Book Talk: An Economist in the Real World: The Art of Policymaking in India

In 2009, economist Kaushik Basu left the world of academia at Cornell University and became the chief economic adviser to the Government of India. He is currently the Chief Economist of the World Bank and Senior Vice President of the World Bank Group. In his new book An Economist in the Real World (MIT Press, October 2015), Basu describes the art of economic policymaking and offers a unique perspective on India's economic development that is both rigorous and very personal.

Join us for a Chats in the Stacks book talk with Dr. Basu, Professor of Economics and C. Marks Professor of International Studies at Cornell. His book describes his years as chief economic adviser and reveals the complex challenges facing India, a subcontinent with more than a billion people. A noted economic theorist, scientist, and anthropologist, he discovers how difficult it is to apply economic models to the real world of deal-making and corruption.  He soon learns that effective policymaking integrates technical knowledge with political awareness.

Basu is a Fellow of the Econometric Society and received India’s Padma Bhushan award as well as the National Mahalanobis Memorial award. His contributions span development economics, welfare economics, industrial organization and game theory.

Light refreshments served and books available for purchase. 

The book talk series at Mann Library is supported by the Mary A. Morrison Public Education Fund.