The history of pre-modern European universities in a nutshell
Faculty mobility has been a hallmark of universities since their inception. The connections forged between distant campuses has facilitated the exchange of manuscripts and students,
The global semiconductor talent crunch: How protectionism backfired
The US aims to revitalise its domestic semiconductor manufacturing industry, but will there be enough skilled workers to meet the ambitious goals? This column presents
Deciphering the disinflation process
US inflation surged in the early post-COVID period, driven by various economic shocks including supply chain disruptions and labour supply constraints. Following its peak at
How to cut the UK debt interest bill
UK bond yields are currently higher than the G7 average, leading to historically high debt interest payments. Importantly, the level of breakeven inflation embedded in
Why global temperature matters
Climate change is frequently described as an existential threat, posing significant risks to our lives, livelihoods and the global economy. This view, however, stands in
The return to overseas visits by political leaders: Evidence from Japanese yen loan procurement auctions
Japan identifies ‘top-level sales’ through overseas visits by political leaders as an important policy tool to help Japanese firms win more infrastructure contracts. However, overseas
Implications of decarbonisation for fuel excise tax revenues and pricing of road transport externalities
Fuel excise duties are a substantial source of tax revenue for many countries as well as a tool for pricing the climate and non-climate externalities
The role of workforce ageing in closing the gender pay gap
The narrowing of the gender pay gap slowed around the turn of the 21st century. Meanwhile, younger workers have fared progressively worse than older workers.
Trapped! China and the ‘middle-income trap’
A recent sustained growth deceleration in China raises the question of whether the country has fallen into a ‘middle-income trap’. This column argues that China
Equating inequality: Public perceptions of income and wealth distributions
Do people distinguish between income and wealth, how they are distributed, and how they should be taxed? This column reports results of a survey-experiment in
