The metaverse is deemed to be the future of society – specifically in our social interaction as well as in the sectors of gaming, finance, and entertainment. Because of this focus, the metaverse has gained a somewhat negative reputation, especially prevalent in developing economies where access, awareness and regulation are limited, as explored in my…
African History through the Lens of Economics: An introduction to African development and history The Wheeler Institute’s open access online course, African History through the Lens of Economics, covered pre-colonial political organisation and contemporary social structures in two lectures, the first by Stelios Michalopoulos, Eastman Professor of Political Economy at Brown University, and Warren Whatley,…
The summer of 2022 will be remembered for several reasons in the UK – the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, historic inflation rates and rising cost of living, the UK government crisis, chaos at airports as the travel industry struggles to cope up with pent up demand, and so on. However, one thing that will not be…
This is the first article of a 3-part series on informal entrepreneurship in emerging markets, based on empirical research conducted in the township of Alexandra in Johannesburg, South Africa. Elizabeth Mogale* (not her real name), a 48-year old mother of four, grills chickens on the pavement of 12th avenue in Alexandra, one of Johannesburg’s most…
It is summer 2022, yet your wardrobe remains woefully in winter. You could take a stroll down 5th Avenue, head to Oxford Street or swing by Causeway Bay to check out the latest store catalogues. But with the rise of online shopping, especially during the pandemic, going to shop in person has become so blasé…
Oded Galor, Herbert Goldberger Professor of Economics at Brown University, joined Elias Papaioannou, Co-Academic Director of the Wheeler Institute and Professor of Economics at London Business School for the fifth event in the Wheeler Institute’s Rethinking Capitalism series. Professor Galor’s latest book ‘The Journey of Humanity’ explores the evolution of human societies since the emergence…
African History through the Lens of Economics: An introduction to African development and history The Wheeler Institute’s open access online course, African History through the Lens of Economics, concluded with three plenary lectures covering the impact of foreign aid, the reasons why Africa can be optimistic about the future, and the importance of judging Africa…
African History through the Lens of Economics: An introduction to African development and history The penultimate lecture in the Wheeler Institute’s open access online course, African History through the Lens of Economics, considered the impact of education on social mobility in Africa. David Laitin, Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, Leonard Wantchekon, Professor of…
The success of urban policies depends on municipal and state capacity. Government in Africa, especially at the local level, suffers from low fiscal capacity, but there are signs of improvement. We have seen through this series that government policy has a role to play in ensuring that cities develop productively. However, without public funds and…
Ms. Phyllis Costanza, Head of Social Impact and CEO of the UBS Optimus Foundation was recently hosted by the student-led Social Impact Club. In conversation with Akhil Pawar and Jane Lu, Ms. Costanza discussed the foundation’s work and shared her experience in pioneering innovative financing mechanisms and impactful interventions as well as her vision for…
