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According to Timur Kuran, there isn’t a single democracy in the Middle East, which he defines as all 22 Arab states, plus Iran and Turkey. The region ranks below every other region in indices that measure political freedoms, civic life and religious freedoms.   Many have claimed that Islam is the reason for the lack of democracy. But in “Freedoms Delayed: Political Legacies of Islamic Law in the Middle East” — Kuran’s seventh book, whose e-format will be released on July 20 — the Professor of Economics and… read more about Timur Kuran Explores the Political Impact of Islam on the Middle East in New Book »

Some people might say you can’t put a price tag on a whale or an elephant, but not Connel Fullenkamp, professor of the practice of economics. He and several colleagues have been working for the last four years to do just that. In 2021, Fullenkamp, along with Ralph Chami, a former International Monetary Fund economist, and two others, founded Blue Green Future, an organization researching ways to offset greenhouse gas emissions by putting a value on carbon-capturing creatures and plants – everything from microscopic plant… read more about Duke Economist Seeks to Create a Nature-Based Economy »

On Sunday, May 14th, at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke Economics celebrated the commencement of 330 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. The break-down of degrees was as follows: 18 - Ph.D. in Economics 8 - Master of Arts in Analytical Political Economy 76 - Master of Arts in Economics 27 - Master of Science in Economics and Computation 199 - B.S. in Economics 2 - Interdepartmental majors (B.S. Econ and Comp Sci) Chair James Roberts welcomed family and friends of the graduates. “Congrats to each and… read more about Duke Economics Celebrates the Class of 2023 »

Three undergraduate students who found an engaging intellectual topic and worked with Duke faculty to conduct original research that advances knowledge in that field were honored with Faculty Scholar Awards, the highest honor bestowed by university faculty on undergraduates. The award was established to highlight students with an exceptional record of independent research and scholarship and who show promise of a scholarly career. Marcos Hirai Catao is recognized for the study of the relationship between… read more about Three Students Honored as Faculty Scholars  »

Senior Raghav Rasal knew he was going to be an Economics major before he even came to Duke. With that knowledge he immediately immersed himself in the department as soon as he arrived in Durham.   “During my freshman Fall, I was part of the Modeling in Economic and Social Sciences Focus Cluster," said Rasal. The FOCUS program is for students in their first semester at Duke. Students apply and can choose from one of 18 clusters that cover a variety of topics. The goal of the program is to expose students to… read more about Class of 2023: Raghav Rasal Reflects on His Time with Duke Econ »

His upcoming May graduation has made Duke Economics senior Qi Xuan Khoo reflect on his time with Duke Econ.  “My undergraduate experience at Duke has been nothing less than intellectually rewarding and eye-opening. I have learnt tremendously from the faculty's diverse backgrounds and areas of work,” said Khoo. Khoo is a double major in economics and computer science with a minor in mathematics.  His studies have included a wide range of topics from corporate finance to development economics. Khoo also… read more about Class of 2023: Qi Xuan Khoo Got a Good DEAL at Duke »

Duke Economics is pleased to announce that Kevin Marchetti (T'00) will be delivering the keynote speech at the upcoming economics graduation ceremony on May 14 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Marchetti is a distinguished entrepreneur, serving as the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of Lineage Logistics, which is the largest temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics REIT worldwide, handling over 150 billion pounds of food a year. During his time at Duke, Marchetti was a dedicated student of economics and held a… read more about Duke Economics Announces Alumnus Kevin Marchetti as Commencement Keynote Speaker »

Each year, Duke Service-Learning recognizes students, faculty and community partners with the Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Awards. Betsy Alden was a pioneer in service-learning, beginning her work at Duke during the 1980s. Read more about the legacy of Betsy Alden HERE. Recipients are chosen because they represent an exceptional commitment to the ideals of service‐learning. Each winner receives $150 to further develop his/her community-building and leadership skills. They are also recognized at the… read more about 2023 Alden Award Winners Represent Exceptional Commitment to Service-Learning »

The Duke Financial Economics Center (DFE) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022-2023 DFE Leadership Award: Lily Vore ’23 and Jason Zhang ’23. The annual honor recognizes seniors who have made singular contributions as peer mentors and demonstrated robust leadership in finance-related activities. Vore and Zhang are among 29 recipients of the award since 2010-2011. As they discuss in the Q&A below, Vore and Zhang have articulated their passion for finance through a wide range of activities, including seeking out… read more about Seniors Lily Vore and Jason Zhang Honored with 2022-2023 DFE Leadership Award »

Kelly Kaili Yang, who is currently completing her Ph.D. at Duke Economics was recently presented with the Rising Star Award at the Chinese Economists Society Annual Meeting at the University of Oklahoma.  Yang, who also earned her Master's degree from Duke Economics in 2017, studies industrial organization, health economics, and international trade, with a focus on technology adoption and quality upgrading.  The Gregory Rising Star Award is given annually to promising Chinese Ph.D. students.  Yang was… read more about Ph.D. Student Wins Rising Star Award at the Chinese Economists Society Annual Meeting »

Professor Michelle Connolly was presented the 2023 recipient of the PURC (Public Utilities Research Center) Distinguished Service Award for her work on February 23nd at the University of Florida. The PURC Distinguished Service Award recognizes Connolly’s contributions to the field through academic contributions and policy analyses. Connolly has done extensive research in telecommunications, spectrum analysis, and broadband policy. Previous winners include Jean Tirole, Jean-Jacques Laffont, and Alfred E. Khan.  PURC… read more about Michelle Connolly Presented PURC Distinguished Service Award »

Dr. Christian Lundblad is the Richard Levin Distinguished Professor of Finance and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research at Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his master’s degree in economics and Ph.D. in economics and statistics & decision sciences at Duke, following his B.A. in economics and English literature with highest honors from Washington University in St. Louis. His research spans asset pricing, investment management, and… read more about Alumni Profiles Series: Christian Lundblad »

Serra Güllü was just 2 years old in 1999 when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the city of İzmit in Turkey, killing thousands and damaging tens of thousands of homes and buildings. From Istanbul, Güllü was too young to remember that day, but her family does, and she’s heard the horror stories. Twenty-four years later, Güllü, a student in the Masters in Analytical Political Economy (MAPE) program at Duke, has been fielding inquiries from friends and family about the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked her country in the… read more about Turkey’s Fate Was Sealed by Failures – Both Structural and Political, Experts Say »

If there is any common knowledge about going into finance among Duke undergrads, it is that recruiting began yesterday. By sophomore year, students are being recruited by the major investment banks for internships that won’t start until the summer after their junior year. This puts the onus on the youngest Duke students to explore what working in finance actually means. Luckily, among the many resources at their disposal are older peers who have been through the process and want to help. Michael Legesse, a junior… read more about From Freshman with a Spreadsheet to Investment Banking Intern: One Student's Path toward a Finance Career »

Susan Athey, T’ 91, has been elected president of the American Economic Association. Athey, a triple Economics/Mathematics/Computer Science alumna and professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business will serve for the 2023 year.   The American Economic Association (AEA) is a professional organization of economists that aims to promote excellence in the field of economics. The association has a wide range of initiatives and programs that serve its members and advance the discipline of economics.… read more about Duke Economics Alumna Elected President of the American Economic Association »