The International Development Speaker Series (IDSS)

Agricultural Decisions after Relaxing Credit and Risk Constraints

Dean Karlan

Professor of Economics, Yale University

Wednesday, May 9, 12:15-1:45 PM PT, Santa Monica, CA

Prof. Karlan is an Affiliate of The Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD) and the President and Founder of Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). His research focuses on microeconomic issues of public policies and poverty. He studies the effectiveness of particular policies to fight poverty or the relevance of economic theories of individual decision-making. Much of his work uses behavioral economics insights and approaches to examine economic and policy issues relevant in developing countries as well as in domestic charitable fundraising and political participation.

The Diffusion of Microfinance

Matthew O. Jackson

William D. Eberle Professor of Economics, Stanford University

Friday, May 11, 12:00-1:30 PM PT, Santa Monica, CA

Jackson and his colleagues have examined how participation in a microfinance program diffuses through social networks, using detailed demographic, social network, and participation data from 43 villages in South India. He will discuss his research, in which he and colleagues found that participants are significantly more likely to pass information on to friends and acquaintances than informed non-participants.

Also in May (date and topic TBD)

Jendayi E. Frazer

Distinguished Public Service Professor, Carnegie Mellon University