VoxTalk Vaults

Vincenzo Galasso interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 07 November 2008

By analysing the effects of a pension reform in Italy, Vincenzo Galasso of Bocconi University has been able to explore why people might decide to have children – because they like them or to provide security in old age. In an interview recorded at the annual congress of the European Economic Association in Milan in August 2008, he talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about his surprising finding that people facing the prospect of reduced pension benefits when they retire have increased their fertility.

Vincent Crawford interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 07 November 2008

Vincent Crawford, then of the University of California, San Diego, talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about the research programme of behavioural game theory, which uses economic theory and lab experiments to make the analysis of strategic behaviour more like the way real people think and therefore potentially more applicable. The interview was recorded at the annual congress of the European Economic Association in Milan in August 2008.

Konstantin Sonin interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 31 October 2008

Stalin’s mass killings are often viewed as the acts of a deranged dictator. But according to Konstantin Sonin of the New Economic School in Moscow, such violence may have reflected the Soviet leader’s rational efforts to avoid losing power. In an interview with Romesh Vaitilingam, recorded at the annual congress of the European Economic Association in Milan in August 2008, he discusses his research and its implications for thinking about modern day dictators.

Michael Kremer interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 31 October 2008

Michael Kremer of Harvard University talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about the potential of ‘advance market commitments’ for encouraging innovative new products in health and agriculture for developing countries. The interview was recorded at the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London in October 2008 following a public discussion meeting on ‘Rising food prices: causes, consequences and remedies’.

Nebojsa Nakicenovic interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 24 October 2008

At the Global Economic Symposium in Schleswig-Holstein in September 2008, Nebojsa Nakicenovic of the Vienna Institute of Technology and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis spoke at a session on energy versus climate change. Afterwards, he talked to Romesh Vaitilingam about the options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – improved energy efficiency; renewables; nuclear energy; and carbon capture and storage.

Hans-Werner Sinn interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 24 October 2008

According to Hans-Werner Sinn of CESifo, public policy discussion of climate change has focused only on the reduction of demand for fossil fuel, neglecting the supply side. In an interview with Romesh Vaitilingam, recorded at the annual congress of the European Economic Association in Milan in August 2008, he explains his view.

Erik Berglöf interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 17 October 2008

Erik Berglof, chief economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about the interlinkages between food markets, financial markets and development, particularly in the countries in which the EBRD operates, from central Europe to central Asia. The interview was recorded at the EBRD headquarters in London in October 2008 following a public discussion meeting on ‘Rising food prices: causes, consequences and remedies’.

Gilles Mettetal interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 17 October 2008

Gilles Mettetal, director of agribusiness at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about food production in the countries in which the EBRD operates, from central Europe to central Asia. The interview was recorded at the EBRD headquarters in London in October 2008 following a public discussion meeting on ‘Rising food prices: causes, consequences and remedies’.

Peter Timmer interviewed by Romesh Vaitilingam, 10 October 2008

Peter Timmer of Stanford University and the Centre for Global Development talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about the causes of high food prices – including the growth of China and India, dollar depreciation, biofuels and speculation – and the consequences – notably the renewed incentives for investment in raising agricultural productivity. The interview was recorded at the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London in October 2008 following a public discussion meeting on ‘Rising food prices: causes, consequences and remedies’.

Nora Lustig of George Washington University talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about rising food prices – causes of the recent increases and how developing countries and international institutions should respond. The interview was recorded at the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London in October 2008 following a public discussion meeting on ‘Rising food prices: causes, consequences and remedies’.