Monthly Archives: October 2014

Fellowships in sustainability science Harvard University, US

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The Center for International Development, at Harvard University, invites applications for its fellowships in sustainability science. These aim to facilitate the design, implementation and evaluation of effective interventions that promote sustainable development. The 2015 competition is focused on decarbonising energy systems in EU; designing, developing and implementing sustainable energy technologies and policies in China; and the impacts of fossil fuel subsidies on economic, environmental and health indicators and the actions that can be taken to reduce them.

Applicants must be doctoral students enrolled in a doctoral programme who have completed their required coursework, postdocs who have received their PhD degree less than five years ago and mid-career professionals from governmental, non-governmental, private organisations or academia with at least five years work experience in relevant fields. Fellowships are open to applicants of all nationalities, but candidates from Italy, China and developing nations are especially encouraged to apply.

The fellowships are available for up to one year depending on the experience of the candidate. Funding is worth US$28,000 for doctoral students and US$55,000 for postdoctoral students. Fellowships for mid-career professionals are worth up to US$35,000.

Closing date 02 Feb 15

Funder’s website

The Interaction between Economic Institutions and International Trade

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The main focus of the recent literature on the economics of institutions has been on the role of institutions that define and enforce contracts and property rights in enhancing economic performance. A key finding of this literature is that countries with better rule of law and more private property rights protection have on average grown faster, where faster growth is associated with better allocative efficiency.  Yet a criticism of this literature is that there is a great deal of heterogeneity in institutions as well as in outcomes associated with a given institutional metric.

The literature on the interaction between economic institutions and international trade provides some insight into how such heterogeneity can arise. It does so by arguing that poor institutions can be a source of rent for some groups while institutions can also be a source of comparative advantage.  Consequently, the welfare consequences arising from the interaction between economic institutions and international trade are shown to be ambiguous.  For example, recent research shows that if (Ricardian) productivity is greater by a sufficiently large margin in the sector where the country has a comparative advantage, then comparative advantage is assured and opening to trade increases rent seeking, thereby reducing efficiency. But if productivity differences between countries are small then under trade they compete for the sector by improving institutional quality, and so trade liberalization increases efficiency.

Acemoglu, D., and J.A. Robinson, (2006); “Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy.“, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY.

Costinot, A., (2009); “On the Origins of Comparative Advantage.” Journal of International Economics, 77: 255-264. [Working paper version]

Dal Bó, E. and P. Dal Bó (2011); “Workers, Warriors and Criminals: Social Conflict in General Equilibrium.” Journal of the European Economic Association, 9(4): 646–677. [Working paper version]

Engerman, S.L., and K.L. Sokoloff, (1997); “Factor Endowments, Institutions, and Differential Paths of Growth Among New World Economies: A View from Economic Historians of the United States.” Published in S. Harber (ed) How Latin America Fell Behind, Stanford University Press, Stanford. [Working paper version]

Garfinkel, M.R., S. Skaperdas, and C. Syropoulos, (2008); “Globalization and Domestic Conflict.” Journal of International Economics, 76(2): 296-308. [Working paper version]

Levchenko, A., (2007); “Institutional Quality and International Trade.” Review of Economic Studies, 74:3 (July 2007), 791-819. [Working paper version]

Levchenko, A.A., (2013); “International Trade and Institutional Change.” Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 29(5): 1145-1181. [Working paper version]

Nunn, N., (2007); “Relationship-Specificity, Incomplete Contracts, and the Pattern of Trade.” Quarterly Journal of Economics, 122(2): 569-600.

USAID fighting ebola broad agency announcement

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Agency for International Development (USAID), US

The Agency for International Development (USAID) invites applications for its fighting ebola broad agency announcement. This aims to support the development, testing, and scaling of practical and cost effective innovations that can help healthcare workers on the front lines provide better care and stop the spread of ebola.

International organisations may apply.

Funding is expected to be in the range of US$100,000 to US$1 million over a period of one to three years.

Ref: USAID: BAA-EBOLA-2014.

  • Closing date 07 Nov 14
  • Deadline information Deadlines on: 7 November 2014, 1 December 2014.
  • Date added 10 Oct 14
  • Award type Development (Africa/Caribbean);Networking/collaboration; Directed grants to institutions, research groups etc
  • Award amount max $1,000,000
  • Award amount min $100,000
  • Average award amount —
  • Award budget total —
  • Applications per institution —
  • Consortium requirements Not Known

Click here for original funding call

Funding

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Economic and Social Research Council, GB

The Economic and Social Research Council invites proposals for its transformative research call. This aims to provide a stimulus for genuinely transformative research ideas at the frontiers of the social sciences, enabling research which challenges current thinking to be supported and developed.

Projects should involve pioneering theoretical and methodological innovation. Research must address one or more of the following priority areas:

•economic performance and sustainable growth;

•influencing behaviour and informing innovations;

•a vibrant and fair society.

Only two applications will be accepted from each research organisation eligible for research council funding. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to pitch their proposal at a Pitch to Peers workshop on 17 and 18 June 2015 and applicants must be able to attend the event in order to apply for this call.

Proposals will be funded up to £250,000 at 100 per cent full economic cost, of which the ESRC will pay 80 per cent. Projects may have a duration of up to 18 months, and up to 20 projects will be funded.

  • Closing date 19 Feb 15
  • Deadline information Proposals invited between 1 November 2014 and 4pm, 19 February 2015.
  • Date added 08 Oct 14
  • Award type Directed grants to institutions, research groups etc; Travel for research purposes; Innovation grants; Equipment and materials
  • Award amount max £200,000
  • Award amount min —
  • Average award amount —
  • Award budget total —
  • Applications per institution 2
  • Consortium requirements Not Known

Click here for original funding call

Large grants

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Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance, GB and other funders

Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance, under its humanitarian innovations fund, invites proposals for its large grant facility. Funding supports the development, implementation and testing of a humanitarian innovation that will lead to demonstrated cost-effective improvements in humanitarian practice.

Non-profit organisations such as non-governmental organisations, public or governmental institutions and academic or research institutes that have legal status and are registered in the country in which the project will be carried out, may apply. There is no geographic restriction as to the origin of an applicant. Organisations may apply individually or in consortia. For-profit organisations can be part of a consortium but cannot be the lead applicant or grant beneficiary. Lead applicants can only submit two applications per round, but can be part of any number of consortia.

Grants will be allocated to projects with an implementation period of up to 18 months and range from £75,000 up to £150,000.

  • Closing date 03 Nov 14
  • Deadline information Expressions of interest due by 12 midnight GMT, 3 November; invited full proposals due 22 December 2014. This call is repeated 2 times a year.
  • Date added 07 Oct 14
  • Award type Innovation grants; Directed grants to institutions, research groups etc; Technology innovation/development; Prototypes and demonstrations
  • Award amount max £150,000
  • Award amount min £75,000
  • Average award amount —
  • Award budget total —
  • Applications per institution 2
  • Consortium requirements Any

Click here for the original funding call.

Welcome new members

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We would like to welcome the following new members to the InsTED network from the University of Exeter Business School.

Dr. Surajeet Chakravarty His research interests include contract theory, allocation mechanisms and banking. 

Prof. John Maloney His research interests are in macroeconomics and history of economic thought.

Dr. Simone Meraglia His research interest is in political economy and economic history.

Dr. Christian Siegel His main research interests are in economic growth, structural transformation, and macroeconomic implications of household behaviour.

Dr. Jan Auerbach His current research interests lie in the intersection of Political Economy, Economic Development, and Growth.

Dr. Julian Neira  His currently work consists of two main lines on Public finance and Macroeconomics.

Dr. Rish Singhania His current research focuses on the valuation of mortgages and mortgage backed securities, valuation of assets under government guarantees, and properties of the aggregate production function.