Tracks and Sessions

Keynote: Dr. Paul Romer, Stanford University

Paul Romer, one of the nation's leading economists, was the primary developer of New Growth Theory, a body of work that provides a fresh foundation for business and government thinking about wealth creation.

In 2002, Paul was recognized for his work in this field when he was awarded the Horst Claus Recktenwald Prize in Economics for outstanding achievement and contributions to the field. He also was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business (1999), named one of America's 25 most influential people by TIME magazine (1997), and elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2000). He is a fellow of the Econometric Society and a research associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research. He was a member of the National Research Council Panel on Criteria for Federal Support of Research and Development, a member of the Executive Council of the American Economics Association, and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

Paul is currently the STANCO 25 Professor of Economics in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow of the Hoover Institution. Before coming to Stanford, he taught economics at the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Chicago, and the University of Rochester. He is also the founder of Aplia, which develops and applies technologies for improving student learning. This work springs from his conviction that improving education at all levels will be the key to sustaining technological progress in the twenty-first century and that better educational technology will lead better educational outcomes.

Session 1: Crafting Actionable Responses to Global Poverty: Supporting 'What Works' as Solution and Problem (top)

Description: At a time of laudable global commitments to meeting international poverty reduction targets, and increased pressure from citizens, governments and foundations for rigorous evidence identifying projects and policies that "work", it is tempting for the development fraternity to respond by scaling up and replicating simple and standardized interventions whose impacts are known, immediate and readily measurable. Certainly there is a place for such efforts, and the scale of the challenge surely demands a serious commensurate response. But the history of any wholesale effort to rapidly change a society (and its economy and polity), no matter how dire the prevailing situation or how well-intentioned the initial effort, is a decidedly unhappy one. Poverty reduction policies should be embedded within sustainable development strategies, the centerpiece of which should be the crafting of context-specific, locally legitimate, and politically supportable problem-solving mechanisms. Some of these problems will map onto known solutions (such as microfinance and community health) but many -- such as those pertaining to legal, political and organizational reform -- will not. For such problems, the challenge is to forge spaces, procedures and incentives wherein "good struggles" -- that is, struggles between contending actors that are more equitable and informed than they would be otherwise -- can be waged to both clarify the problem and begin enacting a particular solution that the relevant actors can own, manage, enforce and iteratively adjust. Though the imperatives of large development organizations conspire against it, such an approach is entirely consistent with modern historical experience, social theory, much of economic theory, and recent lessons from major development projects in Indonesia, India, and Cambodia.

Session 2: Banking for the Poor (top)

Description: Microfinance is seen by some as the key to not only lifting people out of poverty, but also allowing them to own their situation. Additionally, the concept is quickly being adapted to capital markets as more and more investment banks and wealthy philanthropists see the potential profit that can benefit both domestic businesses and foreign development. Nevertheless, the concept of microcredit has as many critics as supporters, and many suggest that it is not the solution to poverty. In this discussion, we will assess the challenges faced by microfinancing operations and whether they provide a viable method to create sustainable economic development.

Session 3: The Globalization of Labor: African "Brain Drain" (top)

Description: Globalization's impact on cultural conflict and increased trade flows have drawn plenty of attention in recent years, but the globalization of labor as been relatively obscure despite remittances to developing countries on the order of billions in cash flow. Recent reports of "brain drain" in Africa have become a hot topic in public health, but exactly how many health professionals are emigrating from Africa? What is the impact on health systems? On development? Is "brain drain" the newest poverty trap or are reports highly exaggerated?

Session 4: Institutional Aid: Harmful or Essential? (top)

Description: When reaching out to the rich about the plight of the poor, nonprofit organizations often ask for money to help fund projects. Where is the line drawn, however, between too little and too much? Some argue that even conventional aid can be a cause for harm, preventing poor nations from building up their own economy by relying on the charity of others. Nevertheless, as billions in the world continue to struggle every day to live, one cannot deny the urgency needed for foreign aid and short-term donations. In this discussion, we explore methods of making international aid more effective and finding the balance between help and harm.