Policy briefs

Within the framework of the Opening economics Chair, policy briefs are regularly published to clarify specific research topics related to the chair’s research.

September 2023

When sociologists and economists team-up by Stefanie DeLuca

In this interview, Stefanie DeLuca highlights the complementarity between the approach of experimental economics on the field and qualitative interviewed conducted in sociology. She points out how interviews can help understand the mechanisms behind the quantitative results obtained with the economics methods.

June 2023

Community forest management: the story behind a success story in Nepal by François Libois

Among the “Green success stories”, Nepal is systematically highlighted as an example of successful community management of forests and more generally natural resources. This work assesses the contribution of forest user groups to the expansion and densification of Nepalese forests. The interdisciplinary team also seeks to understand the mechanisms underlying this success: access to alternative energies, limiting grazing in the forest, natural regeneration and planting. Understanding these mechanisms depends on the ability to adapt the participatory management model for the future of Nepal but also for other contexts.

May 2023

Evolutionary game theory and the emergence of morality by Jörgen Weibull and Jean-François Laslier

In this joint interview, Jörgen Weibull and Jean-François Laslier discuss their research on game theory. Their discussion leads them to develop the concept of evolutionary game theory, which is related to the Darwinian theory of natural selection. This concept allows us to understand the evolution of human behaviour, also using concepts from moral philosophy. In a second step, the discussion focuses on the use of game theory in understanding political life.

April 2023

Collaborating for sustainable development: the role of cofinancing in shaping outcomes of Chinese lending and overseas development finance projects by Yangsiyu Lu, Cecilia Springer and Bjarne Steffen

New research finds that greater collaboration through cofinancing with international and local partners can enhance infrastructure project success and achieve more sustainable performance in Chinese overseas development finance, highlighting the importance of a collaborative approach in international development finance.