The Economics of Global Poverty

Braving New England’s sub-zero temperatures, scholars and practitioners gathered for the Economics of Global Poverty conference at Gordon this week. As billions worldwide struggle on $2 per day or less, the conference brought together gospel-informed scholars committed to rigorous research on addressing global poverty.

Keynote speakers were David Beckmann (president, Bread for the World, and World Food Prize laureate), who gave the opening lecture on “Exodus from Hunger: God’s Call for Leadership from Christian Economists,” and Bruce Wydick (professor of economics and international studies, University of San Francisco), who delivered the closing address on “What is Faith-Based Development Economics? Reflections from a Recent Impact Study.”

More than 40 selected participants from around the world presented papers on topics ranging from poverty reduction, labor issues and income inequality to international relief and student learning in developing counties.

Conference organizers Chris Barrett (David J. Nolan Director of the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University) and Stephen L. S. Smith (professor of economics and business, Gordon College) plan to produce an edited volume of selected conference papers, and will edit a special issue of Faith & Economics featuring a selection of papers.

Co-sponsored by the Association of Christian Economists (ACE), Calvin College Summer Seminars and Gordon College, the conference took place January 5–7, 2015, on the heels of the Allied Social Science Associations (ASSA) annual meetings in Boston.