CERGE-EI welcomed Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion as part of its Distinguished Speakers Series and on the occasion of the institution’s 35th anniversary. During his visit, Charles University awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Economic Sciences, honoris causa, and he delivered a public lecture titled The Power of Creative Destruction: Rethinking Capitalism. He also met with students, alumni, faculty, and decision makers for academic discussions and exchanges. In this student interview, Professor Aghion reflects on his own path from mathematics to economics, the social motivations behind his research, and the areas he believes will offer the most meaningful opportunities for young economists and PhD students today. Continue reading Philippe Aghion on Growth, Poverty, and Meaningful Research
Category Archives: Research
Researching Migration Through Economics
How do migrants integrate, and what happens when policy does not just regulate but stigmatizes? In this interview, CERGE-EI’s new faculty member Teresa Freitas-Monteiro discusses her current research on migration, cultural backlash, administrative data, and why discriminatory policies can have effects far beyond economics. Continue reading Researching Migration Through Economics
How Economic Shocks Shape Careers. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Margarita Pavlova
In the latest episode of Talking Economics Emerging Scholars, we speak with Margarita Pavlova, a CERGE-EI PhD candidate and an applied microeconomist specializing in labor and gender economics. Margarita studies how macroeconomic conditions, labor market policies, and institutional settings shape labor market outcomes over time. Continue reading How Economic Shocks Shape Careers. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Margarita Pavlova
When delayed retirement reshapes the workplace. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Sona Badalyan
Most research on retirement asks a simple question: when do people choose to stop working, and why? In the newest episode of Talking Economics Emerging Scholars, CERGE-EI job market candidate Sona Badalyan takes a different angle. She looks at raised retirement age as something that also happens to firms and coworkers—a change that can ripple through promotions, hiring, and peer effects. Continue reading When delayed retirement reshapes the workplace. Talking Economics Emerging Scholars with Sona Badalyan
Conclave Insider: Game Theory of Choosing a Pope
The papal conclave is often portrayed as a closed, ritualized event. But behind the secrecy lies a voting procedure with clear strategic logic. In this interview, CERGE-EI faculty Jan Zápal introduces the study Electing the pope: Elections by repeated ballots which he coauthors with Clara Ponsati. It explains how the pope is elected through repeated rounds requiring a two-thirds majority, why this system can in principle last for months or even years, and how economists model such elections to understand what kinds of winners the rules tend to produce. Along the way, they connect the conclave to other institutions that use similar repeated voting, and argue that long-standing rules can also confer legitimacy on the final choice. Continue reading Conclave Insider: Game Theory of Choosing a Pope