IfAD Public Talk Series

Our speakers are leading national and international experts and policymakers who talk about the economic and development issues, challenges, and opportunities of our time. The talks are open to general audience, and all are encouraged to attend.

Gambling on Development

Speaker: Stefan Dercon, University of Oxford
Time: Fall 2023
Location: Zoom
Registration: Click

Bio: Stefan Dercon is Professor of Economic Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and the Economics Department, and a Fellow of Jesus College. He is also Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies. Between 2011 and 2017, he was Chief Economist of the Department of International Development (DFID), UK. Between 2020-2022, he was the Development Policy Advisor to successive Foreign Secretaries at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. His research interests concern what keeps some people and countries poor: the failures of markets, governments and politics, and how to achieve change. His latest book, Gambling on Development: Why some countries win and others lose was published in May 2022. His latest book, Gambling on Development: Why some countries win and others lose was published in May 2022.

It draws on his academic research as well as his policy experience across three decades and 40-odd countries. His book, Dull Disasters? How Planning Ahead Will Make a Difference, published in 2016, provides a blueprint for renewed application of science, improved decision making, and better preparedness, and pre-arranged finance on the face of natural disasters.

He is a Fellow of BREAD, a Research Fellow of CEPR and of IZA, and an Affiliate of J-PAL, a Non-resident Fellow, Centre for Global Development, Washington and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Manufacture (FRSA). He studied economics and philosophy at the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) and holds an MPhil and DPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford. Before re-joining the University of Oxford, he held positions at the University of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), the Catholic University of Leuven, and WIDER (Helsinki), part of the United Nations University.

In 2018, the Queen awarded him as an honorary Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for services to economics and international development.

Insights from economics, law, and behavioral sciences to inform identification and designs of effective development policies and programs to promote agency and economic development.

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