November 7, 2022 | Webinar
Expert panelists discuss the underrepresentation of researchers from the Global South at international economic development conferences.
Join our distinguished panelists—Dr. K.Y. Amoako, Stefan Dercon and Rohini Pande—for a discussion on increasing the participation of Southern researchers in development economics conferences.
In development economics, diverse perspectives and intimate knowledge of a country can provide a researcher with unique insights into the formulation of research questions, the application of methodologies and the interpretation of findings. Still, economists are only beginning to recognise the benefits of diversity and how underrepresentation negatively impacts the field.
In a recent study, PEP Research Fellows Ronelle Burger, Grieve Chelwa and Vaqar Ahmed examined Southern researchers' participation in eight leading conferences between 2014 and 2019. They concluded that conference location strongly influences regional representation. Accordingly, the African Economic Conference (AEC), where more than half of the delegates were Southern researchers, was the only conference hosted in African countries. The other seven conferences were held in developed countries, with few researchers from developing countries participating.
On November 7 2022, PEP hosted a webinar discussion to address this striking disparity. The webinar, Southern representation in development economics conferences, explored what conference organisers can do to increase the participation of Southern researchers in leading international economic development conferences and how this can contribute to decolonising the field.
Panelists:
- Dr. K.Y. Amoako, founder and President of the African Center for Economic Transformation,
- Stefan Dercon, Professor of Economic Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and
- Rohini Pande, Henry J. Heinz II Professor and Director of Yale's Economic Growth Center
Researchers Ronelle Burger and Vaqar Ahmed moderate.
Earlier this year, PEP released a Call to Action following findings from its Research Fellows recommending several actions to improve Southern researchers' participation in economic development debates, which over 95 economists have endorsed.
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