Category Archives: MIPP

Taxation and Development

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Ken

A new paper by Besley and Persson illuminating the relationship between development and patterns of taxation. A quick summary from the conclusion of the paper: “As a state moves from collecting a low level of public revenue of around 10% … Continue reading →

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Insuring Against the Weather

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Ken

Possibly of interest to students in both micro theory (insurance) and the MIPP program (food security), this short brief from IFPRI looks at the effects of micro-insurance in Ethiopia.

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Did the Food Price Crisis Reduce Food Security?

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Ken

Recent evidence from Derek Headey at IFPRI on the impact of the food price crisis using self-reported levels of food-insecurity. Abstract We provide the first large-scale survey-based evidence on the impact of the global food crisis of 2007–08 using an … Continue reading →

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The End of Hunger and Malnutrition

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Ken

Tomorrow in the International Policy class, we are focused on food policy issues – so the column by the Director-General of the FAO today in Project Syndicate is very topical. The key point is that “The Council of the United … Continue reading →

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Business as Usual or Sustainable Development

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Ken

Optimistic as usual, Jeffrey Sachs on the need for sustainable development – a new article at Project Syndicate.

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Foreign Aid and Human Rights

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Ken

A new paper exploring the link between aid and governance, by Arinow, Carnegie and Marinov. abstract Does foreign aid promote good governance in recipient countries? We help arbitrate the debate over this question by leveraging a novel source of exogeneity: … Continue reading →

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Africa Can Help Feed Africa

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Ken

We often worry about international barriers to trade and their effect on food security – with a focus on developed country policy. What are the effects of regional policy within the developing world? Africa can help feed Africa: Removing barriers … Continue reading →

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Conflict, Trust and Ethnicity – Some unsurprising results?

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Ken

A new paper by Rohner, Thoenig and Zilibotti with results that are probably not surprising – conflict reduces generalized trust, and increases the relevance that people place in ethnic identity. Abstract We study the effect of civil conflict on social … Continue reading →

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Changing Social Contracts: Beliefs and Dissipative Inclusion in Brazil

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Ken

Inequality is usually very persistent – places with high inequality now will almost surely be very unequal in the future. The reasons for this are uncertain – is it power structures, technology, fundamental economic structures, etc. A new paper by … Continue reading →

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Foreign Aid in Dangerous Places: The donors and Mali’s democracy

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Ken

Nicolas van de Walle looking at the role of foreign aid in preventing conflict in Mali. Abstract Mali long seemed a model, low-income democracy. Yet, in a few short weeks in early 2012, more than half of the territory came … Continue reading →

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