Development economics: strong links between UNamur economists and Nobel Prize-winning economist James A. Robinson

James A. Robinson has collaborated with Jean-Marie Baland, professor at UNamur and active member of CRED on various scientific publications. Their joint work has explored various aspects of economic development, shedding light on the institutional dynamics and socio-economic factors influencing growth and poverty. "One of our publications that has had the most visibility in the international scientific community, concerns a theme linked to family decisions in connection with the issue of child labor. We were interested in understanding and analyzing whether, from an economic point of view, it was fair for parents to decide when to put their child to work", explains Jean-Marie Baland. The two economists also worked on the economic and political impact of democratizing institutions. "We were particularly interested in the case of Chile, where we analyzed how the introduction of secret voting within farming communities had an impact on democratization and land prices in Chile," continues Jean-Marie Baland. These collaborations have not only enriched the scientific literature but also strengthened CRED's international reputation.

To develop this joint research, James A. Robinson and Jean-Marie Baland spent time at their respective institutions. Robinson visited UNamur several times between 1994 and 1998. These visits were an opportunity to forge collaborations with other CRED researchers.

This is the case with Jean-Philippe Platteau, Professor Emeritus and economist at the University of Namur and CRED member. "We worked on quite similar research topics and for this reason, we found ourselves together as participants in international scientific events. Our interactions were fruitful, and it was at James Robinson's suggestion that I undertook to write my book entitled "Islam Instrumentalised: Religion and Politics in Historical Perspective" consecrated to the political economy of religions, in particular Islam", comments Jean-Philippe Platteau. It was also at the invitation of James A. Robinson that he was part of a group of a dozen international economists gathered in Kinshasa in January 2015 to discuss with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo an effective long-term development strategy for the country.

During his time at UNamur, James A. Robinson has also shared his expertise with students. He gave lectures as part of the Master of Specialization in International and Development Economics (SMIDE), now headed by Romain Houssa. These interventions enabled students to benefit directly from the knowledge and experience of one of the greatest contemporary economists, offering them a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of economic development in southern hemisphere countries.

The links between James A. Robinson and CRED researchers are a perfect illustration of the importance of international collaborations in development economics research. These partnerships make it possible to combine diverse perspectives and develop innovative solutions to global economic problems.

"By winning this Nobel Prize in Economics, James A. Robinson and his two colleagues highlight our field of specialization in Namur in a way that no other event has done before. This is not only rewarding for our research work, but also inspiring and stimulating for the new generation of researchers working at CRED today," concludes Jean-Philippe Platteau.