In this workshop organized at Nantes by Boris Samuel and me on May 5 and 6, 2015 we will investigate the role of indicators in economic development. We will explore how numbers structure knowledge about economic development and how they give rise to social...
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Why so grumpy? The datarevolution and its discontents
In "Big Questions for Big Data and what it can do for African Economic Development" I wrote about some of the basic knowledge problems that remain in development statistics, and concluded that, as of yet, Big Data does not seem well equipped in addressing...
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Statistical Tragedy in Africa? Take 2
The launch of the special issue in the Journal of Development Studies took place at the Center of Global Development today. All the papers are available free here.
Statistical Tragedy in Africa? Evaluating the Data Base for African Economic Development
On Monday, salve April 6, thumb 2015 - 10:00am to 11:30am the special issue in the Journal of Development Studies: Statistical Tragedy in Africa? Evaluating the Data Base for African Economic Development which I edited with Deborah Johnston is being launched at the Center...
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Call for papers WEHC 2015: Counting people, understanding economies: global histories of registration and demographic statistics
Gerardo Serra (Sussex) and I are issuing a call for papers for the panel on 'Counting People, Understanding Economies: Global Histories of Registration and Demographic Statistics' that we set up for the forthcoming World Economic History Congress in Kyoto (3-7 August 2015). Interested contributors should contact...
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Africa and Economics. What’s the problem?
Sensitivity to local conditions? Check. World Bank Kenya got it covered. Right on cue, doctor the World Bank makes a contribution to the debate on whether Economics has an Africa problem (here and here). Several WBG Executive Directors are visiting Kenya from 16th -...
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“Does economics have an Africa problem?” – A rejoinder
Does Economics have an Africa problem? Yes, says Griewe Chelwa in a post for the blog Africa is a Country. Chelwa points out that the most important conferences on African economic development routinely are organized outside of Africa. He also notes that this extends...
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Public talk in Bordeaux 19 FEB 6 PM: Derrière “l’émergence de l’Afrique”. La croissance, une fiction statistique ?
I am a visiting scholar at "Les Afriques dans le monde" at Sciences Po Bordeaux in the spring term 2015. This event is public and free, online it is organized by Vincent Bonnecasse - who contributed a chapter in my recent edited volume. There...
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Podcast: How poor numbers undermine the fight against poverty
It is two years since Poor Numbers was published, prescription and I had a nice conversation with Tom Paulson and Gabe Spitzer at Humanosphere. You can listen to the podcast here. We talked about the importance of getting good evidence, but also on the...
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Just Published: Measuring African Development: Past and Present
Very happy to the see Measuring African Development: Past and Present in print. You can read an open access of the introduction to the book here. The volume takes you through the very first household budget surveys and national account estimates during colonial rule...
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