayda, Georgetown University

12:15 – 1:00 PM: Investment Responses to Trade Liberalization: Evidence from U.S. Industries and Establishments
Justin Pierce, Federal Reserve Board
Discussant: Fariha Kamal, U.S. Census Bureau

1:00 – 2:00 PM: Lunch (Provided)

2:00 – 2:45 PM: Goods and Factor Market Integration: A Quantitative Assessment of the EU Enlargement
Fernando Parro, SAIS– Johns Hopkins University
Discussant: Mariano Somale, Federal Reserve Board

2:45 – 3:30 PM: Assessing Market (Dis) Integration in Pre-Modern China and Europe Dan Bernhofen, American University
Discussant: Paulo Bastos, World Bank

3:30 – 3:45 PM: Coffee Break

3:45 – 4:30 PM: The Trade Effects of the New Silk Road
Michele Ruta, World Bank
Discussant: Mauricio Mesquita Moreira, Inter-American Development Bank

4:30 – 5:15 PM: How Does Industry Comparative Advantage Affect Establishments?
Serge Shikher, USITC
Discussant: Kara Reynolds, American University

5:15 – 6:00 PM: Endogenous Trade Policy in a Global Value Chain: Evidence from Chinese Micro-level Processing Trade
Rod Ludema, Georgetown University
Discussant: Paul Piveteau, SAIS– Johns Hopkins University

6:00 – 6:15 PM: Closing Remarks
Aaron Flaaen, Federal Reserve Board
Christian Volpe Martincus, Inter-American Development Bank

George Washington University’s Institute for International Economic Policy, housed at the Elliott School of International Affairs, is dedicated to producing and disseminating high-quality non-partisan academic and policy relevant research on international economic policy. Areas of focus include international trade, international finance, and development economics.

Misallocation, Informality, and Firm Dynamics in Mexico

April 23, 2018August 31, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

Santiago Levy

Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge, Inter-American Development Bank

Misallocation, Informality, and Firm Dynamics in Mexico

Monday, April 23, 2018

5:30 to 7:00pm – Reception to Follow

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Santiago Levy is the Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge for the Inter-American Development Bank. Previously, he was General Manager and Chief Economist for the IDB Research Department.

Prior to joining the IDB he was General Director at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) from December 2000 to October 2005. Under his tenure, he promoted changes to the Social Security Act to increase transparency and accountability in IMSS finances and create long-term reserves.

From 1994 to 2000, Levy served as the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico, becoming the main architect of the renowned social program Progresa-Oportunidades that benefits the poor. He managed budgetary adjustments during the 1994-95 economic crisis and the 1998 fall in oil prices. Previous positions include President of the Federal Competition Commission and Director of the Economic Deregulation Program at the Ministry of Trade and Industrial Promotion.

Levy holds a Ph.D. in economics from Boston University and a Masters in political economy from the same university. He was a post-doctoral fellow at Cambridge University.

6th Annual Conference Washington Area Development Economics Symposium (WADES)

April 20, 2018May 22, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, April 20, 2017

Elliott School of International Affairs
Room 212
1957 E St. NW
Washington D.C. 20052

Contact iiep@gwu.edu with any questions.

View the Schedule

Day: Friday 20 April, 8.50-5.00.

8.30 Light breakfast

8.50 Welcome remarks by Maggie Chen (GWU)

9.00-9.50 Adriana Kugler (Georgetown). – “Do CCTs improve employment and earnings in the very long term? Evidence from Mexico”

9.50-10.20 Paper by PhD student: Kodjo Aflagah (Maryland) “Internal migrants’ ethnic capital and labor market outcomes in South Africa”

10.20-10.35 Discussion by Andrew Zeitlin (Georgetown) and additional questions from faculty

10.35-10.50 Coffee break

10.50-11.40 Isaac Mbiti (UVA). The Returns to Apprenticeships: Experimental Evidence from Ghana

11.40-12.10 Paper by PhD student: Amjad Khan (GWU). “Islam, Institutions and Child Investment: Evidence from Gender Discrimination in Pakistan”

12.10-12.25 Discussion by Sandip Sukhtankar (UVA) and additional questions from faculty

12.25-1.30 Lunch

1.30-2.20 Sarah Baird. (GWU). “Building Businesses among the Vulnerable: Experimental Evidence from Tanzania”

2.20-2.50 Paper by PhD student: Dario Sansone (Georgetown). “Man vs. machine in predicting successful entrepreneurs: Evidence from a business plan competition in Nigeria”

2.50-3.05 Discussion by Kenneth Leonard (Maryland) and additional questions from faculty

3.05-3.20 Coffee break

3.20-4.10 Jessica Goldberg (Maryland). Leveraging Patients’ Social Networks to Overcome Tuberculosis Under-detection in India: A Field Experiment

4.10-4.40 Paper by PhD student Ramiro Burga (UVA). “Fixing an Instructional Mismatch: The Case of Bilingual Education among Indigenous Students in Peru”

4.40-4.55 Discussion by Jennifer Muz (GWU) and additional questions from faculty

5.00 Reception

Economic Security, Human Security and US Protectionism

April 11, 2018August 31, 2018Forum, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

9:00 to 10:30am

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

In this event, we look at the implications of Donald Trump’s recent protectionist actions upon Americans’ sense of security. Will these policies help or will Americans feel less secure?

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work

April 9, 2018May 23, 2018Forum, Past Events

Martin Fleming

Chief Economist of IBM

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work

Monday, April 9, 2018

5:30 to 7:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Marketcraft: How Governments Make Markets Work in the US and Japan

March 14, 2018May 17, 2018Forum, Past Events

Dr. Steven Vogel

Il Han new professor of Asian studies, University of California, Berkeley.

Marketcraft: How Governments Make Markets Work in the US and Japan

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

12:30 to 1:45pm

Chung-wen Shih Conference Room
Sigur Center for Asian Studies
The Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW, Suite 503
Washington, DC 20052

Dr. Steven Vogel is the Il Han new professor of Asian studies and a professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley. He specializes in the political economy of advanced industrialized nations, especially Japan and the United States. Vogel’s new book is entitled Marketcraft: How Governments Make Markets Work and builds on three decades of scholarship. He is also the author of Japan Remodeled: How Government and Industry Are Reforming Japanese Capitalism, and his first book,Freer Markets, More Rules: Regulatory Reform in Advanced Industrial Countries, won the Masayoshi Ohira Memorial Prize. He has a B.A. from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

International Economic Policy Forum: Special Series in Celebration of IIEP’s 10th Anniversary

March 5, 2018May 17, 2018Forum, Past Events

Robert Koopman

Chief Economist and Director of the Economic Research and Statistics Division of the WTO

International Economic Policy Forum: Special Series in Celebration of IIEP’s 10th Anniversary

Monday, March 5, 2018

5:30 to 7:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

View the Presentation Slides Here

The Institute for International Economic Policy welcomes Bob Koopman to discuss “Trade and Growth: Past, Present, and Future.” Koopman serves as the Chief Economist and Director of the Economic Research and Statistics Division at the World Trade Organization. In this post Koopman provides the Secretariat and Member Countries with analysis and information that promotes a deeper understanding of trade and trade policy’s role in economic growth and development.

He previously has served as the Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for the United States International Trade Commission, the Chief Economist and Director of the USITC Office of Economics, as a professor at Georgetown University, and in numerous leadership and research positions at the Economic Research Service of USDA.

This event is the second in a series celebrating IIEP’s 10th Anniversary. Louis Fox, Chief Economist at USAID, joined us in November for the series’ inaugural event, and Martin Fleming, Chief Economist at IBM, will be visiting on April 9th for the series’ third installment.

Harvesting Innovation: Brazilian Agriculture in the 21st Century

February 21, 2018August 31, 2018Forum, Past Events

Tuesday, February 21, 2018

2:00 to 6:00pm – with reception to follow

Elliott School of International Affairs
City View Room, 7th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Join the Brazil Initiative for this event

Brazilian Trade Policy: Standards and Strategy

February 6, 2018August 31, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Aluisio De-Lima Campos

Adjunct Professor and Chairmain of the ABCI Institute – American University Washington College of Law

Diego Eugenio Pizeta

PhD Candidate in International Political Economy and Guest Researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

Brazilian Trade Policy: Standards and Strategy

Join the Brazil Initiative for the panel:

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

7:00 to 9:00pm – Reception to Follow

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

A Fresh Look at Digital Trade in North America

December 1, 2017March 30, 2022Forum, Global Economic Governance Events, International Trade Events, Past Events, Susan Aaronson

Susan Ariel Aaronson

Research Professor of International Affairs, The George Washington University

Jessica Nicholson

Department of Commerce

A Fresh Look at Digital Trade in North America

Friday, December 1, 2017

12:00 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

While TPP has the first binding language in its e-commerce chapter, NAFTA could be the first digital economy trade agreement designed to facilitate data-driven sectors such as the cloud, AI, and the Internet of Things. The Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) and the Latin American and Hemispheric Studies Program (LAHS) at the George Washington University as well as the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) present a free event on the data-driven economy in North America. To read Susan Ariel Aaronson’s paper, please click here.

Agenda

Panel 1: Measuring the North American Digital Economy

Speaker: Jessica Nicholson, Department of Commerce
Commentary by:
- Martha Lawless, USITC
- Jordan Khan, Embassy of Canada
- Nicholas Bramble, Google
Moderator: Carl Schonander, Software & Information Industry Association

Panel 2: A Comprehensive Approach to Digital Trade in NAFTA 2.0

Speaker: Professor Susan Ariel Aaronson
Commentary by:
- Dan Ciuriak, Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Guillermo Malpica Soto, Embassy of Mexico
Moderator: Dan Ikenson, Cato Institute

For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

NAFTA Renegotiation: International Trade and Arbitration Going Forward

November 16, 2017March 30, 2022Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events, Steve Charnovitz

A Panel on NAFTA Renegotiation

International Trade and Arbitration Going Forward

Thursday, November 16, 2017

12:00 to 1:30pm

George Washington University Law School
Tasher Great Room (Burns 101)
2000 H St NW
Washington, DC 20052

With the fifth round of NAFTA renegotiations set to commence on November 17, 2017, the Trump Administration’s objects for investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the final agreement have been front and center. Given the timeliness and the importance of the renegotiation efforts, the panelists will be in a unique position to discuss the merits of potential changes to the ISDS provisions as well as other aspects of the trade agreement.

Our panelists and moderator will discuss, among other things, potential changes to Chapter 11 ISDS provisions, the intersection of U.S. industry and ISDS, and substantive protections. The International Arbitration Student Association and International Law Society of The George Washington University Law School hopes that you will be able to join us for this panel discussion.

Moderator:

Steve Charnovitz (Professor, The George Washington University Law School) Professor Charnovitz is an associate professor at the GWU Law School. Prior to joining the Law School in 2004, Professor Charnovitz was the director of the Global Environment and Trade Study at Yale and from 1991-1995 he was the policy director at the U.S. Competitiveness Policy Council. Professor Charnovitz serves or has served on the editorial boards of the American Journal of international Law, the Journal of International Economic Law, and the World Trade Review. He is a member of the Council on Foreign relations and the American Law Institute. He has authored, co-authored, or edited more than 215 scholarly publications over his career and written multiple books on the topic of international trade law, the most recent being The Path of World Trade Law in the 21st Century.

Panelists:

James Mendenhall (Partner, Sidley Austin)Mr. Mendenhall is a partner in the International Arbitration and International Trade practice groups at Sidley Austin. He is the former General Counsel of the Office of the US Trade Representative where he represented US interests before the WTO and in NAFTA disputes. In this capacity he was the chief negotiator for the US in the Softwood Lumber negotiations with Canada and served as the USTR representative on the CFIUS. Mr. Mendenhall has represented clients in numerous international arbitration and invest-state proceedings under ICSID and UNCIRAL arbitration rules and routinely advises clients on international trade negotiations, trade policy, national security regulations, and legislative matters.
George Kalantzakis (Manager, International Government Affairs, Hess Corporation) Mr. Kalantzakis is the Manager of International Government Affairs at Hess Corporation, a Fortune 500 American based oil and gas company with global operations. Prior to joining Hess, Mr. Kalantzakis worked under the Chief Economist at the American Petroleum Institute. He received his graduate degree from The John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Following graduation from SAIS, he received his MBA from John Hopkins.
Patrick Childress (Associate, Sidley Austin)Mr. Childress is an associate in the International Arbitration practice group at Sidley Austin. He focuses primarily on international dispute settlement including investment treaty arbitration and international commercial arbitration. He has represented investors and governments in proceedings before the ICSID as well as in arbitrations under the Arbitration Rules of the UNCITRAL, the International Chamber of Commerce, and the London Court of International Arbitration.
Todd Tucker (Fellow, Roosevelt Institute)Todd Tucker is a Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute who specializes in economic governance, dispute settlement, and regulatory implications of international trade, investment, and tax treaties. He is a co-author of The Rise and Fall of Fast Track Trade Authority which explores the history of U.S. Executive-congressional relations on trade. He has authored more than 60 major reports and is often published and cited in and on CNN, NPR, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post for his expertise on the intersection of the domestic and global economy.

International Economic Policy Forum: Special Series in Celebration of IIEP’s 10th Anniversary

November 15, 2017May 17, 2018Forum, Past Events

Louise Fox

Chief Economist at USAID

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

6:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

“How Tight are Malthusian Constraints?”

November 14, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Dietrich Vollrath

University of Houston

“How Tight are Malthusian Constraints?”

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

12:30 to 2:00pm

Room 321
2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Brazil and China: A Developing Partnership

November 6, 2017August 31, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

André Soares is a Counselor at the Inter-American Development Bank’s Board of Directors and Non-Resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and David Shambaugh is a professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the China Policy Program at the Elliott School of Internation Affairs.

Monday, November 6, 2017

12:00 to 1:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

“Ageing Poorly? Accounting for the Decline in Earnings Inequality in Brazil, 1995-2012”

October 31, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events

Francisco Ferreira

“Ageing Poorly? Accounting for the Decline in Earnings Inequality in Brazil, 1995-2012”

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

12:30 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

“A Value Based Approach to the Economy: Introducing the Notion of Shared Goods”

October 24, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Arjo Klamer

Erasmus University

A Value Based Approach to the Economy: Introducing the Notion of Shared Goods

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

12:30 to 2:00pm – Reception to Follow

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Building Brazil’s Future: A Conference on Innovation, Investment and Economic Development

October 12, 2017May 23, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Research Conference

View the Agenda

Building Brazil’s Future brings together researchers, business leaders, and policymakers to discuss the country’s efforts to launch a sustainable economic recovery through game changing innovations and investments along with key policy reforms. The conference features two discussion panels. The first treats the issues surrounding the role of innovation in developing the Brazilian economy and the second focuses on how investments can promote innovation and higher productivity across sectors.

Speakers

Raphael Gheneim Camargo, Secretary of Planning and Innovation of the Municipality of Cotia, SP, Columbia University
Otaviano Canuto, Executive Director, Brazil, The World Bank Group
Thiago Augusto Cesar, CEO at Bit.One
Maggie Chen, Director of the Institute of International Economic Policy
Gregory Harrington, Partner at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer
Antonio Josino Meirelles, Executive Director Brazilian Industries Coalition
Gabriel Petrus, Executive Director, Brazil International Chamber of Commerce
Justin Duarte Pine, Director, International Affairs for the Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Antonio H. Pinheiro Silveira, Executive Director, Brazil and Suriname Inter-American Development Bank
Stefan Schimenes, Founder and CEO at Investorise

“Inequality, Redistribution and the Rise of Outsider Candidates”

October 11, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Leyla D. Karakas

Syracuse University

“Inequality, Redistribution and the Rise of Outsider Candidates”

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

12:30 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

10th Annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations

October 6, 2017November 13, 2019Past Events, Research Conference, U.S.-China Economic Relations EventsLeave a Comment

Click Here to View Photos

The U.S.-China relationship is now second to none in importance for international economic relations and policy and accordingly is a major focus of IIEP. The centerpiece of this initiative is our annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic and Political Relations

Speakers

Shang-Jin Wei, Columbia University
Ted Chu, Chief Economist, International Finance Corporation
Jiyao Bi, China’s National Development and Reform Commission
Shanjun Li, Cornell Univeristy
Hongbin Li, Stanford University
Bin Sheng, Nankai University
Junjie Hong, University of International Business and Economics
Gary Jefferson, Brandeis University
Derek Scissors, American Enterprise Institute
Simon Adler, University of North Carolina
Jay Shambaugh, GWU
Maggie Chen, GWU
Andrew Greenland, Elon University
Wendy Cutler, Asia Society Policy Institute
Barbara Stallings, Brown University and GWU
Heiwai Tang, Johns Hopkins University
Bo Chen, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

An archive of all previous Annual Conferences on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations is available here.

For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

Schedule of Events

8:15 – 8:45AM: Coffee and Registration

8:45 – 9:00AM: Welcoming Remarks

View the session video here

9:00 – 9:40AM: Keynote One: U.S.-China Trade and U.S. Jobs: A Value-Chain Perspective
View the session video here

Shang-Jin Wei, Columbia University

9:40 – 10:30AM: Infrastructure, Environment, and Growth
View the session video here

Moderator: Catherine Laporte-Oshiro, IIEP Visiting Scholar
Shanjun Li, Cornell University
Simon Alder, University of North Carolina: Political Distortions and Infrastructure Networks in China: A Quantitative Equilibrium Analysis

10:30 – 10:45AM: Coffee Break

10:45 – 12:00PM: Policy Session 1: Chinese Macro-Economy in the Next Decade
View the session video here

Moderator: Wenjie Chen, IMF
Derek Scissors, American Enterprise Institute
Jiyao Bi, Chinese National Development and Reform Commission
Jay Shambaugh, George Washington University: What Will China’s Financial Reckoning Look Like?

12:00 – 12:45PM: Lunch

12:45 – 1:25PM: Keynote Two: Lessons of China’s Experience and Experience of the US for China
View the session video here

Ted Chu, IFC Chief Economist: Lessons of China’s Experience and Experience of the US for China

1:25 – 2:40PM: Globalization and Human Capital
View the session video here

Moderator: Chao Wei, GWU
Hongbin Li, Stanford University: Human Capital and China’s Future Growth
Gary Jefferson, Brandeis University: The Role of Research and Ownership in Generating Patent Quality: China’s Experience
Andrew Greenland, Elon University: Import Competition and Internal Migration

2:40 – 2:50PM: Dean’s Remarks
View the session video here

2:50 – 4:05PM: Policy Session 2: An Outlook of U.S.-China Trade Relations
View the session video here

Moderator: Steve Suranovic, GWU
Wendy Cutler, Asia Society Policy Institute
Junjie Hong, University of International Business and Economics
Maggie Chen, George Washington University

4:05 – 4:20PM: Coffee Break

4:20 – 5:35PM: Policy Session 3: The China Model of Economic Development
View the session video here

Moderator: Stephen Kaplan, GWU
Barbara Stallings, Brown University and GWU: Does China Have a Development Model?
Heiwai Tang, Johns Hopkins University: Brief Remarks on the China Model of Economic Development
Bo Chen, Huazhong University of Science and Technology: China’s Economic Challenges and Reform Perspectives

5:35 – 5:40PM: Closing Remarks

Building Brazil’s Future: A Conference on Innovation, Investment and Brazilian Economic Development

September 12, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on September 12, 2017

Thursday, October 12, 2017
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The George Washington University’s Institute for International Economic Policy and Brazil Initiative and the Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado (FAAP) will bring together academic researchers, business leaders, and policymakers to discuss how Brazil is moving forward amidst a devastating recession and the fallout to the Carwash corruption.

Presenters and panel discussions will focus on innovative economic activities, game-changing investments, and policy reforms at the state and federal level that promise to reboot and modernize the Brazilian economy.

The conference will be co-chaired by Mark Langevin, Director of the Brazil Initiative and Research Professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs and Prof. Marcus Vinicius Dos Anjos Goncalves De Freitas, Director of the International Relations program at FAAP

2:00 pm – Welcoming Remarks
2:30 pm – Keynote Presentation
3:15 pm – Panel I: Economic and Policy Challenges
4:15 pm – Coffee Break
4:45 pm – Panel II: Overcoming the Crisis Through Innovation and Investments
5:45 pm – Closing Remarks
6:00 pm – Reception

Speakers include:

Otaviano Canuto
Executive Director, Brazil, The World Bank Group
Maggie Chen
Director of the Institute of International Economic Policy
Professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs
Gregory Harrington
Partner at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer
Antinio Josino Meirelles
Executive Director Brazilian Industries Coalition
Gabriel Petrus
Executive Director, Brazil International Chamber of Commerce
Justin Duarte Pine
Director, International Affairs for the Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Antonio H. Pinheiro Silveira
Executive Director, Brazil and Suriname Inter-American Development Bank
Rogerio Studart
The Brookings Institution Distinguished Fellow
The Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils

4th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference

September 8, 2017March 30, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Maggie Chen, Research Conference

Friday, September 8, 2017

Preston Auditorium
The World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W., 20433 Washington D.C.

This conference hosted by the World Bank, George Washington University (Institute for International Economic Policy) and the International Growth Centre Cities Program brings together academics and development practitioners to present and discuss the challenges of sustainable urban development in developing countries.

One of the great challenges of 21st century cities in developing countries is that they must fulfill the requirements of connectivity in production for businesses and address the negative externalities for consumers of density with extremely limited financial resources and public capacity. This raises the following questions: What national policies strengthen and weaken developing world cities, and what infrastructure investments deliver the largest growth benefits? In particular, the aim of this conference will be to reflect upon how cities in developing countries should focus their efforts on improving their land and housing sector (see Session 1: Land), their transportation networks (see Session 2: Transportation), or their sanitation infrastructure (see Session 3: Public Services). In other words, how can we build, or rebuild, cities in the future in order to promote economic growth and reduce poverty?

Rémi Jedwab, Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University

Rémi Jedwab is an associate professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Elliott School and the Department of Economics of George Washington University. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the Paris School of Economics. He was also a visiting Ph.D. student at the London School of Economics for three years. Professor Jedwab’s main fields of research are development and growth, urban economics, public economics and political economy. Some of the issues he has studied include urbanization and structural transformation, the relationship between population growth and economic growth, the economic effects of transportation infrastructure, and the roles of institutions, human capital and technology in development. His research has been published in the American Economic Review, the Review of Economics and Statistics, the Economic Journal, the Journal of Economic Growth and the Journal of Urban Economics. Recently, Professor Jedwab’s research areas have included the phenomenon of urbanization without economic growth, and his research has been highlighted by The Atlantic’s CityLab and the Boston Globe.

Edward Glaeser, Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics, Harvard

Edward Glaeser is the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard, where he also serves as Director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston. He studies the economics of cities, and has written scores of articles on urban issues, including the growth of cities, segregation, crime, and housing markets. He has been particularly interested in the role that geographic proximity can play in creating knowledge and innovation. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1992 and has been at Harvard since then.

Harris Selod, Senior Economist, The World Bank

Harris Selod is a Senior Economist with the Development Research Group of the World Bank. His current research focuses on urban development, including issues related to transport and land use, as well as land tenure, land markets and the political economy of the land sector in developing countries, with a specific interest in West Africa. His publications cover a variety of topics in urban and public economics including theories of squatting and residential informality, the political economy of transport infrastructure, the effects of residential segregation on schooling and unemployment, or the impact of land rights formalization and place-based policies. He has been chair of the World Bank’s Land Policy and Administration Thematic Group (2011-2013) and is currently leading a World Bank research program on transport.

Keynote Speaker

Paul Romer

Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, World Bank

Dr. Paul Romer took office as the World Bank’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President in October, 2016. Romer is on leave from his position as University Professor at New York University. His initial interest in technological progress led to research on topics ranging from an abstract analysis of how the economics of ideas differs from the economics of objects to practical suggestions about how to improve science and technology policy. More recently, his research on catch-up growth in low- and middle-income countries has emphasized the importance of government policies that encourage orderly urban expansion. Before NYU, Romer taught at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, and while there, also started Aplia, an education technology company dedicated to increasing student effort. Romer has also variously taught economics at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Chicago, and the University of Rochester.

Chairs and Panelists

Maggie Chen

Professor of Economics, GW and IIEP

Maggie Xiaoyang Chen is the Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy and Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University. Professor Chen’s areas of research expertise include foreign direct investment, international trade, and regional trade agreements and her work has been published extensively in academic journals. She has worked as an economist in the research department of the World Bank, a consultant for various divisions of the World Bank and the International Finance Cooperation, and a trade policy advisor at the U.S. congressional Budget Office leading policy analyses on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. She has also held visiting professor positions in various universities including Boston College and University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China and is a co-editor of the Economic Inquiry. Professor Chen received her Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her B.A. in Economics from Beijing Normal University.

Craig Kesson

Executive Director for the Directorate of the Mayor, City of Cape Town, South Africa

Craig Kesson is the City of Cape Town Executive Director for the Directorate of the Mayor as well as the Chief Resilience Officer, in partnership with the 100 Resilient Cities Programme. He has worked in several senior roles in city management and has advised a number of metro governments. He previously served as the National Director of Research for South Africa’s Official Opposition. He is a graduate of the University of KwaZulu Natal, the University of Stellenbosch Business School, the University of Liverpool, and the University of Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar. His specialisations are in public policy and strategy; project portfolios, and operations modelling. He is the co-author with Mayor Patricia De Lille of an upcoming book on the nature of city leadership and management planned for publication in August 2017.

Marianne Fay

Chief Economist, Climate Change Group, World Bank Group

Marianne Fay is the chief economist for climate change at the World Bank. She co-directed the World Development Report 2010 on Climate Change. Ms. Fay has served in multiple regions in the World Bank, including Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa, working on infrastructure, urbanization, and more recently on climate change and green growth. Her research has explored the role of infrastructure and urbanization in development, with a particular focus on urban poverty, climate change, and green growth, on which she has authored numerous articles and books. As chief economist for sustainable development, she led the World Bank’s flagship report for the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathway to Sustainable Development.

Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez

Senior Director, Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice, The World Bank

Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez is the Senior Director for the World Bank Group’s Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice. In this position, Mr. Ijjasz-Vasquez leads a team of over 600 technical experts deployed across the world, leveraging global knowledge and collaborating with partners to help tackle the world’s most complex development challenges in: social inclusion and sustainability; mainstreaming resilience in all dimensions development; territorial and rural development; and urban planning, services and institutions. Before this, he was Director for Sustainable Development of the Latin America and Caribbean Region since November 2011, covering infrastructure, environment and climate change, social development, agriculture and rural development, disaster risk management, and urban development with an active portfolio of about $17 billion. From 2007 to 2011, he was based in Beijing, where he managed the Sustainable Development Unit for China and Mongolia. Earlier in his career, he managed the global trust-funded programs ESMAP and WSP in energy and water and sanitation, respectively. Mr. Ijjasz has a Ph.D. and a M.Sc. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in civil and environmental engineering, with specialization in hydrology and water resources. He has been a lecturer at the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Johns Hopkins University, and at Tsinghua University. He is a Colombian and Hungarian national.

William Maloney

Chief Economist, Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions, World Bank

William F. Maloney is Chief Economist for Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions in the World Bank Group. Previously he was Chief Economist for Trade and Competitiveness and Global Lead on Innovation and Productivity. Prior to the Bank, he was a Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1990-1997) and then joined, working as Lead Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist for Latin America until 2009. From 2009 to 2014, he was Lead Economist in the Development Economics Research Group. From 2011 to 2014 he was Visiting Professor at the University of the Andes and worked closely with the Colombian government on innovation and firm upgrading issues.

Jennifer Semakula Musisi

Executive Director, Kampala Capital City Authority

Jennifer Semakula-Musisi is the first Executive Director of the Kampala Capital City Authority that was established to administer Uganda’s Capital City-Kampala on behalf of the Central Government. Over the past six Years, Jennifer has headed the transformation of the City and initiated a number of activities that have enhanced efficiency in services delivery and paved way for the current steady Transformation of Kampala. The achievements over the period have become an admiration and a benchmark for many upcoming municipalities and Cities in East Africa and beyond. Jennifer is a lawyer by profession. She served as the Commissioner Legal Services and Board Affairs in Uganda Revenue Authority; and; she is an entrepreneur with several successful private businesses in Uganda.

Michael Toman

Research Manager, Environment and Energy Research Program, Development Research Group, The World Bank

Michael Toman (Mike) is Lead Economist on Climate Change in the Development Research Group and Manager of the Energy and Environment Team. His current research interests include alternative energy resources, policies for responding to risks of climate change catastrophes, timing of investments for greenhouse gas reduction, and mechanisms for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through reduced deforestation. During his career Mike has done extensive research on climate change economics and policy, energy markets and policy, environmental policy instruments, and approaches to achieving sustainable development. Prior to joining the World Bank in fall 2008, he held senior analytical and management positions at RAND Corporation, Inter-American Development Bank, and Resources for the Future. His teaching experience includes adjunct positions at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the School of the Environment, University of California at Santa Barbara. Mike has a B.A. from Indiana University, a M.Sc. in applied mathematics from Brown University, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from the University of Rochester.

Anna Wellenstein

Director of Strategy and Operations, Social, Urban, Rural, and Resilience (SURR) Global Practice, World Bank

Anna is a key member of the World Bank’s SURR GP senior management team that sets strategy for analytics and financing in areas such as disaster risk reduction, urban renovation, and geospatial technology. She also oversees partnerships with bilateral, UN, and regional organizations. Anna has over 20 years of experience in urban development. She’s led efforts to design and finance investments, facilitate policy reforms and build capacity to help developing countries reduce poverty and boost equity. Anna has been responsible for technical oversight of new projects financed by the Bank, the portfolio quality of ongoing projects, and setting sector and country strategies. Anna oversees $25 billion in lending to developing countries in over 200 projects, 325 studies and technical assistance projects. She’s developed strong partnerships with governments in countries ranging from large middle income to small island states as well as development agencies and academia.

Horacio Terraza

Lead Urban Specialist for the Latin American Region, The World Bank

Horacio has more than 20 years of professional experience in the urban-environmental field, having worked both in the private sector and multilateral development organizations. He has just rejoined the World Bank as Lead Urban Specialist for the Latin American Region focusing on cities and Resilience. During the previous 6 years he worked at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as the Coordinator of the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative (ESCI) and also as Principal Water Specialist. Before the IDB Horacio worked for 11 years as a Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank, leading the urban environmental agenda in the Latin American Department. Prior to that, he worked in the private sector as a Project Manager for environmental engineering companies providing treatment and final disposal of hazardous substances. Horacio was trained as a mechanical engineer at the National University of La Plata in Argentina and holds a Master’s in International Economics and International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Presenters

Robert Buckley

Affiliated Scholar, Urban Institute

Bob Buckley is an Affiliated Scholar at the Urban Institute. He was Managing Director at the Rockefeller Foundation, Advisor at the World Bank, and Senior Fellow at the New School. He has written widely on urbanization and development in both the popular press and academic journals, and has helped prepare projects in a variety of places.

Gilles Duranton

Accessibility and Mobility in Urban India, Wharton School

Gilles Duranton is Professor of Accessibility and Mobility in Urban India and holds the Dean’s Chair in Real Estate. He joined the Wharton School in 2012 after holding academic positions at the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics. A graduate from HEC Paris and Sorbonne University, he obtained his PhD in economics jointly from the London School of Economics and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Science Sociales in Paris. His research focuses on urban and transportation issues. His empirical work is concerned with urban growth and the estimation of the costs and benefits of cities and clusters. He is also interested in the effects of transportation infrastructure on urban development and the evaluation of local policies. He also conducts theoretical research to gain insight about the distribution of city sizes, the skill composition, and sectoral patterns of activities in cities.

Somik Lall

Lead Economist, The World Bank

Somik V. Lall is a Lead Economist for Urban Development at the World Bank’s Urban Development and Resilience Unit in the Sustainable Development Network. He is the lead author of a World Bank report on urbanization “Planning, Connecting, and Financing Cities Now: Priorities for City Leaders.” He was a core team member of the 2009 World Development Report “Reshaping Economic Geography”, and recently Senior Economic Counsellor to the Indian Prime Minister’s National Transport Development Policy Committee. Somik currently leads a World Bank program on the Urbanization Reviews, which provides diagnostic tools and a policy framework for policymakers to manage rapid urbanization and city development. His research interests span urban and spatial economics, infrastructure development, and public finance. He has over 40 publications featuring in peer reviewed journals, edited volumes, and working papers. Somik holds a bachelors degree in engineering, masters in city planning, and doctorate in economics and public policy.

Daniel da Mata

Researcher, Institute for Applied Economic Research

Daniel Da Mata is a Tenured Researcher at the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea). He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Cambridge. Since joining Ipea in 2004, he has held several positions at the institute, including Head of Urban Studies and Head of Quantitative Research Division. His research on Urban, Public and Development Economics has been published in peer reviewed journals and book chapters. He has recently won the BMZ/GIZ Public Policy Award and the European Regional Science Association EPAINOS Award.

Matthew Turner

Professor of Economics, Brown University

Matthew Turner is a Professor of Economics at Brown University. He regularly teaches courses in urban and environmental economics, and occasionally, microeconomic theory. He is broadly interested in environmental and urban policy and his recent research focuses on the economics of land use and transportation. Professor Turner holds a Ph. D. in economics from Brown University and is a Co-Editor of the Journal of Urban Economics. His research appears in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Political Economy, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Review of Economic Studies and Econometrica, and is regularly featured in the popular press.

Anthony Venables

Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford and Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies

Tony Venables CBE is Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford where he also directs the Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies and a programme of research on urbanisation in developing economies. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Econometric Society. Former positions include Chief Economist at the UK Department for International Development, professor at the London School of Economics, research manager of the trade research group in the World Bank, and advisor to the UK Treasury. He has published extensively in the areas of international trade, spatial economics, and natural resources, including work on trade and imperfect competition, economic integration, multinational firms, and economic geography.

Discussants

Alain Bertaud

Adjunct Professor, Marron Institute

Alain Bertaud is an Adjunct Professor at the Marron Institute and a senior research scholar at the NYU Stern Urbanization Project. At the moment, he is writing a book about urban planning that is tentatively titled Order Without Design. Bertaud previously held the position of principal urban planner at the World Bank. After retiring from the Bank in 1999, he worked as an independent consultant. Prior to joining the World Bank he worked as a resident urban planner in a number of cities around the world: Bangkok, San Salvador (El Salvador), Port au Prince (Haiti), Sana’a (Yemen), New York, Paris, Tlemcen (Algeria), and Chandigarh (India).

Leah Brooks

Assistant Professor, Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, George Washington University

Leah Brooks is Assistant Professor in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at the George Washington University. After receiving her PhD from UCLA in 2005, she taught at the University of Toronto and McGill University, and worked at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Her research interest is urban political economy. Her work to date has examined Business Improvement Districts to understand the resolution of collective action problems, and the Community Development Block Grant program to analyze the political economy of grant giving at the municipal and sub-municipal levels. She has documented the existence and analyzed the impacts of municipally-imposed tax and expenditure limits, studied the premium required to assemble land, analyzed the long-term effects of streetcars on urban form, and is hard at work examining the impact of containerization on cities.

Maisy Wong

Associate Professor, Real Estate at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Maisy Wong is an Associate Professor of Real Estate at the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. Her current research interests include household mobility and sorting behavior, urbanization in developing countries, and real estate finance. Her research has been published in journals such as the American Economic Review, Review of Economic Studies, AEJ: Applied Economics, and Journal of Finance. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, at Berkeley.

8:30-9:00 AM Coffee and Registration

9:00-10:45 AM Opening Session: Urban Governance

Welcoming Remarks: Michael Toman, Research Manager, Energy and Environment, Development Research Group, The World Bank; Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez, Senior

Director, Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice, The World Bank

Chair: William Maloney, Chief Economist, Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions, The World Bank

Panelists: Craig Kesson, Executive Director for the Directorate of the Mayor, City of Cape Town, South Africa; Edward Glaeser, Professor of Economics, Harvard

and IGC; Jennifer Musisi, Executive Director, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda; Paul Romer, Chief Economist and Vice-President, The World Bank

10:45-11:00 AM Coffee Break

11:00 AM-12:30 PM Session 1: Land

Chair: Horacio Terraza, Lead Urban Specialist for the Latin American Region, The World Bank

11:00-11:20 AM Mini keynote (Video): “Land in the Urban Development Agenda,” Harris Selod, Development Research Group at The World Bank

11:20-11:40 AM Paper 1.1 (Video) “Building the City: Sunk Capital, Sequencing, and Institutional Frictions,” Anthony Venables (University of Oxford), joint with

Vernon Henderson (LSE) and Tanner Regan (LSE)

11:40-12:00 PM Paper 1.2 “On the Determinants of Slum Formation,” Daniel da Mata (IPEA), joint with Tiago Cavalcanti (University of Cambridge) and Marcelo

Santos (IIER)

12:00-12:15 PM Discussion (Video): Alain Bertaud, NYU Urbanization Project

12:15-12:30 PM Q&A

12:30-1:30 PM Lunch

1:30-2:15 PM Keynote Addresses: Cities, Growth, and Planning

Paul Romer, Chief Economist and Vice-President, The World Bank

Chair: Phil Hay, Communication Adviser, Development Economics, The World Bank

2:15-3:45 PM Session 2: Transportation

Chair: Marianne Fay, Chief Economist, Sustainable Development Vice-Presidency, The World Bank

2:15-2:35 PM Mini keynote (Video): “Transport Infrastructure in the Urban Development Agenda,” Somik Lall, The World Bank

2:35-2:55 PM Paper 2.1 (Video) “Congestion in Bogota,” Gilles Duranton (Wharton Business School)

2:55-3:15 PM Paper 2.2 “Subways and Urban Air Pollution,” Matthew Turner (Brown University)

3:15-3:30 PM Discussion (Video): Leah Brooks, George Washington University

3:30-3:45 PM Q&A

3:45-4:00 PM Coffee Break

4:00-5:30 PM Session 3: Public Services

Chair: Michael Toman, Research Manager, Energy and Environment, Development Research Group, The World Bank

4:00-4:20 PM Mini keynote (Video): “Urban Sanitation in the Urban Development Agenda,” Rémi Jedwab (George Washington University)

4:20-4:40 PM Paper 3.1 (Video) “Financing Sewers in the 19th Century’s Largest Cities: A Prequel for African Cities?,” Robert Buckley (The Urban Institute)

4:40-5:00 PM Paper 3.2 “Water, Health, and Wealth,” Ed Glaeser (Harvard University), with Nava Ashraf, Abraham Holland, and Bryce Steinberg

5:00-5:15 PM Discussion (Video): Maisy Wong (The Wharton School)

5:15-5:30 PM Q&A

6:00-7:30 PM Cocktail Reception and Welcome Speech by Maggie Chen (George Washington University)

At the George Washington University, Lindner Commons Room (6th Floor) of the Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E St. N.W. (at the intersection of E and

19th Streets, on E Street), Washington, DC

Land Mines and Spatial Development

September 5, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events

Elias Papaioannou

London Business School, joint with Stelios Michalopoulos and Giorgio Chiovell

“Land Mines and Spatial Development” Seminar

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

12:30 to 2:00pm

Room 321
2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

10th Annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations

August 30, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on August 30, 2017

Friday, October 6th, 2017
Elliott School of International Affairs
City View Room, 7th Floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, D.C., 20052

Watch our Livestream starting at 8:30 a.m.

In addition to being the 10th anniversary year of IIEP, 2017 also marks the 10th anniversary of our flagship conference series, the Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations. With promises to renegotiate trade deals and assume tougher economic posturing towards China, the relationship between it and the United States cannot be understated in importance. We’re excited to host some of the country’s foremost scholars of US/Chinese economic policy, including speakers from the American Enterprise Institute, Stanford University, the International Finance Corporation, and China’s National Development and Reform Commission.

Annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations

June 28, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on June 28, 2017

The conference features leading scholars from the U.S., China, and other countries, who present research on a wide range of issues. Conference sessions have addressed a wide range of topics such as the prospects for China’s continued growth; financial liberalization; trade imbalances and practices; retirement patterns and pension reform; industrial clusters; gender imbalances; the rural-urban development balance and patterns of poverty reduction; labor migration; and China’s role in international development financing. The conference has become a leading forum for experts in the research and policy community to improve understanding of issues critical to China, the U.S., and the global economy.

EGAP Evidence Summit on Elections and Political Accountability

June 9, 2017May 23, 2018Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, June 9, 2017

9:30am to 3:300pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

You’re invited to an Evidence Summit on Elections and Political Accountability, sponsored by the Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP)research network. The event will take place on Friday, June 9, 2017 from 9:30am – 3:30pm at The Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University. Lunch will be provided for free; please RSVP using the free ticket option. (If you work for an organization that prevents you from accepting a free lunch, we have provided an at-cost ticket option that allows you to pay for your meal.)

EGAP researchers will be on hand to showcase six new field experimental studies that were carried out in coordination, all of which examine the consequences of making voters more informed about their politicians. EGAP will also present the integrated results from the six studies. This research is part of EGAP’s Metaketa Initiative, which is a new grant-making model designed to foster innovation and cumulative learning through simultaneous replication or research across multiple contexts. In addition, EGAP will use the event to study the potential utility of research for policymakers and practitioners.

Please RSVP, save the date on your calendars, and forward this notification to your colleagues!

Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law

Since 2002, the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University has collaborated widely with academics, policymakers and practitioners around the world to advance knowledge about the conditions for and interactions among democracy, broad-based economic development, human rights, and the rule of law.

Evidence in Governance and Politics

Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) is a cross-disciplinary network of researchers and practitioners united by a focus on experimental research and dedicated to generating and disseminating rigorous evidence on topics of governance, politics, and institutions. EGAP seeks to forge partnerships between researchers and practitioners committed to understanding the politics of global development, advancing evidence-based policy making, and improving the quality of empirical research in the social sciences.

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2017 Intensive Trade Seminar: Spring Session

June 8, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Thursday, June 8, 2017

9:00am to 4:30pm – Reception to Follow

House of Sweden
2900 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20007

The WITA Intensive Trade Seminar (ITS) Spring Session provides an in-depth look into critical trade issues, and provides an overview of how the US Government formulates and enforces trade policy.

Along with the Fall ITS, these sessions provide a unique opportunity for attendees to increase their professional knowledge base and broaden their network of contacts by learning the nuts and bolts of trade policy from career trade policymakers from the US Government and Capitol Hill, the private sector, NGO’s, and other players in the trade policy arena.

The Intensive Trade Seminar addressed four important trade issues:

US Trade Law

Speakers including Stacy J. Ettinger, Partner at K&L Gates LLP and Hon. F. Scott Kieff, Commissioner at U.S. International Trade Commission, discussed what we might expect to see from the Trump Administration’s enforcement agenda, and the impact that could have on U.S. jobs, American consumers, and the global trading system.

International Tax and Competitiveness

This session featuring James Gould, Principal at Ogilvy Government Relations, and Catherine Schultz, Vice President for Tax Policy at National Foreign Trade Council, provided an overview of the international tax regime, efforts to reform the tax treatment of foreign earnings and investment, and the implications of these policies on the competitiveness of US firms.

Digital Trade

This session highlighted new technologies and how trade policies can be adapted to 21st Century business. Speakers included Christine Bliss, President at Coalition of Services Industries, and Stephen Ezell, Vice President of Global Innovation Policy at The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation.

Views on Trade from Around the World

This session looked at the future of trade in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Speakers included David Brightling, Counsellor (Trade), Embassy of Australia; Rodrigo A. Contreras, Head of Economic Department / Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Chile; Damien Levie, Head of Section – Trade and Agriculture section, Delegation of the European Union to the United States of America; Katrin Kuhlmann, President and Founder, New Markets Lab.

Beijing International Trade and Investment Symposium: FDI at the Crossroads of Globalization

May 14, 2017May 23, 2018Past Events, Research Conference, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Co-hosted with the School of International Trade and Economics, UIBE

Sunday, May 14, 2017 to Monday, May 15, 2017

University of International Business and Economics
Beijing, China

Beijing International Trade and Investment Symposium

May 11, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on May 11, 2017

FDI at the Crossroads of Globalization

The Institute for International Economic Policy is excited to co-sponsor its first event in China, joint with the University Business and Economics’ School of International Trade and Economics. For more information, contact Cathy Ge Bao at baoge@uibe.edu.cn.

5th Annual Conference Washington Area Development Economics Symposium (WADES)

May 5, 2017May 23, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

Friday, May 5, 2017

This year’s conference is hosted by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University

The Mercatus Center
Founders Hall, Room 113
3351 Fairfax Dr., Arlington VA 22201

Contact iiep@gwu.edu with any questions.

View the Schedule

Download the conference schedule here.

The Global Economy: Hopes and Fears

May 4, 2017March 30, 2022Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Maurice Obstfeld

Economic Counsellor, International Monetary Fund

“The Global Economy: Hopes and Fears”

Thursday, May 4, 2017

5:30 to 7:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Maurice Obstfeld, The Global Economy: Hopes & Fears

April 28, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on April 28, 2017

Thursday, May 4, 2017
5:30 – 7:00 PM
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Harry Harding Auditorium, 2nd Floor

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Obstfeld in joining IIEP for our International Finance Forum, to discuss “The Global Economy: Hopes & Fears”.

Dr. Maurice Obstfeld is the current Economic Counselor and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.A. from Cambridge University, and his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Obstfeld’s professional achievements include being the former Chair of Economics at Berkeley (1998-2001), serving as an honorary advisor to the Bank of Japan’s Institute of Monetary and Economic Studies (2002-2014), and serving as a member of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors (2014-2015). Additionally, Dr. Obstfeld has served both on the Executive Committee and as Vice President of the American Economic Association. A few of Dr. Obstfeld’s many honors include Tilburg University’s Tjalling Koopmans Asset Award, the John von Neumann Award of the Rajk Laszlo College of Advanced Studies, and the Kiel Institute’s Bernhard Harms Prize.

Dr. Obstfeld has co-authored two leading textbooks on international economics; International Economics (2014) and Foundations of International Macroeconomics (1996). He has published over 100 research articles addressing topics including international financial crises, exchange rates, global capital markets, and monetary policy.

Women’s Empowerment & Sexual Health: A Conversation with the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen

April 24, 2017August 31, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Lilianne Ploumen

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, The Kingdom of the Netherlands

Women’s Empowerment & Sexual Health

Monday, April 24, 2017

12:00 to 1:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

7th Annual Washington Area International Trade Symposium (WAITS) Conference

April 19, 2017March 30, 2022International Trade Events, Maggie Chen, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, April 21, 2017

Elliott School of International Affairs
George Washington University 1957 E Street NW Suite 505
Washington D.C. 20052

Contact iiep@gwu.edu with any questions.

View the Schedule

8:30 – 9:00 AM: Continental Breakfast and Registration

9:00 – 9:40 AM: Eunhee Lee (University of Maryland):
“Trade, Inequality, and the Endogenous Sorting of Heterogeneous Workers”
Discussant: Lindsay Oldenski (Georgetown University)

9:40 – 10:20 AM: Ferdinando Monte (Georgetown University):
“The Local Incidence of Trade Shocks”
Discussant: Illenin Kondo (Federal Reserve Board)

10:20 – 10:40 AM: Coffee Break

10:40 – 11:20 AM: Paul Piveteau (SAIS-Johns Hopkins):
“An empirical dynamic model of trade with consumer accumulation”
Discussant: Colin Hottman (Federal Reserve Board)

11:20 – 12:00 PM: Aaron Flaaen (Federal Reserve Board):
“The Role of Transfer Prices in Profit Shifting by U.S. Multinationals: Evidence from the 2004 Homeland Investment”
Discussant: JaeBin Ahn (International Monetary Fund)

12:00 – 1:40 PM: Lunch and Keynote:
Keith Maskus (Chief Economist Department of State and University of Colorado-Boulder)

1:40 – 2:20 PM: Maggie Chen (George Washington University):
“An Anatomy of Foreign Investment News”
Discussant: Rod Ludema (Georgetown University)

2:20 – 3:00 PM: Moises Yi (Census Bureau):
“Industry Mix, Local Labor Markets, and the Incidence of Trade Shocks”
Discussant: Marisol Rodriguez Chatruc (Inter-American Development Bank)

3:00 – 3:20 PM: Coffee Break

3:20 – 4:00 PM: Juan Blyde (Inter-American Development Bank):
“The Impact of Chinese Competition on Mexican Labor Outcomes”
Discussant: Claire Brunel (American University)

4:00 – 4:40 PM: Aaditya Mattoo (World Bank):
“Trade Creation and Trade Diversion in Deep Agreements”
Discussant: Peter Herman (United States International Trade Commission)

Prioritizing African Trade: Policies & Practices

April 19, 2017March 30, 2022Forum, International Trade Events, Michael O. Moore, Past Events

A Discussion on Prioritizing African Trade: Policies and Practices

Click here to view a recording of the event

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

4:00 to 6:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Growth Strategies in a De-Globalizing World

April 19, 2017May 23, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

4:00 to 5:30pm – Reception to Follow

Elliott School of International Affairs
City View Room, 7th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The Institute for International Economic Policy and the Growth Dialogue cordially invite you to participate in a Ministerial Dialogue at the time of the Spring Meetings of the IMF/World Bank. The conversation, to be chaired by Danny Leipziger, Prof. of International Business and International Affairs, George Washington University and Managing Director of the Growth Dialogue, will focus on the impact of current shifts in the global economic landscape and their implications for national growth strategies.

The event will be followed by a reception at the City View Room from 5:30pm to 7:00pm.

Participants will include:

The Hon. Mauricio Cárdenas, Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Colombia

The Hon. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance, Indonesia

The Hon. Santiago Peña, Minister of Finance, Paraguay

The Hon. Malusi Gigaba, Minister of Finance, South Africa

Dr. Hyun Oh-Seok, Former Minister of Strategy & Finance, Korea

Dr, Joaquim Levy, Managing Director, World Bank

Dr. Adam Posen, President, Peterson Institute for International Economics

Guest Lecture Series with Dilma Vana Roussef

April 18, 2017May 23, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Dilma Vana Rousseff

36th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil

Co-hosted with the Brazil Initiative at the George Washington University

Click here to read more about this event

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

6:30 to 9:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Small is Different: A Forecasting Model for Very Open Economies

April 18, 2017May 23, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

DeLisle Worrell

Immediate Past Governor, Central Bank of Barbados

“Small is Different: A Forecasting Model for Very Open Economies.”

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

2:00 to 3:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

China’s New Silk Road Strategy and India’s Options: Competitive Competition?

April 17, 2017March 30, 2022Ajay Chhibber, Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Dr. Ajay Chhibber

Visiting Scholar, Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU

China’s New Silk Road Strategy and India’s Options: Competitive Cooperation?

Monday, April 17, 2017

12:15 to 1:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Non-Linear Distortion-Based Effect of Tax Changes on Output: a Worldwide Narrative Approach

April 12, 2017May 23, 2018Forum, International Finance Events, Past Events

Guillermo Vuletin

Inter-American Development Bank

“Non-Linear Distortion-Based Effect of Tax Changes on Output: A Worldwide Narrative Approach”

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

2:30 to 4:00pm

Room 321
2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Nation Building Through Foreign Intervention: Evidence from Discontinuities in Military Strategies

April 11, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Pablo Querubin

New York University

“Nation Building Through Foreign Intervention: Evidence from Discontinuities in Military Strategies”

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

12:30 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Routes to Growth in a New Trade World

April 6, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Co-Hosted with the Latin American & Hemispheric Studies Program at GW

Thursday, April 6, 2017

9:00 to 11:30am

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Routes to Growth in a New Trade World

March 31, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on March 31, 2017

Thursday, April 6, 2017
9:00 – 9:30 am
Light Breakfast and Registration
9:30 – 11:30 am
Presentation and Discussion

Lindner Family Commons (602)
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E St. NW, Washington, DC

The 2017 Latin American and Caribbean Macroeconomic Report analyzes recent developments in the global economy and how Latin American and the Caribbean countries are adapting to external conditions. While US stimulus may boost global demand, rising global trade frictions and higher interest rates could have serious impacts on the open economies of the region.

The report argues that significant progress has been made in fiscal and external adjustment and that if the world becomes more protectionist, LAC should respond by integrating more within the region. LAC is not too far away from being a Free Trade Area but, given the current over-complex architecture, it does not reap the full benefits. A concrete and realistic action plan to deepen integration and boost growth is provided.

Opening Remarks
Paula Alonso
Director, LAHSP
Associate Professor of History and International Affairs, GWU

Presenters
Andrew Powell
Principal Advisor, Research Department, IDB

Mauricio Mesquita Moreira
Principal Economic Advisor, Integration and Trade Sector, IDB

Discussants
Monica De Bolle
Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics

Danny Leipziger
Managing Director of Growth Dialogue
Professor of Practice of International Business, GWU

José Ernesto López-Córdova
Practice Manager for Competitive Sectors, Trade & Competitiveness, World Bank

Moderator
Stephen Kaplan
Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, GWU

China’s New Silk Road

March 31, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on March 31, 2017

Monday April 17th, 2017
12:15 – 1:30 PM
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Lindner Commons, 6th Floor

The Institute for International Economic Policy and the Sigur Center for Asian Studies will be co-hosting “China’s New Silk Road Strategy and India’s Options: Competitive Cooperation?” with Visiting Scholar Ajay Chhibber.

India and China have a competitive yet cooperative relationship. India has not signed on to the OBOR strategy as it has concerns over some aspects of it – especially the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Maritime Silk Road and has proposed its own “Spice Route “ or SAGAR project with India at the centre of Indian Ocean relations. Nevertheless India has joined the new financial institutions the NDB, and the AIIB (as its second largest shareholder after China). These new banks are a potential source of long term infrastructure finance for India, however small in magnitude. China and India have growing but yet somewhat unbalanced economic linkages – with a large trade deficit in favour of China. In this seminar Chhibber attempts to discuss India’s options to collaborate with China at the event of the formation of new financial institutions and how should India engage with China’s new Silk Road strategy.

Dr Ajay Chhibber is Visiting Distinguished Professor at the National Institute for Public Finance and Policy and Visiting Scholar at Institute for International Economic Policy at the George Washington University. He was India’s first Director General of Independent Evaluation with the status of Minister of State. He served as UN Assistant Secretary-General in New York and in senior positions at the World Bank,managing its programs in Vietnam and Turkey and in Indonesia and the Pacific. He was the lead author of the 1997 World Development Report on the Role of the State. He has a Ph.D from Stanford University, a Masters from the Delhi School of Economics and advanced management programs at Harvard University and at INSEAD, France.

DeLisle Worrell Policy Forum

March 31, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on March 31, 2017

Tuesday April 18th, 2017
12:15 – 1:30 PM
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Room 505, 5th Floor

Dr. DeLisle Worrell is the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Barbados. He founded the Research Department of the Central Bank in 1973 and by 1998, was serving at the Bank as Deputy Governor. From 1999 to 2008, Dr. Worrell worked with the International Monetary Fund and focused on the financial stability and monetary policy in various foreign countries. Additionally, he worked as the Executive Director of the Caribbean Centre for Monetary and Finance.

Dr. Worrell has written various publications including one of his most notable working papers titled “Policies for Stabilization and Growth in Small Very Open Economies”. The paper highlights stabilization policies specific to certain states. It emphasizes how small economies face rigid foreign exchange rates that affect monetary, fiscal, and exchange rate policies which is why they can’t use the same tools as large economies. Additionally, through his working paper, Dr. Worrell explains the concepts of critical growth and provides recommendations to achieve stabilization in small economies through policy.

With research fellowships at the Smithsonian Institution, the Peterson Institute, and Federal Reserve Board, Dr. Worrell has gained a high level of knowledge and experience in the field. He has also been a consultant for various organizations.

Dr. Worrell is joining us for our International Economic Policy Forum series on a discussion of forecasting economies. This event is being hosted by IIEP and the University Seminar on Forecasting at the Department of Economics.

Growth Strategies in a De-Globalizing World

March 31, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on March 31, 2017

Wednesday, April 19, 2017
4:00-5:30 PM, Reception to follow
City View Room
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington

The event will be followed by a reception at the City View Room from 5:30pm to 7:00pm.

Participants will include:

The Hon. Mauricio Cárdenas, Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Colombia

The Hon. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance, Indonesia

The Hon. Santiago Peña, Minister of Finance, Paraguay

The Hon. Malusi Gigaba, Minister of Finance, South Africa

Dr. Hyun Oh-Seok, Former Minister of Strategy & Finance, Korea

Dr, Joaquim Levy, Managing Director, World Bank

Dr. Adam Posen, President, Peterson Institute for International Economics

The Intensive Margin in Trade

March 28, 2017May 23, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Andres Rodriguez-Clare

University of California, Berkeley

Thursday, March 28, 2017

12:30 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

How Presidents Make Economic Policy in Times of Crisis” feat. Alejandro Bonvecchi

February 16, 2017March 30, 2022Forum, International Trade Events, Jay Shambaugh, Past Events, Stephen B. Kaplan

How Presidents Make Economic Policy in Times of Crises

Thursday, February 16, 2017

12:00 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

This project argues that presidents organize decision-making to respond to economic crises not driven by personality or institutional constraints, but rather by cognitive contexts. The higher the frequency of crises, the more inclined the president to use hierarchical, rather than collegial, decision-making processes. The argument is tested comparing cases in the US and Argentina.

Alejandro Bonvecchi holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Buenos Aires and a Ph.D. in Government from the University of Essex. He is an Assistant Professor at the Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires and an Adjunct Research of the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research in Argentina, where he works on presidential and legislative politics and the political economy of economic policymaking. He has published four books, and his work has appeared in Presidential Studies Quarterly, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Publius, Latin American Politics and Society, and Journal of Politics in Latin America.

View the presentation here

Discussants

Stephen Kaplan, Associate Professor of Political Science and International affairs at The George Washington University

Stephen B. Kaplan is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs. Professor Kaplan’s research and teaching interests focus on the frontiers of international and comparative political economy, where he specializes in the political economy of global finance and development, the rise of China in the Western Hemisphere, and Latin American politics. Professor Kaplan joined the GWU faculty in the fall of 2010 after completing a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University and his Ph.D at Yale University. While at Yale, Kaplan also worked as a researcher for former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo at the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. Prior to his doctoral studies, Professor Kaplan was a senior economic analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, writing extensively on developing country economics, global financial market developments, and emerging market crises from 1998 to 2003. He received his B.A in International Relations and Economics from Tufts University, and an M.S in International Economic Development from Georgetown University.

Jay Shambaugh, Professor of Economics and International Affairs at The George Washington University

Jay Shambaugh is a professor of economics and international affairs at the George Washington University. He is the director of the Institute for International Economic Policy. Professor Shambaugh’s area of research is macroeconomics and international economics. His work includes analysis of the interaction of exchange rate regimes with monetary policy, capital flows, and trade flows as well as studies of international reserves holdings, country balance sheet exchange rate exposure, the cross-country impact of fiscal policy, and the current crisis in the euro area. In addition to his book, Exchange Rate Regimes in the Modern Era (MIT Press, 2009), Shambaugh has published in The American Economic Review, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, and other leading journals. Prior to joining the faculty at George Washington, Shambaugh taught at Georgetown and Dartmouth and served as first Senior Economist for International Economics and then Chief Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. He is also a Faculty Research Fellow at the NBER and a visiting scholar at the IMF. Shambaugh received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley, an M.A. from the Fletcher School at Tufts, and a B.A. from Yale University.

Trumping Trade Orthodoxy

February 3, 2017March 30, 2022International Trade Events, Jay Shambaugh, Maggie Chen, Michael O. Moore, Past Events, Research Conference, Steve Charnovitz

Friday, February 3, 2017

9:00am to 4:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

President Trump has promised a markedly new direction in U.S. trade policy through tweets, appointments, and executive orders. Regardless of these first steps and initial press reports, substantial questions remain about whether some of the actions in fact can be adopted within existing legislative and constitutional constraints. In other areas, President Trump’s authority to pursue radically different policies likely are well-established. George Washington’s Institute for International Economic Policy hosted a full day conference to examine what President Trump can, and cannot, do on trade policy without new congressional authorization. Participants will hear from panels that will include a team of two leading lawyers and economists with substantial first-hand trade policy experience. This conference provided audience members with important perspectives on the limits of President Trump’s emerging trade policy.

View video from the conference at the IIEP YouTube Channel

View the Schedule

8:15 AM – 9:00 AM: Registration and Breakfast

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Opening Remarks and Introduction, Michael Moore (George Washington University)

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM: Trade Remedies

The President has substantial leeway for initiating various trade remedy actions (antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguards). U.S. trade law practice and procedure may limit the scope of imposing duties under these provisions.

Matt Nolan, Arent Fox LLP
Michael Moore, George Washington University

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM: China as a ‘Currency Manipulator’

The U.S. Treasury may determine that a country manipulates its currency but only under certain statutory conditions. Would China qualify under those provisions? What consequences might it face if China is declared a “currency manipulator”?

Steve Charnovitz, George Washington University
Jay Shambaugh, George Washington University

11:15 AM – 11:30 AM: Coffee Break

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Renegotiating/Leaving Existing Trade Agreements

U.S. trade agreements such as NAFTA allow for either Party to announce a withdrawal with six months’ notice. Can President Trump do so without congressional approval? What would be the impact on U.S. trade and investment flows if he were to follow through with such threats?

Joel Trachtman, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Thomas Prusa, Rutgers University

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Tax Policy, Investment Agreements, & Foreign Direct Investment

President Trump has suggested imposing 35 percent tariffs on individual U.S. firms that offshore manufacturing jobs. Can the Administration single out individual companies in this way? How might such threats increase uncertainty on inward and outward U.S. foreign investment?

Michael Smart, Rock Creek Advisors
Maggie Chen, George Washington University

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Coffee Break

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM: Possible WTO Disputes

An aggressive new U.S. trade policy may result in formal disputes with WTO members. What are the most likely cases that might arise? How might the U.S. economy be affected if the WTO rules in favor of those who contest new U.S. approaches in trade policy?

James Mendenhall, Sidley Austin LLP
Chad Bown, Peterson Institute for International Economics

3:45 PM – 4:00 PM: Concluding Remarks

International Economic Policy Forum feat. Alejandro Bonvecchi

January 30, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on January 30, 2017

“How Presidents Make Economic Policy in Times of Crisis”

A recording of the event is now available here!

Thursday, February 16th, 2017
12:30PM – 2:00PM
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Lindner Commons, 6th Floor

The Institute for International Economic Policy and the Elliott School of International Affairs’ Latin American & Hemispheric Studies Program will host Alejandro Bonvecchi, who will share his work surrounding “How Presidents Make Economic Policy in Times of Crisis”. This event is a part of our continued International Economic Policy Forum Series.

This project argues that presidents are by cognitive contexts, rather than by personality or institutional constraints, to organize decision-making in response to economic crises. The higher the frequency of crises, the more inclined the president is to use hierarchical, rather than collegial, decision-making processes. The argument is tested by comparing cases in the US and Argentina.

Discussants will include Stephen Kaplan, Associate professor of political science at the George Washington University, and Jay Shambaugh, professor of International Affairs and Economics at the George Washington University

Alejandro Bonvecchi, Assistant Professor at the Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires and an Adjunct Research of the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research in Argentina, IIEP Visiting Scholar

He is an Assistant Professor at the Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires and an Adjunct Research of the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research in Argentina, where he works on presidential and legislative politics and the political economy of economic policymaking. He has published four books, and his work has appeared in Presidential Studies Quarterly, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Publius, Latin American Politics and Society, and Journal of Politics in Latin America. Please feel free to trim down all this as suitable. He holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Buenos Aires and a Ph.D. in Government from the University of Essex.

Stephen Kaplan, Associate Professor of Political Science and International affairs at The George Washington University
Stephen B. Kaplan is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs. Professor Kaplan’s research and teaching interests focus on the frontiers of international and comparative political economy, where he specializes in the political economy of global finance and development, the rise of China in the Western Hemisphere, and Latin American politics. Professor Kaplan joined the GWU faculty in the fall of 2010 after completing a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University and his Ph.D at Yale University. While at Yale, Kaplan also worked as a researcher for former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo at the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. Prior to his doctoral studies, Professor Kaplan was a senior economic analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, writing extensively on developing country economics, global financial market developments, and emerging market crises from 1998 to 2003. He received his B.A in International Relations and Economics from Tufts University, and an M.S in International Economic Development from Georgetown University.

Jay Shambaugh, Professor of Economics and International Affairs at The George Washington University

Jay Shambaugh is a professor of economics and international affairs at the George Washington University. He is the director of the Institute for International Economic Policy. Professor Shambaugh’s area of research is macroeconomics and international economics. His work includes analysis of the interaction of exchange rate regimes with monetary policy, capital flows, and trade flows as well as studies of international reserves holdings, country balance sheet exchange rate exposure, the cross-country impact of fiscal policy, and the current crisis in the euro area. In addition to his book, Exchange Rate Regimes in the Modern Era (MIT Press, 2009), Shambaugh has published in The American Economic Review, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, and other leading journals. Prior to joining the faculty at George Washington, Shambaugh taught at Georgetown and Dartmouth and served as first Senior Economist for International Economics and then Chief Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. He is also a Faculty Research Fellow at the NBER and a visiting scholar at the IMF. Shambaugh received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley, an M.A. from the Fletcher School at Tufts, and a B.A. from Yale University.

Bonvecchi’s forum will be based on his conclusions from his paper in Presidential Studies Quarterly.

For more of our research on economic policy, please visit our webpage at http://www.gwu.edu/~iiep.

Trumping Trade Orthodoxy

January 25, 2017April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on January 25, 2017

Friday, February 3rd, 2017
9:00AM – 4:00PM
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Lindner Commons, 6th Floor

The conference will feature leading lawyers, economists, and trade practitioners who will focus on what President-elect Trump can, and cannot, do to fundamentally reorient trade policy without congressional action or new administrative powers.

This conference is hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy at George Washington University. For more of our research on trade, please visit our webpage at http://www.gwu.edu/~iiep

Panels will include:

8:15 AM – 9:00 AM: Registration and Breakfast

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Opening Remarks and Introduction, Michael Moore (George Washington University)

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM: Trade Remedies

Matt Nolan, Arent Fox LLP
Michael Moore, George Washington University

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM: China as a ‘Currency Manipulator’

Steve Charnovitz, George Washington University
Jay Shambaugh, George Washington University

11:15 AM – 11:30 AM: Coffee Break

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Renegotiating/Leaving Existing Trade Agreements

Joel Trachtman, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Thomas Prusa, Rutgers University

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Tax Policy, Investment Agreements, & Foreign Direct Investment

Michael Smart, Rock Creek Global Advisors
Maggie Chen, George Washington University

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM: Possible WTO Disputes

James Mendenhall, Sidley Austin LLP
Chad Bown, Peterson Institute for International Economics

3:45 PM – 4:00 PM: Concluding Remarks

IMF Africa Regional Economic Outlook

January 24, 2017March 30, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Remi Jedwab, Research Conference, Stephen C. Smith, Steve Suranovic

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

9:00am to 12:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Africa continues to experience great opportunities for growth while also facing several great challenges. Sustained economic growth, income inequality, gender disparities, and competitiveness in the global trade arena are all issues with the potential to make or break the continent’s development as a region. The African Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) publishes the Regional Economic Outlook (REO): Sub-Saharan Africa report twice a year. Review the latest report here.

Panel I: Multispeed Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

IMF Presenter: Jesus Gonzalez-Garcia
Discussants: Temesgen Deressa and Marcus King

Panel II: Exchange Rate Regimes in Sub-Saharan Africa: Experiences and Lessons

IMF Presenter: Haris Tsangarides
Discussants: Ajay Chhibber, Steve Suranovic, and Kingsley Moghalu

Panel III: Enhancing Resilience to Natural Disasters in Sub-Saharan Africa

IMF Presenter: Vimal Thakoor
Discussants: Remi Jedwab, Stephen C. Smith, and Temesgen Deressa

Trade Policies in Trouble

December 8, 2016May 24, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Marten van den Berg

Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, Kingdom of the Netherlands

Thursday, December 8, 2016

9:00 to 10:30pm

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
4200 Linnean Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008

Quality and Gravity in International Trade

November 29, 2016May 24, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

Lisandra Flach

University of Munich

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Poverty in India: Issues and Policies

November 16, 2016February 23, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, India, Past Events

S. Mahendra Dev

Indira Gandhi Institute for Development Research

International Economic Policy Forum

Co-hosted by the International Tax and Investment Center and the GW Department of Economics

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

12:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Room 505
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Please find the presentation from Prof. Smith here, and Prof. Dev here.

S. Mahendra Dev is the director (Vice Chancellor) of the Indira Ghandi Institute of Develpment and Research (IGIDR). He previously served as the chair of the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices of the Government of India. He also worked as director at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, and as senior fellow at the Rajiv Ghandi Foundation. He has written extensively on topics such as agricultural development, food security, and poverty and public policy. He received his PhD from the Delhi School of Economics and completed postdoctoral research at Yale University’s Economic Growth Center.

Prof. Dev has more than 100 research publications in national and international journals. Oxford University Press has recently published his book Inclusive Growth in India. He has been a consultant and adviser to many international organizations, such as UNDP, World Bank, International Food Policy Research Institute, ILO, FAO, and ESCAP. He also conducted collaborative projects with IFPRI on food security and poverty. He has been a member of several government committees including the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Employment and Rangarajan Commission on Financial Inclusion.

Poverty in India: Issues and Policies with S. Mahendra Dev

November 14, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

S. Mahendra Dev is the director (Vice Chancellor) of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Develpment and Research (IGIDR). He previously served as the chair of the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices of the Government of India. He also worked as director at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, and as senior fellow at the Rajiv Ghandi Foundation. He has written extensively on topics such as agricultural development, food security, and poverty and public policy. He received his PhD from the Delhi School of Economics and completed postdoctoral research at Yale University’s Economic Growth Center.

Prof. Dev has more than 100 research publications in national and international journals. Oxford University Press has recently published his book Inclusive Growth in India. He has been a consultant and adviser to many international organizations, such as UNDP, World Bank, International Food Policy Research Institute, ILO, FAO, and ESCAP. He also conducted collaborative projects with IFPRI on food security and poverty. He has been a member of several government committees including the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Employment and Rangarajan Commission on Financial Inclusion.

Trade Policies in Trouble with Marten van den Berg

November 14, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on November 14, 2016

Thursday, December 8th, 2016

9:00AM- 10:30am
The Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Lindner Commons, 6th Floor

What is behind the public discontent on trade issues? What has changed? And what can we do about it? In this lecture, Marten C. van den Berg will be answering these questions and many more in this 45 minute discussion. The public remarks will be followed by a Q&A session

Points that will be addressed:

Popular support for trade policy is declining rapidly in the US and Europe
Trade was a major subject in the Presidential race, with both candidates being vocally opposed to TPP
The EU trade policy was on the verge of a crisis last month, when the federal government of Wallonia threatened to block the EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement (CETA)

Marten C. van den Berg is Deputy Minister for Foreign Economic Relations of The Netherlands. Previously, Mr. Marten van den Berg was Special Envoy of the Netherlands for the Ministerial OECD Presidency, head of the Economic Mission of the Netherlands Embassy in Washington DC and worked in various functions for both the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands. Marten van den Berg obtained his Master’s degree at the Erasmus University Rotterdam and studied at the University of Maryland and Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

New Avenues to Govern Cross-Border Information Flows

November 14, 2016August 31, 2018Forum, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events

Monday, November 14th, 2016

12:00 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Cross-border data flows are the life-blood of an integrated world economy. They support manufacturing and service supply chains and enable the flow of diverse and innovative goods and services to customers all over the world. But domestic policies must allow for these flows. In the last several years, we have seen increasing attempts to close down the flow of information across borders – through requirements for domestic location of computer facilities and explicit bans on the transfer of data into or out of countries. While domestic policy space must be large enough to permit legitimate regulations such as privacy and consumer protection, it should also ensure that these measures are no more restrictive than necessary to accomplish these purposes. The TPP was the first trade agreement to include binding provisions regarding these flows, but it has not yet been approved by any government. But there are additional avenues to discuss cross-border data flows. They include:

the Trade in Services Agreement being negotiated at the WTO
the WTO E-Commerce working group
bilateral discussions, discussions and resolutions at meetings of international economic leaders such as the G7 and the G20. Herein we focus on what’s happening at the multilateral level at the WTO.

Join us for a discussion with a panel of experts and advocates on these avenues.

Speakers will include:

Sam Dupont, Director for Digital Trade, USTR
Michael Joseph Ferrantino, World Bank
Carl Schonander, Senior Director International Policy, SIIA
Deborah James, Director, International Programs, Center for Economic and Policy Research

Moderator: Research Professor and Cross-disciplinary Fellow Susan Aaronson, Ph.D. GWU

Cosponsored by the Washington D.C. Chapter of the Internet Society

9th Annual Conference on China’s Economic Development and U.S. China Economic Relations

November 11, 2016March 30, 2022Chao Wei, Maggie Chen, Past Events, Remi Jedwab, Research Conference, Steve Charnovitz, Susan Aaronson, U.S.-China Economic Relations EventsLeave a Comment

Click here to view videos

This year, key topics discussed will include China’s financial market, the state of China’s macro-economy, the China-Africa relationship, and China’s outward investments and their impacts. For more information about the conference and bios of each panelist, visit our blog.

An archive of all previous Annual Conferences on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations is available here. For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

Schedule of Events

8:00 – 8:50AM Coffee and Continental Breakfast

8:50 – 9:00AM Welcome and Overview of the Conference

Stephen Smith, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP), Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU

9:00 – 11:00AM Panel 1: The Future of Trade Integration in the Asia Pacific

Moderated by IIEP affiliate Steve Suranovic, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, The George Washington University

Jeff Schott, Peterson Institute for International Economics, “Will the US Invest in or Divest from Asia-Pacific Economic Integration?”
Michael Plummer, JHU, “Megaregionalism in the Asia-Pacific and Options for Shared Chinese-US Leadership”
Jiandong Ju, Shanghai University of Finance & Economics, “Huaxia Community: A FTA and a New Architecture for the Global Economic System”

11:00 – 11:15AM Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:45PM Panel 2:The Internet in China’s Economy

Moderated by IIEP affiliate Susan Aaronson, Research Professor of Intenrational Affairs, The George Washington University

Hong Xue, Beijing Normal University, “Chinese Electronic Commerce Law: the New Basic Law for Digital Economy”
Jingting Fan, UMD, “The Alibaba Effect: Spatial Consumption Inequality and the Welfare Gains from e-Commerce”
Maggie Chen, George Washington University, “International Trade on the Internet: Evidence from Alibaba”

12:45 – 2:00PM Lunch

2:00 – 3:30PM Panel 3: Trade, Migration, and Wage Premium in China

Moderated by IIEP affiliate Joseph Pelzman, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, The George Washington University

Chao Wei, George Washington University, The Short and Long of Trade and Migration Reforms in China (joint with Xiaodong Zhu)
RuiXue Jia, UCSD, “Access to Elite Education, Wage Premium, and Social Mobility: The Truth and Illusion of China’s College Entrance Exam”
Eunhee Lee, University of Maryland at College Park, “Trade, Inequality, and the Endogenous Sorting of Heterogeneous workers”

3:30 – 4:00PM: Coffee Break

4:00 – 5:30PM Panel 4: China’s Macroeconomy, Urban Growth and Policy Analysis

Moderated by IIEP affiliate Remi Jedwab, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, The George Washington University

Zheng Liu, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (also affiliated with the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance),“Reserve Requirements and Optimal Chinese Stabilization Policy”
Matthew Turner, Brown University, “Highways, Market Access and Urban Growth in China”
Kai Zhao, University of Connecticut, “The Chinese Saving Rate: Productivity, Old Age Support and Demographics

Vietnam 2035: Toward Prosperity, Creativity, Equity, and Democracy

November 1, 2016August 31, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

Bui Quang Vinh

Former Vietnam Minister of Planning and Investment

Watch the event in English:

Watch the event in Vietnamese

Tuesday, November 1, 2017

2:00 to 3:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
City View Room, 7th Floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Download the presentation here.

Countries rarely think and act long-term. The next election cycle is as far as politicians’ horizons typically extend. Vietnam has chosen a bolder, more successful approach, starting with the Đổi Mới (economic renovation) reforms in the late 1980s. Visionary leaders and a sense of shared societal purpose have allowed it a longer-term and calibrated focus on the future. Economic growth as a result has been rapid, stable, and inclusive, translating into strong welfare gains for the vast majority of the population.

But three decades of success from reforms have raised expectations for the future, especially for a young, rapidly urbanizing population that is fast joining the ranks of the global middle class. The Vietnamese people now aspire to be a modern and industrialized country, with a prosperous, creative, equitable, and democratic society.

The Vietnam 2035 report, a joint undertaking of the Government of Vietnam and the World Bank Group, captures the country’s long-term aspirations and fleshes out the supporting policy and institutional agenda. The aspirations and the reform agenda, the report argues, stand on three mutually reinforcing pillars: balancing economic prosperity with environmental sustainability; promoting equity and social inclusion to develop a harmonious middle- class society; and enhancing the capacity and accountability of the state to establish a rule of law state and a democratic society.

Minister Bui Quang Vinh, an experienced, outspoken, and highly-regarded leader within the Vietnamese political system, a strong proponent of bold institutional reform, and at the time Minister of Planning and Investment, was a guiding force behind the writing of the Vietnam 2035 report.

In this seminar, he will talk about why his government sought a long-term vision report, what made the World Bank the partner of choice, what he sees as the report’s main messages, and what now are the political economy challenges that stand in the way of implementing the report’s recommendations.

Mr. Bui Quang Vinh served as Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment from 2011 – 2015. The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is responsible for preparation of Vietnam’s development strategies and plans, public investment planning, some aspects of SOE reforms, poverty reduction, and oversight and coordination of ODA. Mr. Vinh was also a member of the Central Committee of Vietnam’s Communist Party and of Vietnam’s 13th National Assembly. He served as MPI’s Vice Minister from 2010 – 2011. During 1999-2010 he was Chairman and Party Secretary of Vietnam’s Lao Cai Province, one of Vietnam’s poorest provinces located in the northern part of the country. He previously held various other positions there and in the old Hoan Lien Son Province. Born in Hanoi in 1953, the Minister earned an engineering degree from Vietnam’s University of Agriculture in 1975 and studied at the Agriculture Economic Institute in Moscow.

Stephen Smith, IIEP Director, will serve as Chair and Danny Leipziger, Growth Dialogue Managing Director, as a discussant for this forum.

World Economic Outlook: Key Issues and Prospects

October 26, 2016August 31, 2018Forum, Past Events, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Luis Catao

International Monetary Fund

Co-sponsored by the Federal Forecasters Consortium (FFC) and GW’s University Seminar on Forecasting

Thursday, October 26, 2016

12:30 to 2:00pm

Room 321
2115 G St NW
Washington, DC 20052

“Revisiting the Synthetic Control Estimator,” Joint with Christine Pinto

October 26, 2016May 24, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Seminar

Bruno Ferman

Sao Paulo School of Economics, Getulio Vargas Foundation

“Revisiting the Synthetic Control Estimator,” Joint with Christine Pinto

Microeconomics Seminar

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

A Discussion with Muhammad Yunus

October 26, 2016August 31, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

A Discussion with Muhammad Yunus

Nobel Peace Prize winner and Grameen Bank founder

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

6:00 to 7:00pm

Lisner Auditorium
730 21st Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

New Avenues to Govern Cross-Border Information Flows

October 20, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

The Institute for International Economic Policy, along with the sponsorship of the Software and Information Industry Association, is hosting a panel discussion on November 14 as part of our continuing work on digital trade. The panel will analyze the work being done at the World Trade Organization in the e-commerce work program and in the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA). The TPP may not be successful in the following months, but negotiations continue at the WTO.

the Trade in Services Agreement being negotiated at the WTO
the WTO E-Commerce working group
bilateral discussions, discussions and resolutions at meetings of international economic leaders such as the G7 and the G20. Herein we focus on what’s happening at the multilateral level at the WTO.

Join us for a discussion with a panel of experts and advocates on these avenues.

Information

Organizers
- Susan Aaronson, Ph.D. GWU
- Mark MacCarthy, Ph.D. Software and Information Industry Association
Speakers
- Sam Dupont, Director for Digital Trade, USTR
  - Sam duPont serves in the Office of Services and Investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where his portfolio focuses on issues of digital trade and investment security. He supports USTR’s work in negotiating the e-commerce and telecommunications chapters of U.S. free trade agreements, and works to advance U.S. digital trade objectives in multilateral forums.
- Michael Joseph Ferrantino, World Bank
  - Michael J. Ferrantino is Lead Economist and Global Product Specialist for Trade Policy and Integration at the World Bank. Prior to joining the Bank, he was Lead International Economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission, where he served from 1994 to 2013. Michael’s published research spans a wide array of topics relating to international trade, including non-tariff measures and trade facilitation, global value chains, the relationship of trade to the environment, innovation, and productivity, and U.S.-China trade. He has taught at Southern Methodist, Youngstown State, Georgetown, American, and George Washington Universities, and partnered on research projects with APEC, OECD, WTO, and the World Economic Forum.
- Carl Schonander, Senior Director International Policy, SIIA
  - Carl Schonander is the Software & Information Industry Association’s (SIIA) Senior Director for International Public Policy. He advocates for SIIA’s international policy interests. Those interests include the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield, the EU General Data Protection Regulation, the Digital Single Market, cross-border data flows, intellectual property, trade (especially as future trade agreements pertain to data flows), privacy, and Internet governance. Schonander participated in an international group charged with providing recommendations in 2016 for enhancing the accountability of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Schonander was a member of the Atlantic Council’s “Task Force on Advancing the Digital Agenda”, which issued a report on U.S.-EU Digital cooperation in 2016. Schonander is a former U.S. diplomat. Schonander has a Masters of Law degree in Intellectual Property Rights from George Washington University, Masters Degree in Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, and a JD from the University of Stockholm. He speaks Swedish, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
- Deborah James, Director, International Programs, Center for Economic and Policy Research
  - Deborah James has over fifteen years of expertise working on issues of trade and democratic global governance. At CEPR, her work focuses on the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and US policy towards Latin America. Prior to CEPR, she was the Director of the WTO Program of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, where she worked to inform civil society and governments worldwide about the potential impacts of the WTO’s proposed Doha Round expansion.
- Moderator: Research Professor and Cross-disciplinary Fellow Susan Aaronson, Ph.D. GWU
  - Susan Ariel Aaronson is Research Professor of International Affairs and GWU Cross-Disciplinary Fellow at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. She is currently the Carvalho Fellow at the Government Accountability Project and was the former Minerva Chair at the National War College. Aaronson’s research examines the relationship between economic change and human rights. She is currently directing projects on digital trade and protectionism, repression and civil conflict; transparency as a tool to promote labor rights and good governance; trade liberalization and public health; and whistleblowers at international organizations such as the UN and WIPO. Dr. Aaronson is a frequent speaker on public understanding of globalization issues and international economic developments. Dr. Aaronson is a member of Working Group 2 of the Freedom Online Coalition; the Advisory Board for Human Rights Under Pressure; and the Advisory Board of Business and Human Rights.org. Aaronson is also the Director of the eBay Policy Scholars and worked with Professor Esther Brimmer to develop a new international affairs curriculum on international Internet issues for GWU. In recent years, she has been a pro-bono advisor to the UN Special Representative on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights, and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

China’s Economic Development & US-China Economic Relations Conference

October 17, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on October 17, 2016

November 11th, 2016
City View Room, 7th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.

The U.S.-China relationship is now second to none in importance for international economic relations and policy, and thus accordingly is a major focus of IIEP. The centerpiece of this initiative is our annual conference on China’s economic development and U.S.-China economic and political relations.

This conference is hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy at George Washington University. For more of our research on China, please visit our webpage at http://www.gwu.edu/~iiep

RSVP here.

8:00 – 8:50AM Coffee and Continental Breakfast

8:50 – 9:00AM Welcome and Overview of the Conference

Stephen Smith, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP), Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU

9:00 – 11:00AM Panel 1: The Future of Trade Integration in the Asia Pacific

Jeff Schott, Peterson Institute for International Economics, “Will the US Invest in or Divest from Asia-Pacific Economic Integration?”
Michael Plummer, JHU, “Megaregionalism in the Asia-Pacific and Options for Shared Chinese-US Leadership”
Jiandong Ju, Shanghai University of Finance & Economics, “Huaxia Community: A FTA and a New Architecture for the Global Economic System”
Moderator: Steve Suranovic, George Washington University, Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs, Director International Trade and Investment Policy Program

11:00 – 11:15AM Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:45PM Panel 2: The Internet in China’s Economy

Hong Xue, Beijing Normal University, “Chinese Electronic Commerce Law: the New Basic Law for Digital Economy”
Jingting Fan, UMD, “The Alibaba Effect: Spatial Consumption Inequality and the Welfare Gains from e-Commerce”
Maggie Chen, George Washington University, “International Trade on the Internet: Evidence from Alibaba”
Moderator: Susan Aaronson, George Washington University, Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs, Director International Trade and Investment Policy Program

12:45 – 2:00PM Lunch

2:00 – 3:30PM Panel 3: Trade, Migration, and Wage Premium in China

Chao Wei, George Washington University, The Short and Long of Trade and Migration Reforms in China (joint with Xiaodong Zhu)
RuiXue Jia, UCSD, “Access to Elite Education, Wage Premium, and Social Mobility: The Truth and Illusion of China’s College Entrance Exam”
Eunhee Lee, University of Maryland at College Park, “Trade, Inequality, and the Endogenous Sorting of Heterogeneous workers”

3:30 – 4:00PM: Coffee Break

4:00 – 5:30PM Panel 4: China‘s Macroeconomy, Urban Growth and Policy Analysis

Zheng Liu, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (also affiliated with the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance), “Reserve Requirements and Optimal ChineseStabilization Policy”
Matthew Turner, Brown University, “Highways, Market Access and Urban Growth in China”
Kai Zhao, University of Connecticut, “The Chinese Saving Rate: Productivity, Old Age Support and Demographics”

US Trade Policy & the 2016 Election

October 10, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Controversies surrounding trade policy have been front and center during the 2016 presidential and congressional campaigns. Noted scholars from the Institute for International Economic Policy will discuss current and future trade policy dynamics in the context of growing skepticism about “free trade” both in the United States and abroad. For example, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have voiced strong opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is the signature trade initiative of President Obama. Many public opinion polls also reflect deep bipartisan apprehension about continued trade liberalization, which has been a cornerstone of post-World War II U.S, foreign and economic policy.

RSVP here.

12:00 – 12:30 PM: Lunch

12:30 – 2:00 PM: US Trade Policy & the 2016 Election

Steve Suranovic, GWU, Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs
Michael Moore, GWU, Professor of Economics & International Affairs
Susan Aaronson, GWU, Research Professor of International Affairs
Maggie Chen, GWU, Professor of Economics & International Affairs

2nd Annual Frenzel Memorial Lecture

October 6, 2016August 31, 2018Forum, International Trade Events, Past Events

See video of the event here.

Thursday October 6, 2016

5:00 to 6:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

On behalf of the Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU, and the International Tax and Investment Center, you are cordially invited to the 2nd Annual Frenzel Memorial Lecture on Tax and Trade on October 6, 2016. The event is named in honor of Bill Frenzel, the founding Chairman of the ITIC and 10-term U.S. House of Representatives Member. Frenzel, who passed away in 2014, is best known for having been a leading authority on tax and trade issues in Congress. The Frenzel Memorial Lecture will feature the Honorable Robert B. Zoellick, former World Bank President.

5:00 PM: Welcome and Introduction and Tribute to Bill Frenzel

Ambassador (Ret.) Reuben Brigety, Dean, Elliott School of International Affairs
The Honorable Dave Camp, Honorary Co-Chairman, ITIC Board of Directors, Senior Policy Advisor, PwC, Former Chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means

5:05 PM: Setting the Stage

Graciela Kaminsky, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU, will share some of the research being undertaken at GWU on the challenges facing the global economy

5:15 PM: Q&A Interview Discussion: Trade & Global Macroeconomic Policy

The Honorable Robert B. Zoellick, former World Bank President and former U.S. Trade Representative
Moderated by Jeffrey E. Garten, Dean Emeritus of the Yale School of Management, Former Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade

6:30 PM: Reception

6th Floor Lounge, 1957 E Street, NW

Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in India: Policy Challenges and Prospects

October 5, 2016March 30, 2022Ajay Chhibber, Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, India, Past Events, Remi Jedwab, Research Conference

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Watch the conference videos

Click here to access the morning speakers

Click here to access the afternoon speakers

Click here to access all other remarks

To prepare for the future, India emphasizes addressing inclusive and sustainable growth, eliminating poverty, and expanding their urban sphere. The growth-orientated government faces challenges in creating efficient policy reforms to fit their agenda. Issues including poverty, inequality, lack of infrastructure, and an unfinished plan for reform limit the country’s tremendous growth prospects.

How can India utilize macro economic policy for faster growth? What additional policies are needed to boost infrastructure and urbanization? How is India responding to climate change and sustainability? How can revised policy and programs aid in eradicating poverty?

The Institute for International Economic Policy at the Elliott School of International Affairs and India’s National Institute of Public Finance and Policy hosted a conversation with top academic researchers, officials from the IMF, NIPFP, and World Bank, and current and former advisors of the Indian governments.

View the Schedule

8:30 – 9:00AM: Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 10:00AM: Opening Session

Welcome Address
- Ambassador Reuben Brigety, Dean of the Elliott School
Key Note Address: “India’s Reform Challenges and Unfinished Reform Agenda”
- Arvind Subramaniam, Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India

10:00 – 11:15AM: Session I – “Macro Economic Policy for Faster Growth”

Chair: Dr. Ajay Chhibber, IIEP & NIPFP
Dr. Subir Gokarn, Exective Director, India IMF
Dr. Rathin Roy, Director, NIPFP, “A Macro-Fiscal Snapshot“

11:15 – 11:30AM: Coffee Break

11:30AM – 1:00PM: Session II – “India’s Commitment to Climate Change and Sustainable Growth”

Chair: Prof Stephen Smith, Director, IIEP
Dr. Rita Pandey, NIPFP, “Biodiversity: conservation a key strategy in addressing CC in India“
Dr. Manish Bapna, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, WRI, “The New Climate Economy: Opportunities for India“
Dr. Rathin Roy, Director, NIPFP, “Financing Sustainable Development in India“

1:00 – 2:00PM: Lunch: Luncheon Address

Dr. Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Country Director, India, World Bank

2:00 – 3:15PM: Session III – “Infrastructure and Urban Drivers of Growth”

Chair: Prof Remi Jedwab, IIEP
Dr. Sam Asher, World Bank and Centre for Policy Research, “The Many Costs of Remoteness“
Dr. Maureen Cropper, University of Maryland, “Air Pollution, Environmental Regulation and the India Electricity Sector“

3:15 – 3:30PM: Coffee Break

3:30 – 4:45PM: Session IV – “Equitable Growth and Poverty Eradication: Measurement, Programs, and Policies”

Chair: Prof James Foster, IIEP
Dr. Anirudh Krishna, Duke University, “Hidden Dimensions of Equity and Poverty Education: The Tasks Ahead“
Dr. Sonalde Desai, University of Maryland and NCAER, “Rethinking Social Safety Nets in an Era of Declining Poverty“

4:45 – 5:30PM: Closing Address: “Getting India back to the Growth Turnpike: What will it take?“

Dr. Rakesh Mohan, Yale University, and former Executive Director, India, IMF
Dr. Ajay Chhibber, IIEP & NIPFP

Frenzel Memorial Lecture on Tax and Trade

September 26, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

RSVP here.

5:00 PM: Welcome and Introductions

Ambassador (Ret.) Reuben Brigety, Dean, Elliott School of International Affairs
Daniel Witt, President, International Tax & Investment Center

5:05 PM: Setting the Stage

Graciela Kaminsky, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU, will share some of the research being undertaken at GWU on the challenges facing the global economy

5:15 PM: Q&A Interview Discussion: Trade & Global Macroeconomic Policy

The Honorable Robert B. Zoellick, former World Bank President and former U.S. Trade Representative
- Moderator: Jeffrey E. Garten, Dean Emeritus of the Yale School of Management

6:30 PM: Reception

6th Floor Lounge, 1957 E Street, NW

Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in India: Policy Challenges and Prospects

September 19, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on September 19, 2016

Watch the conference here:

View the rest of the videos here!

October 5th 2016
Lindner Commons, 6th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Conference presentations are linked below.

8:30 – 9:00AM: Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 10:00AM: Opening Session

Welcome Address
- Ambassador Reuben Brigety, Dean of the Elliott School
Key Note Address: “India’s Reform Challenges and Unfinished Reform Agenda”
- Arvind Subramaniam, Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India

10:00 – 11:15AM: Session I – “Macro Economic Policy for Faster Growth”

Chair: Dr. Ajay Chhibber, IIEP & NIPFP
Dr. Subir Gokarn, Exective Director, India IMF
Dr. Rathin Roy, Director, NIPFP, “A Macro-Fiscal Snapshot“

11:15 – 11:30AM: Coffee Break

11:30AM – 1:00PM: Session II – “India’s Commitment to Climate Change and Sustainable Growth”

Chair: Prof Stephen Smith, Director, IIEP
Dr. Rita Pandey, NIPFP, “Biodiversity: conservation a key strategy in addressing CC in India“
Dr. Manish Bapna, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, WRI, “The New Climate Economy: Opportunities for India“
Dr. Rathin Roy, Director, NIPFP, “Financing Sustainable Development in India“

1:00 – 2:00PM: Lunch: Luncheon Address

Dr. Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Country Director, India, World Bank

2:00 – 3:15PM: Session III – “Infrastructure and Urban Drivers of Growth”

Chair: Prof Remi Jedwab, IIEP
Dr. Sam Asher, World Bank and Centre for Policy Research, “The Many Costs of Remoteness“
Dr. Maureen Cropper, University of Maryland, “Air Pollution, Environmental Regulation and the India Electricity Sector“

3:15 – 3:30PM: Coffee Break

3:30 – 4:45PM: Session IV – “Equitable Growth and Poverty Eradication: Measurement, Programs, and Policies”

Chair: Prof James Foster, IIEP
Dr. Anirudh Krishna, Duke University, “Hidden Dimensions of Equity and Poverty Education: The Tasks Ahead“
Dr. Sonalde Desai, University of Maryland and NCAER, “Rethinking Social Safety Nets in an Era of Declining Poverty“

4:45 – 5:30PM: Closing Address: “Getting India back to the Growth Turnpike: What will it take?“

Dr. Rakesh Mohan, Yale University, and former Executive Director, India, IMF
Dr. Ajay Chhibber, IIEP & NIPFP

Long-Term Effects of Early Childhood Interventions on Migration and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from a Quasi-Random Child Health and Family Planning Program in Bangladesh

September 6, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Tania Barham

University of Colorado – Boulder

“Long-Term Effects of Early Childhood Interventions on Migration and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from a Quasi-Random Child Health and Family Planning Program in Bangladesh”

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

2016 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index: Multidimensional Poverty in Africa

June 6, 2016August 31, 2018Forum, Past Events

Monday, June 6th, 2016

10:00am to 12:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

You are warmly invited by OPHI to the launch of the 2016 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). The focus of the launch will be on Multidimensional Poverty in Africa. We will issue a new briefing covering 44 countries in Africa, and 475 regions of 41 of those countries. The briefing also covers changes over time for over 30 Sub-Saharan African countries, portraying a wide variety of experiences in the pace and pattern of multidimensional poverty reduction. It even highlights ‘little acrobats’ – subnational regions in sub-Saharan Africa that did very well at reducing multidimensional poverty. And it explores the differences between monetary and multidimensional measures in Africa.

OPHI, the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative, is a research centre in the University of Oxford that measures global multidimensional poverty for over 100 countries using a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) that complement the $1.90/day poverty measures. The MPI was developed in collaboration with UNDP’s HDRO and is published in UNDP’s Human Development Reports. OPHI’s website provides full details including subnational disaggregation of MPI and the composition of each region’s poverty. The MPI is related to Target 1.2. of the SDGs, and may be reported as SDG indicator 1.2.2.

The substantive event will include a concise but rich briefing on the 2016 global MPI findings by Professor James Foster of George Washington University and OPHI Director and IIEP affiliate Sabina Alkire, followed by reflections on implications for policy and for the SDGs by several eminent panelists including Linda Etim, USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Africa.

The 2016 Global MPI Launch

May 25, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on May 25, 2016

Monday, June 6th, 2016

10:00am – 12:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.

RSVP Here!

2016 Intensive Trade Seminar: Spring Session Deep Dive-One Day Course

May 13, 2016August 31, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Click here for more information

Friday, May 13, 2016

9:00am to 4:00pm – Reception to Follow

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Rotunda, 8th Floor, North Tower
1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington , DC 20004

Digital Trade Conference: The End of Trade as We Know It?

May 5, 2016March 30, 2022Past Events, Research Conference, Susan Aaronson, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Thursday and Friday, May 5-6, 2016

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The Internet and associated technologies are both a platform for trade and a technology transforming trade. We define digital trade as commerce in products and services delivered via the Internet (USITC: 2013, i). Although digital trade is the fastest growing component of trade, policymakers are just learning how to create an environment to facilitate such trade in developed and developing countries alike. The Transpacific Partnership (TPP) is the first trade agreement to include binding provisions related to the information flows that power digital trade, but that agreement (and others under negotiation) say little about the domestic and international regulatory context in which the Internet functions. However, as the World Bank notes, an effective regulatory environment is essential to reaping the benefits of the information economy and digital trade (World Bank: 2016)

Trade agreements may not be the best place to regulate information flows — which are a global public good that governments should provide and regulate effectively in a cooperative manner with other governments. Moreover, many Internet issues that involve information flows, such as privacy or the security of data are not market access issues (the traditional turf of trade agreements) issues (Aaronson: 2016).

In this conference, we will examine digital trade as well as barriers to cross-border information flows. We will also discuss the role of trade agreements as tools of Internet governance; examine the domestic and international regulatory environment for information; and focus on how to cooperate to encourage cross-border information flows. We plan to encourage audience and panelist dialogue about these issues.

The Internet Society DC Chapter (ISOC-DC) will be providing a live stream of the conference to be linked to this page.

Susan Ariel Aaronson, Research Professor of International Affairs and a Cross-Disciplinary Fellow at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs

Susan Ariel Aaronson is Research Professor of International Affairs and a Cross-Disciplinary Fellow at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. She is currently the Carvalho Fellow at the Government Accountability Project and was the former Minerva Chair at the National War College. Aaronson’s research examines the relationship between economic change and human rights. She is currently directing projects on digital trade and digital rights, repression and civil conflict; trade, trust and transparency; and whistleblowers at international organizations such as the UN and WIPO. Her work has been funded by major international foundations including MacArthur, Ford, and Rockefeller; governments such as the Netherlands, U.S., and Canada; the UN, ILO, and World Bank, and U.S. corporations including Ford Motor and Levi Strauss. Dr. Aaronson is a frequent speaker on public understanding of globalization issues and international economic developments. She regularly comments on international economics on “Marketplace” and was a monthly commentator on “All Things Considered,” “Marketplace,” and “Morning Edition.” She has also appeared on CNN, the BBC, and PBS to discuss trade and globalization issues. Aaronson was a Guest Scholar in Economics at the Brookings Institution (1995–1999); and a Research Fellow at the World Trade Institute 2008-2012.

Maja Andjelkovic, World Bank Mobile Innovation Specialist

Maja is interested in the potential of entrepreneurship and human ingenuity to contribute to economic, environmental and social development. She has spent over 12 years connecting these fields, including as product manager in a web-technology startup, lead researcher at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and counselor for Canada for the World Bank Group. Since 2009, she has worked to expand infoDev’s mobile innovation program, including by extending our offering to better serve women founders of tech startups in emerging and frontier markets. Maja is pursuing a doctorate at the University of Oxford under Professor Bill Dutton, with a focus on innovation ecosystems and with support from Oxford University Press.

Michael Ferrantino, World Bank Lead Economist

Michael J. Ferrantino is Lead Economist in the World Bank Group Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice. Prior to joining the Bank, he was Lead International Economist at the US International Trade Commission. Michael’s published research spans a wide array of topics relating to international trade, including non-tariff measures and trade facilitation, global value chains, the relationship of trade to the environment, innovation, and productivity, and US-China trade. He has taught at Southern Methodist, Youngstown State, Georgetown, American, and George Washington Universities. Michael’s recent work includes: “The Benefits of Trade Facilitation: A Modelling Exercise,” prepared for the World Economic Forum’s January 2013 report on supply chains, “Enabling Trade: Valuing Growth Opportunities;” a chapter on non-tariff measures in The Ashgate Research Companion to International Trade Policy (2012); and “Evasion Behaviors of Exporters and Importers; Evidence from the U.S.-China Trade Data Discrepancy,” with Xuepeng Liu and Zhi Wang, Journal of International Economics, 2012. Michael holds a PhD from Yale University.

Kyle Renner, IIEP Operations Manager

Kyle Renner manages the Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) and provides career and academic advice for the International Trade and Investment Policy (ITIP) master’s program at the Elliott School for International Affairs. Kyle manages IIEP’s research agenda which is broadly concentrated on the areas of international trade, international finance, and international development; with special focus on U.S.-China economic relations, climate change adaptation, ultra-poverty, and global economic governance. He has managed sponsored research projects funded by USAID, the Asian Development Bank, the U.S. Army Research Office, and the Hewlett, Ford, and MacArthur foundations among others. He is also responsible for organizing IIEP’s many events, including scholarly seminars, working groups, policy fora, and research conferences. Kyle provides academic and professional counseling to students in the ITIP program, and serves on the ITIP Program Committee. Kyle completed his B.A. and M.A. in International Affairs at the Elliott School for International Affairs, focusing on international politics, conflict and conflict resolution, and the Middle East. He is interested in the areas of self-sustainable education and business development, and their impact on civil society and economic growth.

Keynote Speakers

Susan Lund, Partner, McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey & Company (author of Digital Globalization—the New Flows)

Susan Lund is a partner of McKinsey & Company and a leader of the McKinsey Global Institute. She conducts economic research on global financial markets, trade, labor markets, and country productivity and growth.

Her latest report focuses on how digital technologies are transforming globalization. Other recent research examines the continuing accumulation of global debt and potential risks; how digital talent platforms are transforming labor markets; and growth prospects for African economies given the collapse of commodity prices. Susan has an active travel schedule discussing research findings with business executives and policy makers, and she is a frequent speaker at global conferences.

She has authored numerous articles on digital globalization. Susan is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Association of Business Economists, and the Conference of Business Economists.

Klaus Tilmes, Senior Director, World Bank Group Global Practice on Trade and Competitiveness

Klaus Tilmes is Director of the Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice at the World Bank Group. In his position, Tilmes is responsible for such global themes as Trade, Competitive Sectors, Investment Climate and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Prior to his current position, Klaus was the Director of the Financial and Private Sector Development (FPD) Network at the World Bank, a position he held from 2010 to 2014. Tilmes has a Master’s degree in Public Administration focused on Development Economics and Public Sector Management from Harvard University, and a Master’s in Economics from the University of Mannheim.

Panelists

Susan Ariel Aaronson, Research Professor of International Affairs and a Cross-Disciplinary Fellow at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs

Daniel Adidwa, Tour2.0, South Africa

Mr. Adidwa is a leader who is passionate about entrepreneurship and technology. He takes pleasure in channeling this passion through sourcing innovative solutions, that address current problems within the African continent and taking these solutions to market.

He is a qualified marketer and attained his BA Degree in Integrated Marketing Communication and a Diploma in Account Management from the AAA School of Advertising. Daniel has worked at various communications agencies, where he worked on various local and international blue chip accounts.

He is passionate about the African continent, its people and the stories behind African communities. He believes that technology can play a large role in getting the world to experience real African Stories. He currently holds the position of CEO of Tour2.0 and Vice-Chairman of the Regional Tourism Association of Southern Africa (RETOSA) youth steering committee.

Usman Ahmed, Director, Global Public Policy, PayPal

Usman Ahmed is the Head of Global Public Policy at PayPal Inc. His work covers a variety of global issues including financial services regulation, innovation, international trade, and entrepreneurship. He has given talks on these subjects at conferences and universities around the world and has published in the World Economic Forum Global Information Technology Report, Journal of World Trade, and the Michigan Journal of International Law. Ahmed is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law School where he teaches courses on international law and policy issues related to the Internet. Prior to PayPal, Usman worked at a number of policy think tanks in the Washington DC area focusing on good governance issues. Ahmed earned his JD from University of Michigan, his MA from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and his BA from University of Maryland.

Robert D. Atkinson, President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

As founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Robert D. Atkinson leads a prolific team of policy analysts and fellows that is successfully shaping the debate and setting the agenda on a host of critical issues at the intersection of technological innovation and public policy.

He is an internationally recognized scholar and a widely published author whom The New Republic has named one of the “three most important thinkers about innovation,” Washingtonian Magazine has called a “tech titan,” and Government Technology Magazine has judged to be one of the 25 top “doers, dreamers and drivers of information technology.”

A sought-after speaker and valued adviser to policymakers around the world, Atkinson’s books include Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage (link is external) (Yale, 2012), Supply-Side Follies: Why Conservative Economics Fails, Liberal Economics Falters, and Innovation Economics is the Answer (link is external) (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006), and The Past And Future Of America’s Economy: Long Waves Of Innovation That Power Cycles Of Growth (link is external) (Edward Elgar, 2005). He also has conducted groundbreaking research projects and authored hundreds of articles and reports on technology and innovation-related topics ranging from tax policy to advanced manufacturing, productivity, and global competitiveness.

Abdoul Aziz Sy, Vice President for International Rights and Strategy, Public Knowledge

Abdoul Aziz Sy holds a Master in International Sustainable Development from Brandeis University in the United States. He joined the team Upstart in March 2014 as project manager of the ICT project for Good Governance, coordinated by Upstart in partnership with OSIWA Foundation. Aziz also holds a BA in International Relations and has been for 2 years vice president of SIFE team (Students in Free Enterprise) Suffolk University with the aim to find entrepreneurial solutions to improve the lives of communities. His career includes such courses in structures such as Ernst & Young and the American NGO Ashoka.

Brian Bieron, Director of Public Policy, eBay and Main Street

Brian Bieron is Executive Director of the Public Policy Lab. Bieron has published and spoken on a broad variety of issues at the nexus of technology and commerce including taxation, telecommunications, customs, and intellectual property.

Bieron led eBay’s US Government Relations Team in Washington, DC from 2004 to 2012, overseeing eBay staff, outside lobbying firms, a DC-based PR firm, various trade associations and a federal political action committee. These resources were focused on issues important to eBay and its community of users, including sales tax collection on the Internet, net neutrality, proposals to ISP third-party liability, and cross-border trade policies impacting small businesses.

Prior to joining eBay, Bieron spent three-and-a-half years as a Director at Clark & Weinstock, one of Washington’s leading bipartisan lobbying and consulting firms. He supported a wide range of clients, including leading technology, telecommunications, and financial services companies such as Microsoft, AT&T, PhRMA, NASDAQ, and eBay. He also spent twelve years on Capitol Hill as a congressional staff person, including service as Policy Director for House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier, where he played a lead role on key congressional trade and technology issues.

Nicholas Bramble, Public Policy Manager, Google

Nicholas Bramble is a Public Policy Manager at Google, where he focuses on trade policy and international relations. Prior to joining Google he was a Presidential Innovation Fellow, and served as a lecturer and director of the Law and Media Program at Yale Law School. He filed amicus briefs in Golan v. Holder and FCC v. Fox, and has published articles in Hastings Law Journal, Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review, and the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology.

Mr. Bramble earned his J.D. at Harvard Law School and holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stanford University. He clerked for the Honorable Charles F. Lettow on the US Court of Federal Claims, and was a visiting researcher at the Princeton Center for Information Technology Policy.

Ralph Carter, Managing Director, Federal Express

As Managing Director of Legal, Trade & International Affairs, Ralph Carter is responsible for coordinating FedEx’s international regulatory affairs, including trade policy. Mr. Carter joined FedEx in Brussels, Belgium in 2001 and directed FedEx’s government affairs activities with the European Commission, Parliament and Council, as well as with Member State governments. Mr. Carter also served as in-house legal counsel responsible for commercial transactions and regulatory compliance for Central and Eastern Europe.

Before joining FedEx, Mr. Carter worked in the United States Department of State, serving as the Special Assistant to the United States Ambassador to the European Union. He is currently a member of the State Department’s Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy.

Mr. Carter has a BS and JD from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Masters of Laws from American University.

Anupam Chander, Professor of Law, UC-Davis, author of “The Electronic Silk Road”

Anupam Chander is Director of the California International Law Center and Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis. A graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School, he has been a visiting professor at Yale, Chicago, Stanford, and Cornell. The author of The Electronic Silk Road (Yale University Press), he has published widely in the nation’s leading law journals, including the Yale Law Journal, the NYU Law Review, and the California Law Review. He practiced law in New York and Hong Kong with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. He served on the executive council of the American Society of International Law and serves as a judge for the Stanford Junior International Faculty Forum. The recipient of Google Research Awards and an Andrew Mellon grant on the topic of surveillance, he is a member of the ICTSD/World Economic Forum E15 expert group on the digital economy and the World Economic Forum expert group on Internet fragmentation.

Krista Cox, Director of Public Policy Initiatives, Association of Research Libraries

Krista Cox is the director of public policy Initiatives at ARL. In this role, she advocates for the policy priorities of the Association and executes strategies to implement these priorities. She monitors legislative trends and participates in ARL’s outreach to the Executive Branch and the US Congress.

Prior to joining ARL, Krista worked as the staff attorney for Knowledge Ecology International, an organization dedicated to searching for better outcomes, including new solutions, to the management of knowledge resources, particularly in the context of social justice. While at KEI, she wrote and filed amicus briefs in various intellectual property cases; attended the WIPO Diplomatic Conference that concluded the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled; and worked extensively on promoting better policies for the intellectual property chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). She also has prior experience as the staff attorney for Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, an organization that promotes access to medicines, particularly those technologies created through federal funding.

Krista received her JD from the University of Notre Dame and her BA in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the State Bar of California.

Michael Ferrantino, World Bank Lead Economist

Paul Fehlinger, Manager and Co-Founder, Internet & Jurisdiction Project

Paul Fehlinger is the Manager and Co-Founder of the Internet & Jurisdiction Project. He is actively engaged in global Internet fora, including as a speaker at venues such as the UN Internet Governance Forum, OECD, or Council of Europe. Paul was appointed to the Advisory Network of the Global Commission on Internet Governance and to the Working Group on Rule of Law of the Freedom Online Coalition. He is also a participant in the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Cross-border Flow of Internet Traffic and Internet Freedom, and the World Economic Forum’s Future of the Internet Initiative.

He holds a Master in International Relations from Sciences Po Paris, where he specialized in Internet politics and new modes of global governance. He was a scholar of the German National Merit Foundation (Studienstiftung), a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies and holds a BA in European Studies from Maastricht University. Prior to launching the Internet & Jurisdiction Project, Paul wanted to become a journalist and worked for a political news broadcaster in Berlin and an international radio station in Paris.

Sean Flynn, Professional Lecturer, American University School of Law

Sean Flynn teaches courses on the intersection of intellectual property, trade law, and human rights and is the Associate Director of the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property (PIJIP). At PIJIP, Professor Flynn designs and manages a wide variety of research and advocacy projects that promote public interests in intellectual property and information law and coordinates PIJIP’s academic program, including events, student advising and curriculum development. Professor Flynn’s research examines legal frameworks promoting access to essential goods and services. He serves as counsel for advocacy organizations and state legislatures seeking to promote and defend regulations that promote access to essential medicines. (PIJIP).

Prior to joining WCL, Professor Flynn completed clerkships with Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson on the South African Constitutional Court and Judge Raymond Fisher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He also represented consumers and local governments as a senior associate with Spiegel & McDiarmid and as senior attorney for the Consumer Project on Technology, served on the policy team advising then Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval Patrick, and taught Constitutional Law at the University of Witwaterstrand, South Africa.

Damien Levie, EU Delegation, Trade and Agricultural Affairs

Damien Levie heads the Trade and Agriculture Section of the European Union Delegation in Washington, DC.

Before coming to Washington, he was a member of the Cabinet (personal office) of EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht from 2009 to 2012. He subsequently headed the USA and Canada team of the Directorate General for Trade at the European Commission. During that period, he contributed to the pursuit of an ambitious EU trade policy agenda with the Americas, in particular the launch of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the U.S. and the EU, for which he was deputy chief negotiator.

Damien joined the European Commission in 2001, working on issues including merger control policy and REACH, the EU’s basic chemical regulation. From 2005 to 2009, he served in the Cabinet of Louis Michel, EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid. During that period, he worked on economic development policy in Africa as well as European economic integration issues.

He has law degrees from KU Leuven and the University of Chicago Law School and an economics degree from UC Louvain. He was a lawyer at a major US law firm in Brussels and New York from 1994 to 2001.

Jeremy Malcolm, Senior Global Policy Analyst, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Jeremy Malcolm joined EFF’s international team in 2014 and works on the international dimensions of issues such as intellectual property, network neutrality, Internet governance, and trade. Prior to that he worked for Consumers International coordinating its global programme Consumers in the Digital Age. Jeremy graduated with degrees in Law (with Honours) and Commerce in 1995 from Murdoch University, and completed his PhD thesis at the same University in 2008 on the topic of Internet governance. Jeremy’s background is as an information technology and intellectual property lawyer and IT consultant. He enjoys acting, writing and coding, and his ambitions include writing an original science fiction novel, learning to juggle and learning Japanese (ideally both at once).

Jeremy is admitted to the bars of the Supreme Court of Western Australia (1995), High Court of Australia (1996) and Appellate Division of New York (2009). He is a former co-coordinator of the Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus, founder of Best Bits, and currently a Steering Committee member of the OECD Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council.

Joshua Meltzer, Senior Fellow, Brookings

Dr. Joshua Meltzer is a senior fellow in Global Economy and Development at the Brookings Institution and an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. Dr. Meltzer is also a reviewer for the Journal of Politics and Law. His work focuses on international trade law and policy issues relating to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Agreements.

Sandy Reback, Director, Global Public Policy, Akamai

Sanford Reback, Director of Global Public Policy at Akamai Technologies, has more than 25 years of policy, business, and legal experience in the technology sector. He served as Deputy General Counsel for Policy at UUNET Technologies, then the world’s largest Internet service provider (ISP); Senior International Counsel at MCI, then a Fortune 100 company; and a senior executive at two venture-backed technology companies. In the Executive Office of the President at the U.S. Trade Representative, Reback helped negotiate NAFTA, the World Trade Organization agreements, and several international technology agreements. Immediately prior to joining Akamai, he was Senior Technology Analyst and Director of Global Business at Bloomberg Government. Reback holds a B.A. in political science from Stanford University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an M.P.A. from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and was a Fulbright Fellow in London.

Kevin M. Rosenbaum, Of Counsel, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP; Counsel to the International Intellectual Property Alliance

Kevin Rosenbaum has over sixteen years of experience counseling on intellectual property and international trade matters as well as with legislative and regulatory processes and policy development related to international trade and the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in foreign markets. He currently serves as counsel to the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), a coalition of five copyright-based industry trade associations (comprised of over 3,200 companies), on international copyright protection and enforcement matters.

Carolina Rossini, Vice President for International Rights and Strategy, Public Knowledge

Carolina Rossini is the Vice President for International Rights and Strategy at Public Knowledge. Previously, Carolina was a Project Director at New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute, the International Intellectual Property Director at Electronic Frontiers Foundation (EFF), and a Fellow at the Berkman Center at Harvard University.

Alongside her work at Public Knowledge, she is a Global Partners Digital International Associate, an X-Lab fellow for New America Foundation, and an Advisory Board Member of Open Knowledge Foundation for both the UK and Brazil. She is also an Advisory Board Member for Saylor Foundation, Instituto Educadigital, and InternetLab. Carolina has an LLM in Intellectual Property from Boston University, an MBA from Instituto de Empresas, an MA in International Economic Negotiations from UNICAMP/UNESP, and a JD from University of Sao Paulo – USP.

Matthew Schruers, Vice President, Law & Policy, Computer & Communications Industry Association

Matthew Schruers is Vice President for Law & Policy at the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), where he represents and advises the association on domestic and international policy issues including intellectual property, competition, and trade. He is also an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Georgetown Graduate School Program on Communication, Culture, and Technology (CCT), where he teaches courses on intellectual property.

Mr. Schruers joined CCIA from Morrison & Foerster LLP in 2005, where he practiced intellectual property, antitrust, and administrative law. Mr. Schruers received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review, and received his B.A. from Duke University.

Shawn Tan, World Bank

Shawn Tan is an Economist in the World Bank’s Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice. He is currently working on trade policy and private sector development issues for countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. He was in the core team of the 2016 World Development Report “Digital Dividends”, where he authored the international trade sections. Prior to working at the World Bank, he worked at the Singapore Economic Development Board as a senior officer in the International Policy Division, where he was involved in Singapore’s trade agreement negotiations, ASEAN trade and investment forums and trade facilitation for MNCs in Singapore. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics for the University of Melbourne. His research interests are broadly in international trade and the effects of institution, policy and regulation changes on firms.

Diego Molano Vega, former ICT Minister of Colombia

Mr. Molano is Electronic Engineer, born in Boyacá and Master in Economy. Diego Molano Vega is an outstanding international expert in the telecommunications world, area in which he has been working during twenty years in entities as the Colombian Regulatory Commission of Telecommunications (CRT) and multinationals.

Moderators

Maja Andjelkovic, Mobile Innovation Specialist, World Bank

Victoria Guida, Trade Reporter, POLITICO

Victoria Guida has covered trade for roughly four years, first at Inside U.S. trade and now at POLITICO Pro, the subscriber-only policy side of the Washington publication. Before covering trade, she worked briefly as a business reporter for the Charlotte Observer.

Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a graduate of the University of Missouri, where she majored in journalism and political science.

Martin Molinuevo, Consultant, World Bank

Martín Molinuevo is a consultant in the World Bank Group Trade and Competitivness Global Practice, where he focuses on international trade in services, trade agreements, and regulation. He has previously worked for a number of international organizations, including the WTO, UNCTAD, and the EU on matters related to trade in services, foreign investment, and dispute settlement. Martin, a lawyer by training, holds a Doctor Iuris magna cum laude from the University of Bern, Switzerland, and has published articles in international journals, contributed chapters to various edited books, and published a book on trade and investment agreements (“Protecting Investing in Services: Investor-State Arbitration vs. WTO Dispute Settlement,” Wolters-Kluwer, 2012).

Hanna Norberg, Tradeeconomista.com

Hanna C. Norberg is an independent Trade Policy Advisor and the founder of TradeEconomista.com. She obtained her Ph.D in International Economics from Lund University, Sweden in 2000. She has substantial experience of both micro and macro economics as well as applied economics from working as advisor, consultant, researcher and university lecturer. Her primary interests are trade, trade policy, economic integration and development. She has extensive experience in policy implication from working numerous trade policy impact assessment projects for the European Commission (FTAs covering the majority of the world e.g. T-TIP, Japan and ASEAN, Korea, various MENA countries, Mercosur) and national governments. In addition, she has done work for ECFIN, OECD, WTO and multiple parts of the Swedish government.

Tracey Samuelson, American Public Media (APM)

Tracey Samuelson is a New-York based reporter for APM’s Marketplace, covering business and economic stories, with a recent focus on international trade and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In addition to Marketplace, her radio stories have appeared on NPR, including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and the Planet Money podcast, as well as in print for The New York Times, New York Magazine, and the Christian Science Monitor, among others.

2:30 – 4:00 PM: Panel 1, The Enabling Environment for Digital Trade as a Tool for Development

Moderator: Martin Molinuevo, World Bank

Panelists: Abdoul Aziz Sy (CTIC Dakar, Senegal), Daniel Adidwa (Tour2.0, South Africa), Diego Molano Vega (former ICT Minister of Colombia), and Michael Ferrantino(World Bank)

4:00 – 4:15 PM: Coffee Break

4:15 – 5:30 PM: Panel 2, A Conversation on Rethinking IPR Online to Support Development

Moderator: Maja Andjelkovic, World Bank

Panelists: Sean Flynn (Professional Lecturer, American University School of Law), Kevin M. Rosenbaum (Of Counsel, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP; Counsel to the International Intellectual Property Alliance), Rob Atkinson (President, Information Technology and Innnovation Foundation), Krista Cox (Director of Public Policy Initiatives, Association of Research Libraries), and Matthew Schruers (Computer & Communications Industry Association)

5:30 – 6:30 PM: First Keynote, Klaus Tilmes (Director, Trade & Competitiveness, World Bank)

9:00 – 10:30 AM: Panel 3, Barriers to Digital Trade as a Tool for Development

Moderator: Victoria Guida, Politico

Panelists: Shawn Tan (principal author of the international trade section of World Development Report 2016, World Bank), Ralph Carter (Managing Director, Federal Express), Anupam Chander (Professor of Law, UC-Davis, author of “The Electronic Silk Road”), and Usman Ahmed (Director, Global Public Policy, PayPal)

10:30 – 11:00 AM: Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:30 PM: Panel 4, Do Provisions Regulating Digital Trade Need a Rethink?

Moderator: Hanna Norberg, Tradeeconomista.com

Panelists: Sandy Reback (Director, Global Public Policy, Akamai), Carolina Rossini (Vice President, International Policy, Public Knowledge), Jeremy Malcolm (Senior Global Policy Analyst, Electronic Frontier Foundation), Damien Levie (EU Delegation, Trade and Agricultural Affairs), and Nicholas Bramble (Public Policy Manager at Google)

12:30 – 2:00 PM: Luncheon Keynote: Susan Lund, Partner, McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey & Company (author of Digital Globalization—the New Flows)

2:15 – 3:45 PM: Panel 5, Future Barriers to Digital Trade and Digital Trade Agreements

Moderator: Tracey Samuelson, APM

Panelists: Brian Bieron (Director of Public Policy, eBay and Main Street), Joshua Meltzer (Senior Fellow, Brookings), Paul Fehlinger (Internet and Jurisdiction), and Susan Ariel Aaronson (Research Professor and Cross Disciplinary Fellow, GWU).

Susan Aaronson has written extensively on digital trade, raising questions about both the process and the content of digital trade provisions and what they mean for the Open internet, digital rights and digital trade. View her free Course on Digital Trade and Global Internet Governance through ICANN.

Publications

- Aaronson, Susan Ariel. 2016. “The Digital Trade Imbalance and Its Implications for Internet Governance” Global Commission on Internet Governance, February.
- Aaronson, Susan Ariel. 2015. “What does TPP mean for the Open Internet?” Institute for International Economic Policy, November.
- Aaronson, Susan Ariel. 2015. “Why Trade Agreements Are Not Setting Information Free: The Lost History and Reinvigorated Debate over Cross-Border Data Flows, Human Rights and National Security.” World Trade Review, April.
- Aaronson, Susan Ariel and Michael Owen Moore. 2013. “A Trade Policy for the Millennials.” Baltimore Sun, December 13.
- Aaronson, Susan Ariel. with M. Townes. 2012. “Can Trade Policy Set Information Free: Trade Agreements, Internet Governance and Internet Freedom (Policy Brief).”
- Atkinson, Robert and Nigel Cory. “Financial Data Does Not Need or Deserve Special Treatment in Trade Agreements.“April 2016.
- Atkinson, Robert. “Transatlantic Digital Cooperation Will Require Hard Debates.” April 2016.
- Atkinson, Robert, Andrea Renda and Guillaume Xavier-Bender. “Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Why the Digital Single Market Matters for Transatlantic Relations.” January 2016.
- Chander, Anupam. “The Electronic Silk Road.” Yale University Press (2013); Cambridge University Press for South Asian edition with new foreword (Feb. 2014).
- Fehlinger, Paul and B. De La Chapelle. “Jurisdiction on the Internet: From Legal Arms Race to Transnational Cooperation.” April 2016.
- Friedman, Allan and P.W. Singer. “Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know.” 2014.
- Lee-Makiyama, Hosuk with Matthias Bauer. “The Bundes Cloud: Germany on the Edge to Discriminate Against Foreign Suppliers of Digital Services.” September 2015.
- Lee-Makiyama, Hosuk with Erik van der Marel and Matthias Bauer. “Data Localisation in Russia: A Self-imposed Sanction.” June 2015.
- Lee-Makiyama, Hosuk with Erik van der Marel and Matthias Bauer.”A Friendly Fire On Economic Recovery: A Methodology to Estimate the Costs of Data Regulations.” October 2014.
- Sweden National Board of Trade, “Trade Regulation in a 3D Printed World – a Primer,” 2016.
- Tan, Shawn. “World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends“

E15Initiative

- Ahmed, Usman and Grant D. Aldonas. “Addressing Barriers to Digital Trade,” December 2015.
- Ahmed, Usman and Anupam Chander. “Information Goes Global: Protecting Privacy, Security and the New Economy in a World of Cross-border Data Flows,” November 2015.
- Kariyawasam, Rohan. “New WTO Trade Rules for Bits and Bytes?,” November 2015.
- Lund, Susan and James Manyika. “How Digital Trade is Transforming Globalisation,” January 2016.
- Meltzer, Joshua. “Maximizing the Opportunities of the Internet for International Trade,” January 2016.
- Meltzer, Joshua. “A New Digital Trade Agenda.” August 2015.
- Rentzhog, Magnus and Emilie Anér. “The New Services Era – Is GATS up to the Task?” November 2014.

National Foreign Trade Council

For more informatio

6th Annual Washington Area International Trade Symposium (WAITS) Conference

April 29, 2016March 30, 2022International Trade Events, Maggie Chen, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, April 29, 2016

School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University
Bernstein-Offit Building, Room 500
1717 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington D.C. 20036

Contact iiep@gwu.edu with any questions.

View the Schedule

8:30 – 9:00 AM: Continental Breakfast and Opening Comments

9:00 – 9:45 AM: JaeBin Ahn (International Monetary Fund):
“Reassessing the Productivity Gains from Trade Liberalization”
Discussant: Jennifer Poole (American University)

9:45 – 10:30 AM: Olga Timoshenko (George Washington University):
“Learning, Prices, and Firm Dynamics”
Discussant: Luca David Opromolla (Banco de Portugal, University of Maryland and CEPR)

10:30 – 10:45 AM: Coffee Break

10:45 – 11:30 AM: Mine Senses (Johns Hopkins University):
“Trade Shocks and the Provision of Local Public Goods”
Discussant: Erhan Artuc (World Bank)

11:30 – 12:15 PM: J. Bradford Jensen (Georgetown University, Peterson Institute and NBER):
“The Tradability of Services: Geographic Concentration and Trade Costs”
Discussant: Jose Signoret (US International Trade Commission)

12:15 – 1:00 PM: Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:00 PM: Kadee Russ (University of California-Davis, Council of Economic Advisers and NBER):
“Trade Policy in Practice: The TPP from an Insider’s Perspective”

2:00 – 2:15 PM: Coffee Break

2:15 – 3:00 PM: Maria Tito (Federal Reserve Board):
“Misallocation, Trade, and Productivity: Evidence from Chinese Data”
Discussant: Maggie Chen (George Washington University)

3:00 – 3:45 PM: Chad P. Bown (Peterson Institute and CEPR):
“Global Supply Chains and Trade Policy”
Discussant: Juan Blyde (Inter-American Development Bank)

3:45 – 4:00 PM: Coffee Break

4:00 – 4:45 PM: Claire Brunel (American University):
“Green Innovation and Green Manufacturing: Links Between Environmental Policies, Innovation and Production”
Discussant: Cristina Tello Trillo (Census Bureau)

4:45 – 5:00 PM: Closing Remarks

Working Group in African Political Economy (WGAPE)

April 29, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday and Saturday, April 29-30, 2016

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Economics and Political Economy of Africa

April 28, 2016March 30, 2022Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, James Foster, Past Events, Research Conference, Sarah Baird, Stephen C. Smith

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Hosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy at George Washington University, this conference brings together scholars to discuss important new research on the political economy and economics of sub-Saharan Africa. The core organizers are Remi Jedwab (ESIA and Department of Economics at GWU) and Eric Kramon (ESIA And Department of Political Science at GWU). Faculty presenters include Richard Akresh, Jenny Aker, Pascaline Dupas, Evan Lieberman, Edward Miguel, Ameet Morjaria, Nathan Nunn, and Leonard Wantchekon.

Rémi Jedwab, Assistant Professor of Economics

Rémi Jedwab is an assistant professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Elliott School and the Department of Economics of George Washington University. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the Paris School of Economics. He was also a visiting Ph.D. student at the London School of Economics for three years. Professor Jedwab’s main field of research is urban economics, though his work also has strong development economics, public economics/political economy and economic history themes. Some of the issues he has studied include urbanization and structural transformation, the economic effects of transportation infrastructure, and agricultural and economic development in Africa. His research has been published in the American Economic Review, the Review of Economics and Statistics, the Economic Journal and the Journal of Economic Growth. Recently, Professor Jedwab research areas have included the phenomenon of urbanization without economic growth, and his research has been highlighted by The Atlantic’s CityLab and the Boston Globe.

Eric Kramon, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs

Professor Kramon’s research focuses on barriers to accountability and good governance in developing democracies, with a regional focus on sub-Saharan Africa. His current book project examines the causes and consequences of vote buying during African elections. Other projects investigate the role of election observation in promoting electoral quality; ethnicity and the politics of public goods provision; and the determinants of ethnic voting.

Keynote Speakers

Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II, The George Washington University

Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II most recently served as the appointed Representative of the United States of America to the African Union and Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN Economic Commission for Africa on September 3, 2013. Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Brigety served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs from November 14, 2011 until September 3, 2013 with responsibility for Southern African and Regional Security Affairs.

From December 2009 to November 2011, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. In this capacity, he supervised U.S. refugee programs in Africa, managed U.S. humanitarian diplomacy with major international partners, and oversaw the development of international migration policy.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Ambassador Brigety previously served as Director of the Sustainable Security Program at the Center for American Progress from January 2008 to November 2009 and as a Special Assistant in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance at the U.S. Agency for International Development from January 2007 to January 2008. From November 2008 to January 2009, he also served as a senior advisor for Development and Security to the U.S. Central Command Assessment Team in Washington and in Doha, Qatar.

Ambassador Brigety is a 1995 distinguished midshipman graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a B.S. in political science (with merit), served as the Brigade Commander and received the Thomas G. Pownall Scholarship. He also holds an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Cambridge, England. Ambassador Brigety is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a recipient of the Council’s International Affairs Fellowship.

Edward Miguel, UC Berkeley

Edward Miguel is the Oxfam Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics and Faculty Director of the Center for Effective Global Action at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 2000. He earned S.B. degrees in both Economics and Mathematics from MIT, received a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University, where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow, and has been a visiting professor at Princeton University and Stanford University. Ted’s main research focus is African economic development, including work on the economic causes and consequences of violence; the impact of ethnic divisions on local collective action; interactions between health, education, environment, and productivity for the poor; and methods for transparency in social science research. He has conducted field work in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and India. Ted is a Faculty Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, has served as Associate Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Economics and Journal of Development Economics, is a recipient of the 2005 Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, and winner of the 2005 Kenneth J. Arrow Prize awarded annually by the International Health Economics Association for the Best Paper in Health Economics.

He co-founded the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) in 2007 and serves as Faculty Director. He has served as the Co-organizer (with Dan Posner of UCLA) of theWorklng Group in African Political Economy (WGAPE) since 2002. Ted is also the co-founder and Faculty Director of the Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences (BITSS).

Miguel has written two books, Africa’s Turn? (MIT Press 2009), and, with Ray Fisman, Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence and the Poverty of Nations(Princeton University Press 2008). Economic Gangsters has been translated into ten languages, and the New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof praises it as “smart and eminently readable”. Miguel’s other writing has appeared in Foreign Affairs, Forbes, and the New York Times.

Leonard Wantchekon, Princeton University & African School of Economics

Wantchekon is Professor in the Politics department and Woodrow Wilson School, and associated faculty in the Economics department at Princeton University. His research is broadly focused on political and economic development, particularly in Africa. His specific interests include the political economy of infrastructure provision, education and human capital externalities, democratization, clientelism and redistributive politics, the resource curse, and the long-term social impact of historical events. He is the author of numerous publications in leading academic journals such as American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal pf Economics, the American Political Science Review, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, the journal of Law, Economics and Organization and, World Politics. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the founder the African School of Economics (ASE), which opened in Benin in September 2014.

Speakers

Jenny C. Aker, Tufts University

Jenny C. Aker is an Associate Professor of Development Economics at the Fletcher School and Department of Economics at Tufts University. She is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for Global Development , a member of the Advisory Board for CDA, Frontline SMS and the Boston Network for International Development (BNID) . She also serves as the Deputy Director of the Hitachi Center for Technology and International Affairs and is the Interim Director for the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy (CIERP). After working for Catholic Relief Services as Deputy Regional Director in West and Central Africa between 1998 and 2003, Jenny completed her PhD in agricultural economics at the University of California-Berkeley. Jenny works on economic development in Africa, with a primary focus on the impact of information (and information technology) on development outcomes, particularly in the areas of agriculture, agricultural markets, adult education and financial inclusion; the determinants and impacts of agricultural technology adoption; and the impact of different mechanisms and modalities of social protection (cash and in-kind transfers). Jenny has conducted field work in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, DRC, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Tanzania, as well as Haiti and Guatemala.

Richard Akresh, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Richard Akresh is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University in 2004. His research focuses on child health and education in Africa and spans the fields of development, health, and labor economics. He has explored the impact of conflict on human capital and health investments for young children as well as the long-term consequences of exposure to war as a child. He has studied how household structure and sibling rivalry impact households’ decisions concerning educational investments in their children. He has conducted randomized control trials of alternative ways to deliver cash transfers to poor households in Africa to improve child health and education. He is also interested in questions about child labor, migration, and intra-household bargaining. He is a Research Associate of the NBER, a BREAD Research Affiliate, a Research Fellow at IZA, and a Senior Affiliate at HiCN.

Eric Kramon, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs

Evan S. Lieberman, MIT

Evan Lieberman is the Total Professor of Political Science and Contemporary Africa at MIT. Previously, Lieberman was a member of the faculty at Princeton University for 12 years, and a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Scholar at Yale University. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and his BA from Princeton. Lieberman’s research is concerned with understanding the determinants of good governance and policy-making, and the causes and consequences of ethnic conflict, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. He also writes and teaches on research methods for comparative analysis. Lieberman is the author of two scholarly books, Race and Regionalism in the Politics of Taxation (Cambridge 2003) and Boundaries of Contagion: How Ethnic Politics Have Shaped Government Responses to AIDS (Princeton 2009) and numerous scholarly articles that have appeared in the American Political Science Review, Comparative Political Studies, World Development, Social Science and Medicine, and other journals. He received the David Collier mid-career achievement award at the 2014 annual meeting of the American Political Science Association. Lieberman serves on the board of directors of the Southern African Legal Services Foundation, the international advisory board of the African School of Economics, and is a member of the egap network.

Ameet Morjaria, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Ameet Morjaria is an Assistant Professor of Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Prior to joining Kellogg in 2015, he was an Academy Scholar at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs and a Giorgio Ruffolo Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Sustainability Science Program at the Centre for International Development, Harvard Kennedy School. He completed his PhD in Economics at the London School of Economics. His research interests are in development economics, organizations and political economy. His current research focuses on understanding the impact of competition on productivity and relational contracts, industrial policy in developing countries, the impact of electoral conflict on firm operations, and the political economy of resource management in weak democracies. He has consulted for the World Bank, Kaiser Associates and prior to graduate school worked in investment banking at Deutsche Bank.

Nathan Nunn, Harvard University

Nathan Nunn is a Professor of Economics at Harvard University. Professor Nunn was born in Canada, where he received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 2005. Professor Nunn’s primary research interests are in economic history, economic development, cultural economics, political economy and international trade. He is an NBER Faculty Research Fellow, a Research Fellow at BREAD, and a Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA). He is currently a co-editor of the Journal of Development Economics. One stream of Professor Nunn’s research focuses on the long-term impact that historic events have on current economic development. In particular, he has studied how history shapes the evolution of institutions and cultures across societies. He has published research empirically examining the historical foundations of current outcomes such as distrust, gender norms, religion, and support for democracy. A second stream of Professor Nunn’s research examines economic development in a contemporary context. He has published research examining the effects of Fair Trade certification, CIA interventions, industrial policy, and foreign aid. A third stream of Professor Nunn’s research focuses on the importance of contracting institutions for international trade. He has published research showing that a country’s ability to enforce written contracts is a key determinant of comparative advantage, as well as research examining how contracting frictions affects firms decision to engage in FDI versus outsourcing.

Rebecca Thornton, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Rebecca Thornton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Prior to that, Dr. Thornton was in the Department of Economics and a Research Affiliate at the Population Studies Center at the University of Michigan. Dr. Thornton completed her PhD in Political Economy and Government with a joint degree from the Harvard University Economics Department and the J.F. Kennedy School of Government in 2006. She was an NIA post-doc from 2006 to 2008 at the University of Michigan Population Studies Center. Her research focuses on health and education in developing countries including topics such as HIV prevention, reproductive health, primary education, and social networks. Dr. Thornton is an affiliate with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) whose main aims are to use experimental methods to translate research into policy action and alleviate poverty in the developing world. She is also a junior affiliate in BREAD (Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development).

Discussants

Sarah Baird, The George Washington University

Sarah Baird is an Associate Professor of Global Health and Economics in the Department of Global Health. She is also an Affiliated Faculty at The Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) at the Elliot School of International Affairs. Dr. Baird is a development economist whose research focuses on the microeconomics of health and education in developing countries with an emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa. She has worked on areas as diverse as the schooling and health of young women in Malawi, community-driven development in Tanzania, deworming in Kenya, and global infant mortality. She received her Ph.D. in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Berkeley in 2007.

Markus Goldstein, The World Bank

Markus Goldstein is a development economist with experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, and South Asia. He is currently a Lead Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist for Africa at the World Bank, where he leads the Gender Innovation Lab. His current research centers on issues of gender and economic activity, focusing on agriculture and small scale enterprises. He is currently involved in a number of impact evaluations on these topics across Africa. Markus has taught at the London School of Economics, the University of Ghana, Legon, and Georgetown University. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.

James Habyarimana, Georgetown University

James Habyarimana joined the McCourt School Public Policy in 2004 after completing doctoral studies at Harvard University. His main research interests are in Development Economics and Political Economy. In particular he is interested in understanding the issues and constraints in health, education and the private sectors in developing countries. In health he is working on understanding the impact of policy responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa and evaluating a number of health improving interventions in road safety and water, sanitation and hygiene. In education, his work focuses on identifying programs and policies to improve access and quality of secondary schooling. His primary regional focus is Africa. He has been a non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development. At the McCourt School, James teaches the second course in regression methods and courses on the history of development and education and health policy in developing countries.

Adrienne LeBas, American University

Adrienne LeBas (PhD, Columbia University) joined the Department of Government in the fall of 2009. Prior to joining AU, LeBas was a Prize Research Fellow at Nuffield College, University of Oxford, and Assistant Professor of Political Science and African Studies at Michigan State University. Her research interests include social movements, democratization, and political violence. She is the author of the award-winning From Protest to Parties: Party-Building and Democratization in Africa (Oxford University Press, 2011) and articles in the British Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Democracy, Comparative Politics, and elsewhere. LeBas also worked as a consultant for Human Rights Watch in Zimbabwe, where she lived from 2002 to 2003. Her most recent work looks at attitudes toward taxation in urban Nigeria. During the 2015-2016 academic year, LeBas will be a residential fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She will be working on her second book, which investigates the reasons for persistent election violence in some democratizing countries.

Kenneth Leonard, University of Maryland

Kenneth Leonard is an associate professor in the department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Maryland, specializing in the delivery of public services to rural populations in Africa. He has lived and worked in several African countries, including Cameroun, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Liberia. His work has highlighted the important roles played by both traditional healers and nongovernmental organizations in the delivery of health care as well as the ways that social networks within communities help individuals to make better decisions.

John McCauley, University of Maryland

Dr. McCauley is an Assistant Professor of Government and Politics. His research focuses on ethnic and religious conflict, economic development, and informal political institutions in Africa. He has published articles on these topics in the American Political Science Review, Comparative Political Studies, Political Psychology, and Political Science Research and Methods, among others. His book manuscript, The Logic of Ethnic and Religious Conflict in Africa, is currently under review. Dr. McCauley received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2010. He has a B.A. in Economics from the College of William & Mary and an M.A. in International Relations from Yale University. Prior to joining the faculty at Maryland, he was a post-doctoral research fellow in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In addition to his research, Dr. McCauley teaches courses on the Politics of the Developing World, African Politics, Field Research Methods, and Religion and Politics around the World. In 2013, he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching award from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Mũthoni Ngatia, Tufts University

Mũthoni Ngatia is an assistant professor of Economics at Tufts University. She is currently on sabbatical at the World Bank. Her research has looked at how social networks affect individuals’ behaviour in developing countries. She has an A.B. in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University. Mũthoni is the recipient of grants from J-PAL, PEDL, Kilimo Trust, and The Russell Sage Foundation among others.

Ken Opalo, Georgetown University

Ken Opalo is an Assistant Professor at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. His research interests include the political economy of development; legislative development; and electoral politics in emerging democracies. Ken’s current book project examines the evolution of legislatures in emerging democracies, with a focus on explaining the observed variation in the institutionalization and strength of African legislatures.

Session Chairs

Derick Brinkerhoff, The George Washington University & RTI

Dr. Derick W. Brinkerhoff is Distinguished Fellow in International Public Management with RTI International (Research Triangle Institute) and is an associate faculty member at George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. His research and consulting focuses on policy implementation, democracy and governance, decentralization, citizen participation, social accountability, partnerships, and fragile conflict-affected states. He has worked with international donors, public sector agencies, NGOs, and the US military across a broad range of development sectors in 30 countries, with a long-term focus on the health sector. From 1990-2001, he was research director of USAID’s Implementing Policy Change project. Dr. Brinkerhoff is a co-editor for the journal, Public Administration and Development; and serves on the editorial board of International Review of Administrative Sciences. He is the co-chair of the governance work group of the Society for International Development’s Washington DC chapter. He has published extensively, including eight books and numerous articles and book chapters. He holds a doctorate in public policy and administration from Harvard University and a masters in public administration from the University of California, Riverside. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Jennifer Brinkerhoff, The George Washington University

Jennifer M. Brinkerhoff is Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs at the George Washington University. She holds a Ph.D. in public administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and an MPA from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. She teaches courses on public service, international development policy and administration, development management, and organizational behavior. She is particularly keen on encouraging people to pursue service careers, thoughtfully grounding their commitment to change in self-awareness and working in communities. To that end, she and her husband, Derick W. Brinkerhoff, published Working for Change: Making a Career in International Public Service (Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press, 2005). Dr. Brinkerhoff has expertise on public-private partnership, governance, NGOs, development management, and diasporas. Her publications include seven books, as well as four co-edited journal issues and over fifty articles and book chapters on topics ranging from institutional reform, to evaluation; NGOs; failed states; governance; and diaspora identity, development contributions, citizenship, and policy. She is the author of Institutional Reform and Diaspora Entrepreneurs: The In-Between Advantage (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2016), Digital Diasporas: Identity and Transnational Engagement (Cambridge University Press, 2009) and Partnership for International Development: Rhetoric or Results? (Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002); and co-editor of NGOs and the Millennium Development Goals: Citizen Action to Reduce Poverty (New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2007). Dr. Brinkerhoff consults for multilateral development banks, bilateral assistance agencies, NGOs, and foundations. Her applied work encompasses partnership, civil society, institutional development, development management, and training methodologies, and includes work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands; and in Africa, China, Mongolia, Central Asia, and Russia for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank. She has provided policy advice to the U.S. State Department on its diaspora engagement strategy and conducted diaspora-related commissioned research for USAID, the Asia Development Bank, the Migration Policy Institute, the Nordic Africa Institute, the United Nations, and the World Bank. She has also advised studies for the Africa Diaspora Policy Centre, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. She has delivered training related to diasporas and development to U.S. State Department Foreign Service and Desk Officers, USAID staff, international development consulting firms, and diaspora organizations and other government officials in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Sweden.

James Foster, The George Washington University

James E. Foster is Professor of Economics and International Affairs at the George Washington University. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University and holds a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (Mexico).

Professor Foster’s research focuses on welfare economics — using economic tools to evaluate and enhance the wellbeing of people. His joint 1984 Econometrica paper (with Joel Greer and Erik Thorbecke) is one of the most cited papers on poverty. It introduced the FGT Index, which has been used in thousands of studies and was employed in targeting the Progresa CCT program in México. Other research includes work on economic inequality with Amartya Sen; on the distribution of human development with Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva and Miguel Szekely; on multidimensional poverty with Sabina Alkire; and on literacy with Kaushik Basu. Foster regularly teaches introductory and doctoral courses on international development and each spring joins with Professor Basu in presenting an undergraduate course on Game Theory and Strategic Thinking, to which staff and Board members of the World Bank are also invited.

Professor Foster is also Research Fellow at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), Department of International Development, Oxford University, and a member of the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity (HCEO) Working Group, Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics, University of Chicago. This year he is serving on the World Bank’s Commission on Global Poverty.

Stephen Smith, The George Washington University

Stephen C. Smith is Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University, where he is Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy. He received his PhD in economics from Cornell University and has been a Fulbright Research Scholar, a Fulbright Senior Specialist, a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and a Jean Monnet Research Fellow; he is currently a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, an IZA Research Fellow, and a member of the Advisory Council of BRAC USA. He is Principal Investigator for the research project, “Complementarities of Training, Technology, and Credit in Smallholder Agriculture: Impact, Sustainability, and Policy for Scaling-up in Senegal and Uganda,” funded by BASIS / USAID. From 2009-2012, Smith served a previous term as Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy, where he helped create its four signature initiatives: climate adaptation in developing countries; extreme poverty; global economic governance; and the “G2 at GW” series. In the 1990s, he designed and served as first director of GW’s International Development Studies Program. From 2004-2008, he served as co-Principal Investigator, along with Prof. Jim Williams, of GW’s partnership with BRAC University (in Bangladesh). Professor Smith has also served as director of the Research Program in Poverty, Development, and Globalization.directs the Research Program in Poverty, Development, and Globalization. Smith has done on-site research and program work in several regions of the developing world including Bangladesh, China, Ecuador, India, Uganda, and Former Yugoslavia, and has been a consultant for the World Bank, the International Labour Office (ILO, Geneva), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Institute for Development Economics Research (UN-WIDER, Helsinki). Smith has also conducted extensive research on the economics of employee participation, including works councils, ESOPs, and labor cooperatives, which has included on-site research in Italy, Spain, and Germany, as well as China and India.

Lindner Commons, 1957 E St. NW, 6th floor

8:30 – 9:10AM: Breakfast and Welcome

8:30 – 9:00AM: Breakfast
9:00 – 9:10AM: Welcome

9:10 – 10:50AM: Session I

Chair: Stephen Smith, Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy, George Washington University

- 9:10 – 10:00AM: Guns and Roses: Flower Exports and Electoral Violence in Kenya, Ameet Morjaria (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University), joint with Rocco Macchiavello (Warwick) and Christopher Ksoll (Mathematica Policy Research).

Discussant: Adrienne Lebas (American University)

- 10:00 – 10:50AM: Making the Grade: Increasing Returns to Investment in Teacher Training in Northern Uganda, Rebecca Thornton (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).

Discussant: Muthoni Ngatia (Tufts University)

10:50 – 11:00AM: Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:40PM: Session II

Chair: James Foster (George Washington University)

- 11:00 – 11:50AM: Child Labor, Schooling, and Child Ability, Richard Akresh (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), joint with Emilie Bagby (UIUC), Damien de Walque (World Bank), and Harounan Kazianga (Oklahoma).

Discussant: Sarah Baird (George Washington University)

- 11:50AM – 12:40PM: Call Me Educated: Evidence from a Mobile Monitoring Experiment in Niger, Jenny Aker (Tufts University).

Discussant: Markus Goldstein (The World Bank)

12:40 – 1:50PM: Lunch

1:50 – 3:30PM: Session III

Chair: Jennifer Brinkerhoff (George Washington University)

- 1:50 – 2:40PM: Bride Price and Female Education, Nathan Nunn (Harvard University), joint with Nava Ashraf (LSE), Natalie Bau (Toronto), and Alessandra Voena (Chicago).

Discussant: Kenneth Leonard (University of Maryland)

- 2:40 – 3:30PM: Education and Long Term Social Mobility in Benin, Leonard Wantchekon (Princeton University & African School of Economics).

Discussant: James Habyarimana (Georgetown University)

3:30 – 3:50PM: Coffee Break

3:50 – 5:30PM: Session IV

Chair: Derick Brinkerhoff (George Washington University & RTI)

- 3:50 – 4:40PM: Nuanced Accountability: Voter Responses to Service Delivery in Southern Africa, Evan Lieberman (Massachussets Institute of Technology).

Discussant: John McCauley (University of Maryland)

- 4:40 – 5:30PM: How Coethnicity Moderates The Effect of Information On Voting Behavior: Experimental Evidence from Benin, Eric Kramon (George Washington University), joint with Claire Adida (UCSD), Jessica Gottlieb (Texas A&M) and Gwyneth McClendon (Harvard).

Discussant: Ken Opalo (Georgetown University)

5:30 – 5:50PM: Coffee Break

5:50 – 7:00PM: Keynote Speakers

5:50 – 6:00PM: Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II, Dean, The Elliott School of International Affairs
6:00 – 6:10PM: Presentation of the African School of Economics. Leonard Wantchekon, African School of Economics and Princeton University
6:10 – 7:00PM: Prospects for Rural Electrification in Africa. Edward Miguel, UC Berkeley

7:00 – 8:30PM: Reception with African Beer and Wine

The Microfinance Business Model

April 26, 2016August 31, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Jonathan Morduch

New York University

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

12:30 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

For information, please contact professor Remi Jedwab at jedwab@gwu.edu.

The End of Trade as We Know It?

April 18, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on April 18, 2016

May 5th – May 6th, 2016
Lindner Commons, 6th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.

This conference, organized by the Institute for International Economic Policy and the World Bank and sponsored by ICANN, GWU-CIBER, Google, and eBay, brings together policymakers and professionals from around the world to discuss how digital trade is changing how we trade, who trades, and how we must alter trade policies to create an enabling environment for digital trade. The conference is organized by Susan Ariel Aaronson, Research Professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, Michael Ferrantino, Lead Economist in the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice at the World Bank, and Kyle Renner, Operations Manager at the Institute for International Economic Policy.

Digital Trade is the fastest growing component of trade, but policymakers are just learning how to create an environment to facilitate such trade in developed and developing countries alike. TPP is the first trade agreement to include binding provisions related to the information flows that power digital trade but that agreement says little about the regulatory context in which the Internet functions. In this conference, we will examine digital trade as well as barriers to cross-border information flows. We will also discuss the role of trade agreements as tools of Internet governance, examine the domestic and international regulatory environment for information, and focus on how to cooperate to encourage cross-border information flows.

RSVP here.

Day 1: May 5th, 2016

2:30 – 4:00PM

Panel 1. The enabling environment for digital trade as a tool for development.

This panel will explore: How do individuals use the Internet to expand trade? What kind of policies should governments adopt to encourage their citizens to participate in digital trade?

Abdoul Aziz Sy, CTIC Dakar, Senegal
Daniel Adidwa, Tour2.0, South Africa
Diego Molano Vega, Former ICT Minister of Colombia
Michael Ferrantino, World Bank
Moderator: Martín Molinuevo, World Bank

4:00 – 4:15PM: Coffee Break

4:15 – 5:30PM

Panel 2. A Conversation on Rethinking IPR Online to Support Development

Sean Flynn, Professorial Lecturer, American University School of Law
Kevin M. Rosenbaum, Attorney for the International Intellectual Property Association
Krista Cox, Director of Public Policy Initiatives, Association of Research Libraries
Rob Atkinson, President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Matthew Schruers, Computer & Communications Industry Association
Moderator: Maja Andjelkovic, World Bank

5:30 – 6:30PM

First Keynote: Klaus Tilmes, Director, Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, The World Bank Group

Day 2: Friday, May 6th, 2016

9:00 – 10:30AM

Panel 3: Barriers to Digital Trade as a Tool for Development.

Panelists will discuss the lack of infrastructure, poor regulatory environment, corruption, IPR, and other barriers to digital trade, and what policymakers can do about these barriers.

Opening Remarks: Panel 2 Moderator (Maja Andjelkovic, World Bank) will provide 5 minutes of takeaways from the enabling environment discussion and conversation about IPR to set the stage for the Panel 2 discussion on barriers to digital trade.

Shawn Tan, Principal author of the international trade section of World Development Report 2016, World Bank
Ralph Carter, Managing Director, Federal Express
Anupam Chander, Professor of Law, UC-Davis, Author of “The Electronic Silk Road”
Usman Ahmed, Director, Global Public Policy, PayPal
Moderator: Victoria Guida, Politico

10:30 – 11:00AM: Coffee & Networking Break

11:00AM – 12:30PM

Panel 4: Do Provisions Regulating Digital Trade Need a Rethink?

This panel will focus on how trade policies and agreements should change to address both the “public good” nature of information flows and 21st century expectations of governance given the Internet.

Sandy Reback, Director, Global Public Policy, Akamai
Carolina Rossini, Vice President, International Policy, Public Knowledge
Jeremy Malcolm, Senior Global Policy Analyst, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Damien Levie, EU Delegation, Trade and Agricultural Affairs
Nicholas Bramble, Public Policy Manager, Google
Moderator: Hanna Norberg, Tradeeconomista.com

12:30 – 2:00PM: Luncheon Keynote

Susan Lund, Partner, McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey & Company, Author of “Digital Globalization – The New Flows”

2:15PM – 3:45PM
Panel 5: Barriers to Digital Trade and Digital Trade Agreements

This panel will examine future barriers to digital trade including cyber-security, information sovereignty, and domestic regulations. We will also debate the difference between domestic regulations to protect netizens and local firms and digital protectionism. Panelists will suggest new policies to facilitate digital trade, in particular in the developing world.

Brian Bieron, Director of Public Policy, eBay and Main Street
Joshua Meltzer, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
Allan Friedman, Director of Cybersecurity, NTIA
Paul Fehlinger, Manager and Co-Founder, Internet and Jurisdiction Project
Susan Ariel Aaronson, Research Professor of International Affairs, GWU
Moderator: Tracey Samuelson, Marketplace, PRI

4:00PM: Wrap Up & Next Steps

The conference’s organizers, Michael Ferrantino and Maja Andjelkovic of the World Bank and Susan Aaronson and Kyle Renner of the George Washington University, will summarize conference findings and discussion and suggest new areas for research.

The Night Before Taxes: The Global Decline of Tax Justice & What to Do About It

April 14, 2016August 31, 2018International Trade Events, Past Events, Research Conference

The Night Before Taxes: The Global Decline of Tax Justice & What to Do About It from IIEP on Vimeo.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

5:30 to 8:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The Star and the Stripes: A History of the Foreign Policies of American Jews

April 12, 2016March 30, 2022International Trade Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

5:30 to 7:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Please join the GW’s Elliott School of International Affairs, Institute for Security and Conflict Studies, and Institute for Middle East Studies for a panel discussion featuring Michael Barnett, University Professor of Political Science and International Affairs (GWU), Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development (University of Maryland), and Tamara Wittes, Director of the Center for Middle East Policy (The Brookings Institution) on Barnett’s new book, “The Star and the Stripes: A History of the Foreign Policies of American Jews.”

4th Annual Conference Washington Area Development Economics Symposium (WADES)

April 8, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Friday, April 8, 2016

Elliott School for International Affairs
1957 E St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20052

Contact iiep@gwu.edu with any questions.

Trade and Development Workshop: “The Geography of Development: Evaluating Migration Restrictions and Costal Flooding”

April 7, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Esteban Rossi-Hansberg

Princeton University

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

12:30 to 2:00pm

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Productivity and Organization in Portuguese Firms

April 4, 2016May 18, 2018Past Events, Seminar

Luca Opromolla

Bank of Portugal

Monday, April 4, 2016

12:30 to 2:00pm

For information please contact Professor Remi Jedwab at jedwab@gwu.edu.

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Measuring Poverty’s depth and breadth, and shared prosperity: The World Bank/IMF Global Monitoring Report 2015/2016

March 28, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

8:30 – 9:00 AM: Breakfast and Registration

9:00 – 9:15 AM: Opening Remarks

Forrest Maltzman, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, GWU
M. Ayhan Kose, Director, Development Prospects Group, World Bank

9:15 – 9:35 AM: Overview of Global Monitoring Report

Philip Schellekens, Lead Author and Manager of the Global Monitoring Report, and Lead Economist in the Prospects Group, World Bank

9:35 – 10:30AM: Session 1: Depth of Poverty

Stephen C. Smith, Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU
Discussant: Francisco Ferreira, Senior Adviser, Development Research Group, World Bank

10:30 – 10:50AM: Break with a View

10:50 – 11:45AM: Session 2: Breadth of Poverty

Sabina Alkire, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU; and Director, Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI)
Discussant: Joao Pedro Azevedo, Lead Economist, Poverty and Equity Global Practice, World Bank

11:45AM – 12:40PM: Session 3: Shared Prosperity

Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva, co-Director of the World Development Report (WDR) 2017; Lead Economist, Poverty Global Practice, World Bank
Discussant: Danny Leipziger, Professor of International Business, GWU

12:40 – 1:30PM : Wrap-up and Lunch

James Foster, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU; and External Advisor, Global Monitoring Report 2015/2016

Global Monitoring Report 2015/2016

March 25, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on March 25, 2016

Monday, March 28, 2016
8:30 AM – 1:30 PM
City View Room, 7th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.

The Institute for International Economic Policy of George Washington University and the Development Prospects Group of the World Bank present a International Economic Policy Forum on the World Bank’s flagship publication, Global Monitoring Report 2015/2016. The event’s focus is the Report’s innovations for evaluating the depth and breadth of extreme poverty and monitoring progress in growth of the poorer incomes. Economists from George Washington University and the World Bank will discuss these innovations and their potential implications for global monitoring and policy as we embark on the next round of Development Goals.

Agenda

8:30 – 9:00 AM: Breakfast and Registration

9:00 – 9:15 AM: Preliminary Remarks

9:15 – 9:35 AM: Overview of Global Monitoring Report

Philip Schellekens, lead author and manager of the Global Monitoring Report, and Lead Economist in the Prospects Group, World Bank

9:35 – 10:30AM: Session 1: Depth of Poverty

Stephen C. Smith, Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU
Discussant: Francisco Ferreira, Senior Adviser, Development Research Group, World Bank

10:30 – 10:50AM: Break with a View

10:50 – 11:45AM: Session 2: Breadth of Poverty

Sabina Alkire, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU; and Director, Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI)
Discussant: Joao Pedro Azevedo, Lead Economist, Poverty and Equity, World Bank

11:45AM – 12:40PM: Session 3: Shared Prosperity

Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva, co-Director of the World Development Report (WDR) 2017: “Governance and the Law”, World Bank
Discussant: Danny Leipziger, Professor of International Business, GWU, and Director, Growth Dialogue

12:40 – 1:30PM : Summary & Lunch

James Foster, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU

The Night Before Taxes

March 24, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on March 24, 2016

Thursday, April 14th, 2016
5:30 – 8:30 PM
Harry Harding Auditorium, Room 213
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.
RSVP Here!

The Institute for International Economic Policy at the George Washington University is pleased to host a special film screening, book release, and panel discussion on global tax reform on Thursday, April 14, in the Elliott School of International Affairs. The program has been brought to GWU through the efforts of James Foster, Professor of Economics and International Affairs and former Director of IIEP at GWU and by Thomas Pogge, Professor of Philosophy at Yale University. If you are in search of a deeper understanding of the “offshore” financial world being exposed in the Panama Papers scandal – and interested in what countries, individually and collectively, can do to stem this massive drain on their resources– please join us on the night before taxes.

The evening will begin with the DC premiere of a critically acclaimed new documentary,The Price We Pay, and be followed by two distinguished panels of speakers discussing tax reform proposals and practical solutions to the status quo. The first panel will feature the launch of the book Global Tax Fairness, co-edited by Dr. Thomas Pogge and Krishen Mehta. This book has been published by Oxford University Press and addresses fifteen different reform proposals that the authors argue are urgently needed to correct the structural flaws in the international tax system as it exists today. The authors offer clear and concrete ideas on how the reforms can be achieved and posit why they are important for a more just and equitable global system to prevail. They argue that the key to reducing the tax gap and consequent human rights deficit in poor countries is global financial transparency. A major breakthrough in such transparency is now within reach. The policy reforms outlined in the book attempt to not only advance tax justice but also advance human rights by making available more resources for development.

Agenda

5:30 PM: Welcome to GWU: Stephen Smith (Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy and Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University)

Intro to film “The Price We Pay”: Brigitte Alepin and Harold Crooks (Co-writer and Director of The Price We Pay), and Pascal Saint-Amans (Director, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD).

5:40 PM: DC Premiere of the critically acclaimed “The Price We Pay”

The film “The Price We Pay,” directed by Harold Crooks, showcases the history and present-day reality of corporate tax avoidance by large MNC’s which deprive governments in both developed and developing countries of billions of dollars in tax revenues. The use of tax havens by large companies and the systemic offshoring of profits is a major cause of the current crisis that many countries face. Tax havens, originally created by London bankers in the 1950’s, have put over half of the world’s stock of money beyond the reach of public treasuries. Tax avoidance by big corporations and the wealthy is paving the way to historic levels of inequality and placing the tax burden on the middle class and the poor. In this film, crusading journalists, tax justice campaigners, and former industry insiders speak frankly about the trends that are carrying the Western world to an unsustainable future.

7:15 PM: Break with light refreshments

7:20 PM: Panel 1: “Solutions for Achieving Global Tax Justice – What is to be Done?”

Dr. Thomas Pogge (Co-Editor of Global Tax Fairness and Director of the Global Justice Program at Yale University)
Jim Henry (distinguished author and activist for tax justice)
David Cay Johnston (Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist)
Raymond Baker (founder of Global Financial Integrity)
Moderator: James Foster (Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU)

Each panelist will speak for five minutes followed by a moderated discussion and audience Q&A.

8:00 PM: Panel 2: “Getting Governments to Act”

Ralph Nader (political activist and former presidential candidate)
Frank Clemente (Executive Director of Americans for Tax Fairness)
Elise Bean (former Staff Director for U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under Senator Carl Levin)
Pascal Saint-Amans (Director of OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration)
Blanca Moreno-Dodson (Lead Economist of the World Bank’s Global Tax Team)
Moderator: James Foster (Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU)

Each panelist will speak for five minutes followed by a moderated discussion and audience Q&A.

8:45 PM: Conclusion

This event is open to the press and advance copies of Global Tax Fairness are available to the press upon request. Please contact James Henry at (516)-721-1452 with additional questions.

Broader Implications of Apple vs. the FBI for Cyber Security and Privacy

March 24, 2016August 31, 2018Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Thursday, March 24, 2016

12:00 to 2:00pm

2000 H Street NW, Lerner Hall, Moot Courtroom

What are the Responsibilities of Tech Companies in an Age of International Terrorism?

March 23, 2016March 30, 2022Forum, Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Susan Aaronson

Dr. Susan Ariel Aaronson

The George Washington University

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

12:00 to 1:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Life-Cycle Dynamics and the Expansion Strategies of U.S. Multinational Firms

March 22, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Natalia Ramondo

University of California at San Diego

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

12:30 to 2:00pm

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room, Room 321 at 2115 G Street

17th OxMetrics User Conference

March 17, 2016May 24, 2018International Finance Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Thursday and Friday, March 17-18, 2016

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Generalizing the Results from Social Experiments: Theory and Evidence from Mexico and India

March 9, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Michael Gechter

Pen State University

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

12:30 to 2:00pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Just Do Your Job: Obedience, Routine Tasks, and the Pattern of Specialization

March 7, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Davin Chor

National University of Singapore

Monday, March 7, 2016

12:30 to 2:00pm

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room, Room 321 at 2115 G Street

Trade and Development Workshop: “The Mortality Effects of Retirement: Evidence from Social Security Eligibility at Age 62”

February 16, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Maria D. Fitzpatrick

Cornell University

Tim Moore

The George Washington University

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

12:30 to 2:00pm

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room, Room 321 at 2115 G Street

European Union: Drifting apart despite economic recovery

February 10, 2016May 24, 2018Global Economic Governance Events, Past Events, Research Conference

European Union : Drifting Apart Despite Economic Recovery? from IIEP on Vimeo.

Co-sponsored wtih the GW Graduate School of Political Management

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

5:30 to 6:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Third Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference

February 1, 2016May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Research Conference

This conference hosted by the World Bank, George Washington University (Institute for International Economic Policy), the NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management, the NYU Urbanization Project, and The Growth Dialogue brings together academics and development practitioners to present and discuss the challenges of sustainable urbanization in developing countries.

Addressing environmental change in urban areas is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, particularly given that the world is now more than half urban, and Africa and Asia are experiencing unprecedented rates of urban population growth. Cities themselves are a major contributor to this challenge, as they consume an enormous share of the world’s energy and emit large amounts of carbon dioxide. At the same time, they are heavily vulnerable to climate change and increasingly exposed to climate induced risks (including floods from rising sea levels and higher precipitation, destruction from stronger cyclones and storms, and periods of extreme heat and cold). The phenomenon of urbanization itself is also likely to be significantly altered by environmentally induced migration. Despite these risks, many cities have not created or implemented crucially needed policies to attenuate the causes of climate change and to effectively protect cities from its impacts.

Rémi Jedwab, Assistant Professor of Economics

Danny M. Leipziger, Professor of International Business, GWU and Managing Director, The Growth Dialogue

Danny Leipziger is Professor of International Business, George Washington University, Managing Director, the Growth Dialogue, and an IIEP affiliate faculty member. He is former Vice President of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network (2004–09) at the World Bank. Over the course of his 28-year career at the World Bank, he has held management positions in the East Asia Region and the Latin America and Caribbean Region as well as in the World Bank Institute. Prior to joining the Bank, Dr. Leipziger served in senior positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State. He also has been a Vice Chair of the independent Commission on Growth and Development (2006-2010). He has published widely on topics of development economics and finance, industrial policy, and banking, including books on Korea, Chile, and East Asia and recent volumes Globalization and Growth (with Michael Spence) and Stuck in the Middle (with Antonio Estache) and the most recent – Ascent after Decline: Regrowing Global Economies after the Great Recession (with Otaviano Canuto).

Paul Romer, Professor of Economics, NYU Stern School of Business and Director of the Urbanization Project

Paul Romer, an economist and policy entrepreneur, is University Professor at NYU and director of the Marron Institute of Urban Management. He is also the founding director of the Urbanization Project at the NYU Stern Urbanization Project. The Urbanization Project conducts applied research on the many ways in which policymakers in the developing world can use the rapid growth of cities to create economic opportunity and undertake systemic social reform. Before coming to NYU, Paul taught at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. While there, Paul took an entrepreneurial detour to start Aplia, an education technology company dedicated to increasing student effort and classroom engagement. Paul serves on the board of trustees for the Carnegie Endowment for the Advancement of Teaching. He is also a member of the board of directors for Community Solutions, a national not-for-profit dedicated to strengthening communities and ending homelessness. In 2002, he received the Recktenwald Prize for his work on the role of ideas in sustaining economic growth.

Harris Selod, Senior Economist, The World Bank

Keynote Speakers

Jan K. Brueckner

Professor of Economics, University of California-Irvine

Jan K. Brueckner (AB, UC Berkeley; PhD, Stanford University) was long- time faculty member at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before coming to UCI in 2005. Brueckner has published extensively in the reas of urban economics, public economics, housing finance, and the economics of the airline industry, with more than 125 journal articles to his credit. He is also author of an innovative new textbook, Lectures on Urban Economics (MIT Press, 2011). Brueckner served as editor of the Journal of Urban Economics for 16 years and is currently a member of the editorial boards of 6 journals. He has served as a consultant to the World Bank, many of the major airlines, and other organizations.

Matthew Kahn

Professor, UCLA Institute of the Environment, the Department of Economics, and the Department of Public Policy

Matthew E. Kahn is a Professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment, the Department of Economics, and the Department of Public Policy. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Before joining the UCLA faculty in January 2007, he taught at Columbia and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He has served as a Visiting Professor at Harvard and Stanford. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago. He is the author of Green Cities: Urban Growth and the Environment (Brookings Institution Press 2006) and the co-author of Heroes and Cowards: The Social Face of War (Princeton University Press 2009). His research focuses on environmental, urban, real estate and energy economics.

Chairs and Panelists

Kaushik Basu

Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, World Bank

Kaushik Basu is Senior Vice President (Development Economics) and Chief Economist of the World Bank. Prior to this, he served as Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India and is currently on leave from Cornell University where he is Professor of Economics and the C. Marks Professor of International Studies. Mr. Basu is a Fellow of the Econometric Society and received India’s Padma Bhushan award as well as the National Mahalanobis Memorial award. Mr. Basu’s contributions span development economics, welfare economics, industrial organization and game theory.

Michael Cohen

Director, Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy

Michael Cohen is an urban and development policy specialist. He worked at the World Bank from 1972 to 1999 and was responsible for much of the bank’s urban policy development during that period. Mr. Cohen has worked in 55 countries and was heavily involved in the World Bank’s work on infrastructure, environment, and sustainable development. His numerous published works include several books on urban development, Africa, and the impact of development assistance. Mr. Cohen has advised governments, NGOs, and academic institutions around the world. He was a member of the Infrastructure Panel and Urban Dynamics Panel of the US National Academy of Science. He has helped the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) prepare its Global Report on Human Settlements in 2005-2012. He is currently the director of The New School’s Observatory on Latin America.

Maureen Cropper

Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics, University of Maryland

Maureen Cropper is a Distinguished University Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Maryland. She is also a Senior Fellow at Resources for the Future and former Lead Economist in the Research Department of the World Bank. Dr. Cropper has served as chair of the EPA Science Advisory Board’s Environmental Economics Advisory Committee, and as past president of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists. Maureen is currently serving as co-Director of the National Academy of Sciences study on Assessing Approaches to Updating the Social Cost of Carbon. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. Her research interests include valuing environmental amenities and the tradeoffs implicit in environmental regulations, including energy regulations. Her current research focuses on energy efficiency in India and the impact of climate change on migration. Maureen received her Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University in 1973.

Asli Demirgüç-Kunt

Director of Research, Development Economics, World Bank

Asli Demirgüç-Kunt is the Director of Research in the World Bank. After joining the Bank in 1989 as a Young Economist, she has held different positions, including Director of Development Policy, Chief Economist of Financial and Private Sector Development Network, and Senior Research Manager, doing research and advising on financial sector and private sector development issues. She is the lead author of World Bank Policy Research Report 2007, Finance for All? Policies and Pitfalls in Expanding Access. She has also created the World Bank’s Global Financial Development Report and directed the issues on Rethinking the Role of the State in Finance (2013), and Financial Inclusion (2014).

Marianne Fay

Chief Economist, Sustainable Development Vice-Presidency, World Bank Group

Marianne Fay is the Chief Economist of the Climate Change Cross Cutting Solutions Area of the World Bank. She co-directed the World Development Report 2010 on Development and Climate Change and led the World Bank report on Inclusive Green growth: the Pathway to Sustainable Development. She has held positions in different regions of the World Bank (Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa) working on infrastructure, urbanization and climate change. Prior to her current position, she served as the Chief Economist of the former Sustainable Development Network of the World Bank. She is the author of a number of articles and books on these topics. Marianne Fay holds a PhD in Economics from Columbia University.

Stephen Hammer

Manager, Climate Change Group, the World Bank

Stephen Hammer joined the World Bank’s Urban Development and Resilience Unit as a Lead Urban Specialist in February 2013, leading the team’s work on cities and climate change issues. He has more than 25 years of government, consulting, and academic experience on energy, environmental, solid waste, and climate change topics. Prior to joining the Bank he was on the faculty at MIT, where he taught a range of courses on energy policy and planning. He previously founded the Urban Energy Program at Columbia University, where he focused on the policy, market, and regulatory environment of urban energy systems; how climate change will affect urban and regional energy systems; and the modeling of energy demand in cities. He also co-founded and served as co-Director of the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN), a global network of researchers examining climate change from an urban perspective, and he co-edited the UCCRN’s 2011 volume Climate Change and Cities, published by Cambridge University Press. He currently serves on the editorial boards of the academic journals Urban Climate and Local Environment. Dr. Hammer holds degrees from the London School of Economics, the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and the University of California at Davis.

Stephen C. Smith

Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University and Director, Institute for International Economic Policy

Stephen C. Smith is Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University. Smith received his PhD in economics from Cornell University and has been a Fulbright Research Scholar and a Jean Monnet Research Fellow. Smith is also an IZA Research Fellow. He serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization. From 2009-2012, Smith served as Director of the Institute for International Economic Policy, where he helped create its four signature initiatives: climate adaptation in developing countries; extreme poverty; global economic governance; and the “G2 at GW” series. Smith has done on-site research and program work in several regions of the developing world including Bangladesh, China, Ecuador, India, Uganda, and Former Yugoslavia. Smith has also conducted extensive research on the economics of employee participation, including works councils, ESOPs, and labor cooperatives in developed and developing countries.

Sameh Wahba

Practice Manager, Urban, Rural and Social Development, World Bank

Sameh Wahba is Sector Manager, Urban Development and Resilience Unit, World Bank, where he is responsible for the Bank’s urban policy, strategy, and analytics at the global level. Prior to this position, Wahba was the Brazil Sector Leader of the Sustainable Development Department at the World Bank’s Latin America and the Caribbean Region, where he was responsible for coordinating the bank’s investment program and policy advisory/analytical services in Brazil in the areas of urban development, infrastructure, disaster risk management, and social development, as well as coordinating the bank’s portfolio in several states including Sao Paulo. Since joining the World Bank in 2004, he has worked on urban development, housing, and infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East and North Africa Regions. While at the World Bank, he has managed numerous investment and technical assistance activities related to housing, land and urban upgrading policy, infrastructure, local economic development, municipal/urban development issues, and disaster risk management in several countries. Prior to joining the bank, he worked at the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) in Rotterdam and at the Harvard Center for Urban Development Studies in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Shahid Yusuf

Chief Economist of the Growth Dialogue

Shahid Yusuf is Chief Economist of the Growth Dialogue. Dr. Yusuf has written extensively on development issues, with a special focus on East Asia and has also published widely in various academic journals. He has authored or edited 24 books on industrial and urban development, innovation systems and tertiary education. His five most recent books are: Development Economics through the Decades (2009); Tiger Economies under Threat (co-authored with Kaoru Nabeshima, 2009); Two Dragonheads: Contrasting development paths for Beijing and Shanghai (co-authored with Kaoru Nabeshima 2010); Changing the Industrial Geography in Asia: The Impact of China and India (co-authored with Kaoru Nabeshima 2010); and China Urbanizes (co-edited with Tony Saich, 2008). Dr. Yusuf holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University, and a BA in Economics from Cambridge University. He joined the World Bank in 1974 as a Young Professional and while at the Bank spent more than 35 years tackling issues confronting developing countries. During his tenure at the World Bank, Dr. Yusuf was the team leader for the World Bank-Japan project on East Asia’s Future Economy from 2000-2009. He was the Director of the World Development Report 1999/2000, Entering the 21st Century. Prior to that, he was Economic Adviser to the Senior Vice President and Chief Economist (1997-98), Lead Economist for the East Africa Department (1995-97) and Lead Economist for the China and Mongolia Department (1989-1993). Dr. Yusuf lives in Washington DC and consults with the World Bank and with other organizations.

Discussants

Antonio Bento

Professor of Economics, University of Southern California

Antonio M. Bento is a professor at the Sol Price School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics of the University of Southern California. He is also a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a research fellow of the Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Currently, he serves as the Director of the Graduate Programs in Public Policy at the Sol Price School.

Gilles Duranton

Professor of Real Estate, Wharton School

Gilles Duranton is professor of real estate and holds the Dean’s Chair in Real Estate. He joined the Wharton School in 2012 after holding academic positions at the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics. A graduate from HEC Paris and Sorbonne University, he obtained his PhD in economics jointly from the London School of Economics and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Science Sociales in Paris. His research focuses on urban and transportation issues. His empirical work is concerned with urban growth and the estimation of the costs and benefits of cities and clusters. He is also interested in the effects of transportation infrastructure on urban development and the evaluation of local policies. He also conducts theoretical research to gain insight about the distribution of city sizes, the skill composition, and sectoral patterns of activities in cities.

Stéphane Hallegatte

Senior Economist, Climage Change Group, The World Bank

Stéphane Hallegatte is senior economist with the World Bank, in the office of the chief economist of the Climate Change Group. His work includes green growth and climate change mitigation strategies, urban economics, and climate change adaptation and disaster risk management. He is lead author of the IPCC for its fifth assessment report. He also co-led the World Bank report “Inclusive Green Growth” in 2012, and published dozen of articles and several books, including “Natural disasters and climate change – an economic perspective” in 2014. Stephane Hallegatte holds an engineering degree from the Ecole Polytechnique and a PhD in economics from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris.

Presenters

Shlomo Angel

Senior Research Scholar, NYU Stern Urbanization Project

Shlomo (Solly) Angel is an Adjunct Professor at NYU and senior research scholar at the NYU Stern Urbanization Project, where he leads the Urban Expansion initiative. Angel is an expert on urban development policy, having advised the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). He currently focuses on documenting and planning for urban expansion in the developing world. Angel earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a doctorate in city and regional planning at the University of California, Berkeley.

Alain Bertaud

Adjunct Professor, Marron Institute

Paul E. Carrillo

Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University

Paul E. Carrillo is an Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University. His research interests are in applied microeconomics including applications in urban economics and development economics. His research has been published and/or is forthcoming in leading academic such as Review of Economics and Statistics, International Economic Review, Regional Science and Urban Economics, Journal of Development Economics, Real Estate Economics, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, and Journal of Housing Economics. He currently serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Regional Science. Paul received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Virginia in 2006.

Klaus Desmet

Altshuler Professor of Cities, Regions and Globalization, Southern Methodist University

Klaus Desmet is the Altshuler Professor of Cities, Regions and Globalization at Southern Methodist University and a research fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research. He holds an MSc in business and engineering from the Université catholique de Louvain and a PhD in economics from Stanford University. His research focuses on regional economics, international trade, economic growth and diversity. His work has appeared in journals such as the American Economic Review, the Journal of Economic Theory and the Journal of Development Economics.

Walker Hanlon

Assistant Professor at UCLA

Walker Hanlon is an Assistant Professor at UCLA, a Faculty Research Fellow at the NBER, and a Research Associate at the California Center for Population Research. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 2012. He is currently pursuing two main lines of research. The first seeks to better understanding the forces driving innovation and economic growth over the long term using novel historical data sources. Much of his work in this area takes advantage of the economic shock to the British economy causes by the U.S. Civil War. Using this event, he explores how the sudden shortage in cotton caused by the U.S. Civil War on innovation in the British cotton textile industry, and whether the temporary recession in cotton textile cities had a long-term impact on the trajectory of city growth. His second line of research looks at the long-run impact of pollution on urban economies, with a particular focus on industrial pollution linked to coal use in the cities of 19th century Britain. In this line of research, he investigates both the health effects of pollution, as well as the impact of pollution on long-run city growth and population sorting.

Shareen Joshi

Assistant Professor of International Development, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service

Shareen Joshi is Assistant Professor of International Development at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Non-Residential Research Fellow in Quantitative Research at ICRW. She has a PhD in Economics from Yale University and an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Economics from Reed College in Portland Oregon. Her research focuses on examining the impact of poverty-alleviation policies on the well-being of families. Much of her work has a strong focus on issues of gender and long-term investments in human capital. Recent work has explored the relationship between pollution and child mortality in India, the impact of India’s Janani Suraksha Yojana (Safe Motherhood) program on health-care provision in India, the impact of women’s self-help groups on women’s collective action and the long term consequences of a family planning programs in Bangladesh.

Guy Michaels

Associate Professor, London School of Economics

Guy Michaels is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a research associate at Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) at the LSE. He is also a research affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), an affiliate at the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD), and an external research associate at the Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies (OxCarre). He also serves as a member of the editorial board of the Review of Economic Studies. His research interests include labor economics, economic development, and economic geography. His research focuses on urbanization, labor market inequality and resource-rich economies. He has received a B.Sc. in Mathematics, magna cum laude, from Tel-Aviv University in 2000 and a Ph.D. in Economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2006.

Adam Storeygard

Assistant Professor of Economics, Tufts University

Adam Storeygard joined Tufts after receiving his PhD from Brown University in 2012. His research interests are in development and urban economics, and particularly in urbanization, transportation, and the economic geography of sub-Saharan Africa. Before graduate school he worked at Columbia University developing and analyzing spatial datasets related to health and development. Professor Storeygard’s work has appeared in journals including the American Economic Review, Nature, and the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. His prior degrees are an A.B. in Physics from Harvard University and an M. Phil. in Environment and Development from Cambridge University.

Agenda

08:30-9:00 AM Coffee and Registration

Opening Session

09:00-9:10 AM Welcoming Remarks: Asli Demirgüç-Kunt, Director of Research, Development Economics, World Bank, and Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez, Senior Director, Urban, Rural and Social Development, World Bank

9:10-9:50 AM Keynote Address 1: Land-Use Regulation in India and China, Jan Brueckner, Professor of Economics, UC-Irvine

9:50-10:30 AM Keynote Address 2: LDC Urban Climate Change Adaptation: Challenges and Opportunities, Matthew Kahn, Professor of Economics, UCLA

10:30-10:40 AM Closing Remarks: Kaushik Basu, Senior Vice President & Chief Economist, World Bank

10:40-10:55 AM Coffee Break

Session One

Chair: Stephen Hammer, Manager, Climate Change Group, World Bank

Discussant: Antonio Bento (University of Southern California)

10:55-11:20 AM Managing Sustainable Urban Expansion: From Global Monitoring to Stakes in the Ground: Shlomo Angel (NYU Urbanization Project)

11:20-11:45 AM The Long-Term Economic Effect of High Temperatures: Evidence from Earnings Data in Ecuador: Paul Carrillo (GWU), joint with Ram Fishman (GWU) and Jason Russ (GWU)

11:45-12:10 PM Has India Improved Energy Efficiency?: Ejaz Ghani (World Bank), joint with Arti Grover (World Bank) and William Kerr (Harvard)

12:10-12:35 PM The Geography of Development: Evaluating Migration Restrictions and Coastal Flooding: Klaus Desmet (SMU), joint with David Krisztian Nagy (Princeton) and Esteban Rossi-Hansberg (Princeton)

12:35-12:50 PM Discussant and Q&A

12:50-1:30 PM Lunch

Session Two

Chair: Sameh Wahba, Practice Manager, Urban, Rural and Social Development (World Bank)

Discussant: Gilles Duranton (Wharton Business School)

1:30-1:55 PM Urbanization and Economic Development: Paul Romer (NYU Urbanization Project)

1:55-2:20 PM The Heterogeneous Effects of Transportation Infrastructure: Evidence from Sub-Sahara Africa: Adam Storeygard (Tufts), joint with Remi Jedwab (GWU)

2:20-2:45 PM Urban Spatial Structures and Urban Sustainability: Alain Bertaud (NYU Urbanization Project)

2:45-3:00 PM Discussant and Q&A

3:00-3:15 PM Coffee Break

Session Three

Chair: Michael Toman, Manager, Environment and Energy Team, Development Research Group, World Bank

Discussant: Somik Lall, Lead Urban Economist, Urban, Rural and Social Development, World Bank

3:15-3:40 PM Negative Externalities of Industrialization: Evidence on Pollution and Child Health in India: Shareen Joshi (Georgetown), joint with Toan Do (World Bank) and Samuel Stolper (Harvard University)

3:40-4:05 PM Endogenous City Disamenities: Lessons from Industrial Pollution in 19th Century Britain: Walker Hanlon (UCLA), joint with Yuan Tian (UCLA)

4:05-4:30 PM Flooded Cities: Guy Michaels (LSE), joint with Adriana Kocornik-Mina (LSE), Tom McDermott (LSE) and Ferdinand Rauch (Oxford)

4:30-4:45 PM Discussant and Q&A

4:45-5:00 PM Coffee Break

Closing Plenary and Cocktail Reception

5:00-6:00 PM Sustainable Urbanization, Round Table: Marianne Fay (World Bank), Gilles Duranton (Wharton), Danny Leipziger (Growth Dialogue), Michael Cohen (Milano School of International Affairs)

6:30-8:00 PM Cocktail reception and welcome speech by Institute for International Economic Policy Director, Stephen Smith, and Shahid Yusuf of the Growth Dialogue At the George Washington University, Lindner Commons Room (6th Floor) of the Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E St. N.W. (at the intersection of E and 19th Streets, on E Street), Washington, DC

European Union: Drifting Apart Despite Economic Recovery?

January 29, 2016April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on January 29, 2016

Is the EU drifting apart despite economic recovery? Michael Heise, Chief Economist of Allianz SE (one of the world’s largest financial services corporations), shared his thoughts on the future of the European Union in a policy discussion moderated by IIEP faculty affiliate and GW Graduate School of Political Management Director Mark Kennedy. Heise presented remarks followed by an interview with Director Kennedy, concluding with a discussion with audience members. Please join us for this discussion on a wide range of economic, political, and business issues facing the Eurozone and prospects for the future of the European Union.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Pathways Post-Paris

January 27, 2016May 24, 2018Adaption to Climate Change Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Co-Hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and the George Washington University Sustainability Collaborative

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

8:30am to 1:00pm

The Jacob Burns Moot Court Room
2000 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052

2016: Sustainable Urbanization

December 4, 2015April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on December 4, 2015

This conference was hosted by the World Bank, George Washington University (Institute for International Economic Policy), the NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management, the NYU Urbanization Project, and The Growth Dialogue to bring together academics and development practitioners to present and discuss the challenges of sustainable urbanization in developing countries. The core organizers were IIEP’s Rémi Jedwab, assistant professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Elliott School and the Department of Economics of George Washington University, and Harris Selod, Senior Economist with the Development Research Group of the World Bank. IIEP faculty who participated included Sabina Alkire, Paul Carrillo, Ram Fishman, James Foster, Arun Malik, Stephen Smith, and Anthony Yezer.

Addressing environmental change in urban areas is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, particularly given that the world is now more than half urban, and Africa and Asia are experiencing unprecedented rates of urban population growth. Cities themselves are a major contributor to this challenge, as they consume an enormous share of the world’s energy and emit large amounts of carbon dioxide. At the same time, they are heavily vulnerable to climate change and increasingly exposed to climate induced risks (including floods from rising sea levels and higher precipitation, destruction from stronger cyclones and storms, and periods of extreme heat and cold). The phenomenon of urbanization itself is also likely to be significantly altered by environmentally induced migration. Despite these risks, many cities have not created or implemented crucially needed policies to attenuate the causes of climate change and to effectively protect cities from its impacts.

TPP & the Internet: A Multistakeholder Perspective

December 2, 2015May 24, 2018Past Events, Research Conference, U.S.-China Economic Relations Events

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) includes many provisions with significant effects on the Internet and in particular on cross-border information flows. As in many trade agreements, the provisions of TPP are complex and difficult to understand. The Institute for International Economic Policy — in concert with the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) and the Internet Policy Forum of the Internet Society – DC Chapter — is hosting a breakfast discussion of the cross-border data flow provisions, focusing in particular on their impact on the free flow of information between the 12 nations that today comprise some 25% of global Internet users. IIEP is excited to host Fanny Hidvégi, International Privacy Fellow at EPIC, Mark MacCarthy, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Software and Information Industry Association, Peter Maybarduk, director of access to medicine and information at Public Citizen, Sanford Reback, Director of Global Public Policy at Akamai, and Susan Aaronson, IIEP affiliate and International Affairs professor at the George Washington University, will discuss the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on Internet governance. Tracey D. Samuelson of APR Marketplace will moderate.

Speakers

Susan Aaronson

IIEP Affiliate and International Affairs Professor, GWU

Susan Ariel Aaronson is Research Professor at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and the former Minerva Chair at the National War College. She teaches courses in international trade issues; digital trade; and corruption, development and good governance. She directs a fellowship fund for students working on internet issues, the eBay Policy Scholars, and has organized several seminars on Internet issues and human rights metrics. While at GWU, Aaronson has received grants from the MacArthur, Ford, Swiss National Science Foundation and Ford Motor Company for her work on internet freedom and trade, corruption, and business and human rights. Her current research focuses on malware, trade and trust; the WTO and conflict; and repression, civil conflict and socio-economic outcomes.

Fanny Hidvégi

International Privacy Fellow, EPIC

Fanny Hidvégi is an International Privacy Fellow at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). She graduated from law school (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest) in 2010. During university studies she spent one academic year at the University of Florence on an Erasmus Scholarship. After graduation she worked at the Consumer Protection Section of the Hungarian Competition Authority and, later, in a law firm specialized in the field of unfair commercial practices. From 2012 until 2015, she worked as the Head of the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Program of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, where her responsibilities varied from strategic litigation through drafting policy papers until representing the HCLU in the media. One of the most important privacy projects she has been involved with is the fight against the national data retention law in Hungary.

Mark MacCarthy

Senior Vice President, Public Policy, SIIA

Mark MacCarthy directs SIIA’s public policy initiatives in the areas of intellectual property enforcement, information privacy, cybersecurity, cloud computing and the promotion of educational technology. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University, where he teaches courses in information privacy and tech policy in the Communication, Culture, and Technology Program, and courses in political philosophy in their Philosophy Department. His previous public policy experience includes senior positions with Visa, Inc., the Wexler Walker Group and Capital Cities/ABC and the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. He holds a Ph.D in philosophy from Indiana University and an MA in economics from the University of Notre Dame.

Peter Maybarduk

Public Citizen

Peter Maybarduk directs Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines and knowledge economy group, which helps partners around the world overcome high-price pharmaceutical monopolies and secure the benefits of science, technology and culture for all. Maybarduk is an intellectual property expert and presently a visiting fellow with the Information Society Program at Yale Law School. Maybarduk’s work has yielded HIV/AIDS medicine price reductions, new state access to medicines policies and global shifts toward anti-counterfeiting policies that safeguard generic competition. His analysis and advocacy have been instrumental in developing widespread opposition to harmful measures in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. Maybarduk’s work for public health and an open knowledge economy has been covered in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Times of India, The Washington Post, The Guardian and other major papers. Read Public Citizen’s recent profile of Maybarduk and his work.

Sanford C. Reback

Director, Global Public Policy, Akamai

Tracey D. Samuelson

Reporter, Marketplace Radio

Tracey D. Samuelson is a staff reporter for APM Marketplace focusing on business, finance, and technology. Samuelson’s stories have aired on NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Planet Money, and APM’s Marketplace, and in print for the Christian Science Monitor, New York Magazine, Global Post and other publications.

“Crimes against Morality: Unintended Consequences of Criminalizing Sex Work” (Trade and Development Workshop)

December 1, 2015May 24, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Lisa Cameron (with Jennifer Muz and Manisha Shah)

Monash University

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

12:30 to 2:00pm

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room, Room 321 at 2115 G Street

TPP and the Internet: A Multistakeholder Perspective

November 23, 2015April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on November 23, 2015

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) includes many provisions with significant effects on the Internet and in particular on cross-border information flows. As in many trade agreements, the provisions of TPP are complex and difficult to understand. The Institute for International Economic Policy — in concert with the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) and the Internet Policy Forum of the Internet Society – DC Chapter — hosted a breakfast discussion of the cross-border data flow provisions, focusing in particular on their impact on the free flow of information between the 12 nations that today comprise some 25% of global Internet users. IIEP was excited to host Fanny Hidvégi, International Privacy Fellow at EPIC, Mark MacCarthy, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Software and Information Industry Association, Peter Maybarduk, director of access to medicine and information at Public Citizen, Sanford Reback, Director of Global Public Policy at Akamai, and Susan Aaronson, IIEP affiliate and International Affairs professor at the George Washington University, will discuss the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on Internet governance. Tracey D. Samuelson of APR Marketplace will moderate.

We are grateful to our co-organizers and sponsors. Breakfast was generously provided by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital information industries. Webcasting was provided by the Internet Policy Forum of ISOC-DC.

Election Results and Economic Prospects in Myanmar

November 19, 2015August 31, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Forum, Past Events

Thursday, November 19, 2015

9:15 to 10:30am

Elliott School of International Affairs
Suite 505
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

On November 19th at Elliott School of International Affairs, the Institute for International Economic Policy at The George Washington University hosted Vikram Nehru, a senior associate in the Asia Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the impact of the November elections in Myanmar. As Nehru has written, “For Myanmar’s leadership, international approval will be central to attracting foreign investment and maintaining the economy’s development momentum.” The international community’s support of the election result’s will be decisive as Myanmar moves forward.

Cosponsors of the event were the Sigur Center for Asian Studies and the International Development Studies program.

Listen to the event here with Professor James Foster and Mr. Nehru discussing this turning point in Myanmar’s history.

8th Annual Conference on U.S.-China Economic Relations and China’s Economic Development

November 13, 2015November 13, 2019Past Events, Research Conference, U.S.-China Economic Relations EventsLeave a Comment

Click here to watch videos

This year, key topics discussed include China’s financial market, the state of China’s macro-economy, the China-Africa relationship, and China’s outward investments and their impacts. For more information about the conference and bios of each panelist, visit our blog.

An archive of all previous Annual Conferences on U.S.-China Economic Relations and China’s Economic Development is available here. For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

Keynote speaker: David Dollar

Senior Fellow on Foreign Policy and Global Economy and Development, the Brookings Institution

David Dollar is a leading expert on China’s economy and U.S.-China economic relations. From 2009 to 2013 he was the U.S. Treasury’s economic and financial emissary to China.

Dollar worked at the World Bank for 20 years, and from 2004 to 2009, was country director for China and Mongolia. His other World Bank assignments primarily focused on Asian economies, including South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and India. From 1995 to 2004, Dollar worked in the World Bank’s research department.

Schedule of Events

8:50 – 9:00AM Welcome and Overview of the Conference

Stephen Smith, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy

9:00 – 10:30AM Session 1: The China-Africa Relationship

Howard French, Columbia University, “Chinese Migrants in Africa”
Wenjie Chen, GWU/IMF, “Chinese Investments in Africa”
Jorge Canales-Kriljenko, IMF, “Spillover Effects of China onto Sub-Saharan Africa”

10:30 – 11:00AM Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:30PM Session 2: China’s Outward Investments and Their Impact

Thomas Rehermann, Senior Strategy Officer, IFC, “China Abroad – Investment, Integration, Outlook”
Jian-Ye Wang, NYU-Shanghai, “Chinese Investments Abroad”
Mauricio Mesquita Moreira, Principal Economic Advisor, IDB, “Beyond the Boom: Towards a Mature China-Latin America Relationship”
Moderator – Wenjie Chen, GWU/IMF

12:30 – 2:00PM Lunch and Keynote

David Dollar, Senior Fellow, Thornton China Center, Brookings Institution, “China’s Economic Slowdown and Spillover to the Rest of the World”

2:00 – 2:20PM Coffee Break

2:20 – 3:50PM Session 3: China’s Financial Market

Jennifer Carpenter, NYU Stern, “The Real Value of China’s Stock Market”
Jennie Bai, Georgetown University, “The Great Wall of Debt: Corruption, Real Estate, and Chinese Local Government Credit Spreads”
Dennis Tao Yang, UVA, “Booms and Busts in China’s Stock Market”

4:00 – 5:30PM Session 4: State of China’s Macro-economy

Li Gan, Texas A&M University, “Income Inequality and Economic Transition in China”
Hui He, Institute for Capacity Development, IMF, “A Tale of Transition: An Empirical Analysis of Economic Inequality in Urban China, 1986-2009”
Yingyao Hu, JHU, “Unemployment and Labor Force Participation in China: Long Run Trends and Short Run Dynamics”

An archive of all previous Annual Conferences on China’s Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations is available here.

For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

Co-sponsored by:

IMF Africa Regional Economic Outlook Discussion

November 9, 2015May 27, 2018International Finance Events, Past Events, Research Conference

Monday, November 9, 2015

8:45am to 12:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

This event will feature presentations of the three REO chapters and a discussion by external experts and IIEP faculty of the topical areas covered in the reports. The full report is available on the IMF website.

Opening Remarks
- Stephen Smith, Director, Institute for International Economic Policy, GWU
Session I: Dealing with the Gathering Clouds
- Celine Allard, Lead Author of the Africa Regional Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund
- Fred Joutz, Professor of Economics, GWU
- Augustin Fosu, Professor, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana
Session II: Competitiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa: Marking Time or Moving Ahead
- Bhaswar Mukhopadhyay, Deputy Division Chief, African Department, International Monetary Fund
- Fariha Kamal, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Bureau of the Census
- Danny Leipziger, Professor of Practice of International Business, GWU; Managing Director, Growth Dialogue
Session III: Inequality and Economic Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Dalia Hakura, Deputy Division Chief, African Department, International Monetary Fund
- James Foster, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, GWU
- Louise Fox, Visiting Professor of Development Practice, University of California-Berkeley
For more information, please contact Kyle Renner at iiep@gwu.edu or 202-994-5320.

Co-sponsored by:

Election Observations and Economic Prospects in Myanmar

November 4, 2015April 18, 2022Past Events

Originally published on November 4, 2015

On November 19th at Elliott School of International Affairs, the Institute for International Economic Policy at The George Washington University hosted Vikram Nehru, a senior associate in the Asia Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the impact of the November elections in Myanmar.

Regardless of the outcome, the November elections were watershed moment as the country moves away from decades of military rule and towards a parliamentary government. The outside world watched to see if the military government will allow a democratic election. As Nehru has written, “For Myanmar’s leadership, international approval will be central to attracting foreign investment and maintaining the economy’s development momentum.” The international community’s support of the election result’s will be decisive as Myanmar moves forward.

Thank you to all those who joined the Institute for International Economic Policy, the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, the International Development Studies program with Vikram Nehru and Professor James Foster for a discussion of this turning point in Myanmar’s history.

“Organizational Barriers to Technology Adoption: Evidence from Soccer-Ball Producers in Pakistan” (Trade and Development Workshop)

November 3, 2015May 27, 2018Development Economics and Poverty Alleviation Events, Past Events, Seminar

Friday, October 23, 20209:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (EDT)Via Webex

Speakers

Moderator

Friday, October 11th, 2019

2:00 – 3:30pm, Room 212

Elliott School of International Affairs

1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052

Wednesday, October 16th, 20193:00pm- 4:15pmCity View Room, 7th FloorElliott School of International Affairs1957 E Street, NW Washington DC 20052

Wednesday, October 16, 20194:45 p.m.-6:00 p.m. City View Room, 7th FloorElliott School of International Affairs1957 E Street, NWWashington, D.C., 20052

Friday, November 1, 2019 9:30a.m. – 12:15p.m. Lindner Family Commons (6th Floor) Elliott School of International Affairs 1957 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20052

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Previous WAITS Conferences

Elliott School of International Affairs Lindner Commons, 6th floor 1957 E Street NW Washington, DC 20052

SUMMARY Chapter – Presented by Mahvash S. Qureshi - IMF

THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT: presented by Siddharth Kothari

Is The African Continental Free Trade Area A Game Changer For The Continent?

Monday, February 25, 2019

5:00pm to 6:00pm

Elliott School of International AffairsLindner Commons, 6th floor1957 E Street NWWashington, DC 20052

Friday, January 25, 2019

12:30pm to 2:00pm – Lunch will be provided

Elliott School of International Affairs Lindner Commons, 6th floor 1957 E Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Event Summary

Nancy Qian

Northwestern University

Thursday, December 13, 2018

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Steve Hollingworth

President and CEO of the Grameen Foundation

Co-Sponsored with Sigma Iota Rho, Official Honor Society of the Elliott School

Thursday, November 29, 2018

7:30pm to 9:00pm – Reception to Follow

Elliott School of International Affairs Room B12 1957 E Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Laura Alfaro

Harvard Business School

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Stuti Khemani

World Bank

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW Washington, DC 20052

Friday, October 23, 2020
9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (EDT)
Via Webex

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019
3:00pm- 4:15pm
City View Room, 7th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW Washington DC 20052

Wednesday, October 16, 2019
4:45 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
City View Room, 7th Floor
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW
Washington, D.C., 20052

Friday, November 1, 2019
9:30a.m. – 12:15p.m.
Lindner Family Commons (6th Floor)
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20052

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Commons, 6th floor
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

Elliott School of International Affairs
Room B12
1957 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

John W. Kendrick Seminar Room
Room 321 at 2115 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20052