This workshop focused on the political economy of policies that promote economic development. Theme 5 is particularly interested in understanding the following questions: Why are growth-conducive policies or regulations adopted in some regions but not in others? What is the role of capture by interest groups and elites in determining these policy outcomes? What are the political economy implications of the increased collaboration between public and private sectors in several developing countries?
The recording of the workshop is available here. Timestamps for each presentation can be found in the description of the video.
Programme:
14:00 Welcoming remarks - Monica Martinez-Bravo (CEMFI & CEPR)
14:05 Promotions and Productivity: The Role of Meritocracy and Pay Progression in the Public Sector - Erika Deserranno (Northwestern University), Philipp Kastrau (University Pompeu Fabra) and Gianmarco León Ciliotta (University Pompeu Fabra)
14:45 It Takes A Village? Administrative Decentralization and Human Development - Latika Chaudhary (Naval Postgraduate School) and Lakshmi Iyer (University of Notre Dame)
15:25 Break
15:35 The Short- and Long-Run Effects of Affirmative Action Evidence from Imperial China - Boxiao Zhang (Renmin University of China) and Melanie Meng Xue (LSE)
16:15 Bourbon Reforms and State Capacity in the Spanish Empire - Giorgio Chiovelli (Universidad de Montevideo), Leopoldo Fergusson (Universidad de los Andes), Luis R. Martinez (University of Chicago), Juan David Torres (Stanford University) and Felipe Valencia Caicedo (University of British Columbia) Slides
16:55 Break
17:05 Priority Roads: the Political Economy of Africa's Interior-to-Coast Roads - Roberto Bonfatti (University of Padova), Yuan Gu (APG Asset Management) and Steven Poelhekke (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
17:45 Bureaucratic Nepotism - Juan Felipe Riano (University of British Columbia)
18:25 Closing remarks - Leonard Wantchekon (University of Princeton)
18:30 Workshop ends
