Category: Front Page

Direct Impacts and Spatial Spillovers: The Impact of Chinese Infrastructure Projects on Economic Activities in sub-Saharan Africa

Amid a weak and uneven economic recovery in the Global South, regional development and infrastructure investment seem to be critical to sustainable development. In particular, infrastructure provision is seen as an “unmissable driver for development” in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. Aside from institutional reasons, physical infrastructure is critical in facilitating market integration and freeing […]

Seminar Summary – Parental Beliefs and Parental Investment: Evidence from Colombia

By Naomi Frim-Abrams On May 8, the Human Capital Initiative hosted Orazio Attanasio for the final session of the Human Capital Initiative Spring Research Seminar Series with a presentation on “Parental Beliefs and Parental Investment: Evidence from Colombia.” Attanasio discussed his published paper, which analyzed the results of a parenting stimulation program implemented in Colombia. […]

Inaugural HCI Incubation Grant Winners Announced: Solomon Owusu and David Lagakos

By Naomi Frim-Abrams The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) is excited to announce the first winners of its inaugural Incubation Grant. Solomon Owusu and David Lagakos will be conducting their project, “Why are measured hours of work so low for agricultural workers?” through the grant’s support. “We are thrilled to see this project get started and […]

How a New York State Bill is Shaping the Global Debate on Sovereign Debt

By Tim Hirschel-Burns In March, New York lawmakers submitted the “Sovereign Debt Stability Act” to the New York State Assembly with the goal of “providing effective mechanisms for restructuring sovereign and subnational debt.” Proponents of the bill will seek to move it through both chambers of the legislature and receive a signature from the governor […]

Meet the 2024 Summer in the Field Fellows

The Boston University Global Development Policy (GDP) Center is proud to present the 2024 Summer in the Field Fellows. These seven Boston University students are currently pursuing graduate degrees in various disciplines across the University, including social work, economics, public health, international affairs and political science. The GDP Center Summer in the Field Program provides a $6,000-$8,000 […]

Event Summary: ‘A Woman’s Work is Never Done’ – How Gender Norms Enable Labor Coercion, Inside and Outside the Home

By Vidhu Mukundan On Thursday, March 28, Rohini Pande, renowned economist and the Henry J. Heinz II Professor of Economics and Director of the Economic Growth Center, Yale University, presented the 2024 Paul Streeten Distinguished Lecture in Global Development Policy. Pande’s lecture shared novel research examining how gender norms can enable female labor coercion within […]

Seminar Summary – The Patriarchal Political Order: The Making and Unravelling of the Gendered Participation Gap in India

By Naomi Frim-Abrams On April 10, 2024, the Human Capital Initiative hosted Soledad Artiz Prillaman for the third Spring Research Seminar, “The Patriarchal Political Order: The Making and Unravelling of the Gendered Participation Gap in India.” Prillaman is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and the faculty director of the Stanford Inclusive […]

Green Natural Capital, the Environmental Kuznets Curve and Development Financing in the Global South

Developing countries, home to the most economically disadvantaged populations vulnerable to climate change, are under pressure to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to minimize damage from environmental externalities. The amount of CO2 emissions is highly unequal among countries, both in historically cumulative terms and in current per capita terms. Historically, rich and developed countries have been […]

Webinar Summary – From First Movers to Market Shapers: The Many Roles of Development Finance Institutions in the Early Phase-down of Coal Plants

By Samantha Igo On Thursday, April 11, the Boston University Global Development Policy Center (GDP Center) hosted a webinar to discuss findings from a recent report on the role of development finance institutions (DFIs) in the early phase-down of coal plants. The webinar featured a presentation on the report from Niccolò Manych, GDP Center Post-doctoral […]