Employment
Professor, Department of Economics, Georgetown University, 2018-
Co-editor, Quantitative Economics
Organizer, VDEV webinar in Development Economics 2022-
Organizer, Gui2de weekly seminar in Development Economics 2013-
Theoretical Research in Development Economics (ThRed), President
Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (Bread), Fellow
National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Development Economics Program, Research Associate
Center for Economic and Policy Research (CPER), Political Economy Program, Research Associate
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Cornell University, June 1999
Master in Economics, Cornell University, June 1997
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Université de Liege, Belgium, 1995
Publications
"Measuring Upward Mobility," with Debraj Ray, American Economic Review 113 (11), 1–47, 2023 Slides
Tolerance and Compromise in Social Networks , Journal of Political Economy 130 (1), 2022 Slides
Women's Land Rights and Village Institutions in Tanzania with Maria Hernandez de Benito, World Development 153, 2022.
Electoral Systems and Inequalities in Government Interventions, with Laurent Bouton and Micael Castanheira, Journal of the European Economic Association 19(6), 2021. Slides
Aspirations in Economics: a Review, with Debraj Ray, Annual Reviews of Economics 12, pp 715-746, 2020.
Asymmetry of Information within Family Networks, with Joachim de Weerdt and Alice Mesnard, Journal of Human Resources 54(1), pp 225-254, 2019.
The Impact of Migration on Child Labor: Theory and Evidence from Brazil, with Anna Maria Mayda and Mariapia Mendola, in Markets, Governance and Institutions in the Process of Economic Development Oxford University Press, 2018.
Inequality and Aspirations, with Debraj Ray, Econometrica 85, (2), 489-519, 2017. See also the online appendix
Two-sided Altruism and Signaling, Economics Letter 145, 92-97, 2016.
Suicides and Property Rights in India, with Siwan Anderson, Journal of Development Economics 114, pp. 64-78, 2015. See also our column in Ideas for India.
Group Formation and Risk Pooling in a Field Experiment, with Abigail Barr, Orazio Attanasio, Juan Camilo Cardenas and Costas Meghir, AEJ: Applied Economics, 4(2), 134-167 April 2012.
What Do Networks Do? The Role of Networks on Migration and 'Coyote' Use, with Sarah Dolfin, Review of Development Economics 14(2), pp 343-359, May 2010.
An Experimental Test of Risk-Sharing Without Commitment, with Gary Charness, Economic Journal 119 April 2009, 796-825.
Risk Pooling, Commitment and Information: An Experimental Test, with Abigail Barr, Journal of the European Economic Association 6(6): 1151-1185, December 2008.
Child Bonded Labor entry for The World of Child Labor, Hugh Hindman ed., ME Sharpe, 2009.
Informal Insurance in Social Networks, with Francis Bloch and Debraj Ray, Journal of Economic Theory143(1), 36-58, November 2008.
Reciprocity in Groups and the Limits to Social Capital, with Francis Bloch and Debraj Ray, American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, May 2007.
Contracts and Externalities: How Things Fall Apart, with Debraj Ray, Journal of Economic Theory 131(1), pp 71-100, November 2006.
Bargaining Power and Enforcement in Credit Markets, with Debraj Ray, Journal of Development Economics 79(2), pp 398-412, April 2006.
Malnutrition and Child Labor, Scandinavian Journal of Economics 107 (1), pp 83-102, March 2005.
Informal Insurance, Enforcement Constraints, and Group Formation, with Debraj Ray, in Group Formation in Economics: Networks, Clubs, and Coalitions, edited by Gabrielle Demange and Myrna Wooders, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2005.
Endogenous Group Formation in Risk-Sharing Arrangements, with Debraj Ray, Review of Economic Studies 70 (1), January 2003. For a conjecture related to the paper, click here. For robustness checks of Example 2, click here.
Demand Elasticities for Health Service Providers in Tanzania, with D. Sahn and S. Younger, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics 65(2), pp 241-260, May 2003.
Investing in Conflict Management, with S. Skaperdas (+ Figures), Journal of Conflict Resolution 46 (1), February 2002.
Bonded Labor and Serfdom: A Paradox of Voluntary Choice, Journal of Development Economics 67 (1), 101-127, February 2002.
Minimum Wage Laws and Unemployment Benefits when Labor Supply is a Household Decision,€ with K. Basu and J.E. Stiglitz,in Markets and Government, Oxford University Press 2002.
Equivalence Scales and Family Allowances, with F. Foidart and P. Pestieau, Cahiers Economiques de Bruxelles 155, 3eme trimestre 1997.
Previous Positions Held
Associate Professor, Georgetown University, 2007-2018
Assistant Professor, Georgetown University, 2003-2007
Assistant Professor, University of California at Irvine, 1999-2003
Visiting Faculty, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, May-July 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022
Visiting Faculty, Development Research Group of the World Bank, Spring 2011
Visiting Assistant Professor in Economics, M.I.T., Spring 2007
Visiting Assistant Professor in Economics, University College London, Spring 2003
Visiting Assistant Professor in Economics and International Affairs, Princeton University, 2001-2002
Visiting Assistant Professor in Economics, New York University, Summer 2000 and 2002
Cornell Food and Nutrition Policy Program (C.F.N.P.P.) 1996-98: Research Assistant.
World Bank 1997: Summer Intern, to study incentive competition among countries for Foreign Direct Investments.
Central Bank of Belgium, Operations in Foreign Currencies 1996: Summer Intern.
University of Liege: Teaching Assistant for Intermediate Microeconomics Springs 1994 and 1995; Teaching Assistant for Intermediate Macroeconomics Fall 1995; Research Assistant for Economic History Fall 1994
Teaching
Development Economics (PhD), Georgetown University, Fall 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2019, 2022, Spring 2009, 2015, 2021
Program Evaluation (Undergraduate), Georgetown University, Springs 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Intermediate Microeconomics (Undergraduate), Georgetown University, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2022
Development Economics (Undergraduate), Georgetown University, Falls 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2017; Springs 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Analytical Tools for Pol Economy (Undergraduate), Georgetown University, Fall 2016.
Tutorial in Development Economics, Spring 2008
Foundations of Development Policy, MIT, Spring 2007
Microeconomics: Workshop, Fall 2005 & Spring 2006
Development Economics (MSFS), Georgetown University, Spring 2004, 2005 & 2006
Decision under Risk & Uncertainty, (Undergraduate), UC-Irvine, Winter 2003
Development Economics (Graduate), UC-Irvine, Winter 2003
Economic Analysis of Development- advanced (MPA), Woodrow Wilson School: Spring 2002
Economic Analysis of Development (basic) (MPA), Woodrow Wilson School: Spring 2002
Economics of Development, (undergraduate), Princeton University, Fall 2001
Contract Theory (graduate), UC-Irvine, Spring 2000 & Winter 2001
Development Economics (undergraduate), UC-Irvine, Spring 2000, Winter 2001 & 2003
Honors Intermediate Microeconomics (undergraduate), UC-Irvine, Fall 1999 & 2000
Intermediate Microeconomics (undergraduate), UC-Irvine, Fall 2000
Seminars & Conference Presentations
Invited Seminars at the Department of Economics of
Cornell University, ITAM, University of Montreal, Concordia University, University of Quebec in Montreal, the Tinbergen Institute, the research group of the World Bank, Southern Methodist University, University of Toronto, University of Southern California, Delta/Inra (Paris), University of Chicago, Princeton University, University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Berkeley, Cornell University, Institute of Advanced Study, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ECARE (Brussels), Caltech University, Georgetown University, Penn State University, Cornell University, Oxford University, ZEI (Bonn), Yale University, World Bank, Princeton University, Boston University, George Washington University, Ohio State University, University of Virginia, London School of Economics/University College London, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Essex University, Georgetown University, the IDB, the department of agricultural economics at the University of Maryland, the Center for Global Development, Edinburgh University, George Washington University, Boston University, MIT, Georgetown University, the World Bank, University of Maryland, George Mason University, the World Bank - Social Protection & Labor, the University of Washington in St Louis, Bocconi University, IIES at Stockholm University, Minneapolis Federal Reserve, Yale University, IFPRI, Michigan State University, American University, University of Michigan, New York University, Stanford University, Iowa State University, University of British Columbia, Princeton University, Toulouse School of Economics, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, Columbia University, George Washington University, Harvard University, Cornell University , John Hopkins University, Duke University, Georgetown University, University of Zurich, Stanford PE lunch, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, Consortium of Asian Universities (National University of Singapore, Hong Kong Baptist University, National Taiwan University, and China Europe International Business School).
Invited Conference presentations:
Invited political economy session- LACEA, Lima November 2022
Keynote Speaker at the Madrid Political Economy (MAPE) conference, September 2022
IEA World Congress Indonesia 2021
Fourth Kent Workshop on Networks in Economics, June 2020
DC PEC workshop, Georgetown University, October 2019
Behavioral and Inequality Conference, Edinburgh University, May 2019.
EDI conference, Paris School of Economics, May 2019
Conference on Identity, Université de Namur, December 2018
Kaushik Basu 65th Birthday Conference, Delhi School of Economics, December 2017
EDI conference Namur 2017
AMSE Workshop in Development Economics, University of Aix-Marseille, May 2016
7th International Conference on Migration and Development Oxford University, June 2014.
Barriers to Development: The Interplay between External Constraints and Individual Preferences,†Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), May 2014.
ThRed Conference, Oslo, June 2013
Conference on Networks, Cambridge University, December 2012
CIDE-ThReD conference, Mexico, October 2012
Mini-conference on Networks, Brown University, May 2012
Theory and Empirics of Risk-Sharing; Toulouse, October 2009
Microfoundations of Development Conference at LSE, May 29-30 2009
Conference on Development Theory; El Colegio de Mexico, December 2008
LAMES/LACEA meetings, Rio de Janero, November 2008.
Inequality and Development; workshop, University of Namur, May 2007.
ASSA meetings, Chicago, January 2007.
European Summer Symposium in Economic Theory Gerzensee, July 2006.
Third Mini-conference in Development, CIRPEE, Quebec City, February 2006.
SED conference, Budapest, June 2005
ASSA meetings, Philadelphia, January 2005
Networks, Behaviour and Poverty Workshop, Oxford University, December 2004.
Second Mini-conference in Development, CIRPEE / UQAM Montreal, February 2004.
SITE summer institute, Stanford University, June 2003
Conference presentations:
Naples Workshop on Networks and Development, April 2022
ERINN annual meetings, April 2021
AEA Meetings San Diego, January 2020
ThRed Conference, Bocconi, June 2018
Journee Louis Andre Gerard Varet, Aix June 2018
13th Annual Conference on Economic Growth and Development, Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi, December 2017
World Congress of the Econometric Society, Montreal, August 2015
Meeting of the Society for the Study of Economic Inequality (ECINEQ), Bari, July 2013
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, Dartmouth University, November 2012.
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, Yale University, November 2011.
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, Boston University, November 2008.
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, Cornell University, September 2006.
2005 World Congress of the Econometrics Society, London, August 2005.
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, HEC University, Montreal, October 2004.
Annual Meetings of the Society for Economic Dynamics, Firenze, July 2004
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, Yale University, October 2003.
South West Economic Theory Conference, UCLA, March 2003.
Annual Meetings of the Society for Economic Dynamics, New York University, June 2002
North American Summer Meetings of the Econometric Society, College Park, June 2001.
Development Conference on Formal and Informal Credit, Savings and Insurance Markets in Developing Countries, UC-Irvine, February 2001
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, Cornell University, October 2000
2000 World Congress of the Econometrics Society, Seattle, August 2000
XII World Congress of the International Economic Association, Buenos Aires, August 1999
XVII Latin American Meeting of the Econometric Society, Cancun, August 1999
Northeastern Universities Development Consortium, Yale University, November 1998
Other Professional Membership and Activities
Quantitative Economics, Co-Editor 2021-2025.
National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Development Economics Program, Research Associate since 2013.
Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), Development Economics and Political Economy Programme, member since 2021
Theoretical Research in Development Economics (ThReD), Board Member since 2016, President 2022-.
Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD), Fellow since 2015.
DC Political Economy Center, member
Georgetown University Initiative on Innovation, Development and Evaluation, member
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Fellow
Economic Development and Institutions research network, member of the Thematic Group Family Gender and Conflict, 2016-2021
Organizer, VDEV webinar in Development Economics 2022-
Organizer, Gui2de weekly seminar in Development Economics 2013-
Organizing the ThrReD invited Session at the IEA World Congress Indonesia 2021
Program Committee Member for the ThReD Conference June 2021 & 2022
Program Committee Member for the Econometric Society World Congress 2020
Member of the External Evaluation Committee for AMSE, June 2019 and November 2022
Program Committee Member for the Bread Conference held at Maryland University May 2019
Program Committee Member for the ThReD Conference held at Notre Dame University May 2019
Member of the Jury for the Infosys Prize in Social Sciences 2016
Associate Editor for the Journal of Development Economics 2010-2015
Associate Editor for the Berkeley Electronic Journal for Theoretical Economics 2006-2011
External Member of the World Bank Research Management Committee 2013-2018
Organizing Committee Member for the Bread Conference held at Georgetown University April 2016
Organizing Committee Member for the Human Development and Capability Association conference on " Capabilities on the Move: Mobility and Aspirations" at Georgetown University September 2015
Organizing Committee Member for the World Bank 2014 ABCDE Conference on " The Role of Theory in Development Economics"
Organizer, "Formal and Informal Institutions to Cope with Risk and Credit in Developing Countries,” University of California at Irvine, February 9-10, 2001
Member of the American Economic Association and Econometrics Society
Referee for the NSF, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Earhart Foundation and Blackwell Publishing
Referee for:
American Economic Review, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Econometrica, Economic Development and Cultural Change, Economic Journal, Economic Letters, Economica, Economics and Politics, Economics of Governance, International Economic Review, Journal of African Studies, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Journal of the European Economic Association, Journal of Economic Theory, Journal of Growth Economics, Journal of Legal Studies, Journal of Political Economy, Journal of Population Economics, Journal of Public Economics, Labor Economics, Mathematical Social Sciences, Quantitative Economics, Oxford Economic Review, Public Choice, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Rand Journal of Economics, Review of Economic Dynamics, Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economics and Statistics, Theoretical Economics, the World Bank Economic Review, and World Development.
Excellence in Refereeing Award, American Economic Review (for 2013-2015).
Grants, Awards and Honor
NSF grant SES-1851758 “Aspirations, Inequality and Social Conflict”, 2019-2021
EDI grant “Aspirations in Economics, a review“, June 2017
EDI grant "Land Rights and Village Councils in Tanzania", June 2017
IGC grant "The Impact of Incentives and Monitoring on the Performance of Public Extension Staff", May 2017
Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) grant from the i2i fund at the World Bank, November 2016
Russell Sage Foundation Grant Measuring Upward Mobility;€ July 2012.
Competitive Grant-in-Aid, Georgetown University, Spring 2008 and Fall 2009.
International Collaborative Research Grant, Georgetown University, June 2004 and 2006.
Junior Faculty Research Fellowship, Georgetown University, Fall 2004.
John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: Research and Writing Grant, 2002/03.
Sage Graduate Fellowship, Cornell University, 1994/95 and 1998/99.
Distinction for Qualifying Examinations in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics at Cornell University.
ALDLG Prize 1995 for undergraduate thesis Fertility, Welfare and Family Policy.
Royal Academia Award for Economic Policy 1996 for undergraduate thesis €œFertility, Welfare and Family Policy, Liege, 1995.
Highest Honors and Congratulation from the Jury for B.A. in Economics at the University of Liege.