Public Outreach

Are the foundations of democracy always laid in the midst of civil disobedience? Most democratic transitions in the last century have not, in fact, been the result of a peoples’ revolt. When it is in their own interests, authoritarian elites have been known to cede power without witnessing an insurrection. The economists Raouf Boucekkine, Paolo G. Piacquadio and Fabien Prieur interrogate the conditions necessary for peaceful transfer of power, by highlighting how education can lay fertile ground for the seeds of democracy.

What do we know about nature? Not a whole lot. According to estimates from the French National Museum of Natural History, we have identified between 1% and 10% of the species on Earth. Marine ecosystems have been greatly damaged from being exploited for our wants and needs, though we still know very little about them and the role they play. Whether it is for biology or economics, we should be diving deep into how these habitats are important on both a large and small scale. This is what Laure Thierry de Ville d’Avray, Dominique Ami, Anne Chenuil, Romain David, and Jean-Pierre Féral have demonstrated by studying a little-known Mediterranean habitat known as ‘coralligene.’

In order to maintain marine biodiversity, it is better to take the plunge and adopt fishing regulations than do nothing at all. However, the biological relationship between species must be considered to prevent things from going down the drain. Economists Nicolas Quérou and Agnes Tomini demonstrate this argument by studying the effects of fishing regulations in suboptimal situations.

How will we face the economic crisis that is awaiting us? History can give some insight. Since the financial crisis of 2008, industrialised states have been required to rely on the 'superpowers' of the Central Banks to buy back part of their debt, thereby avoiding the phenomenon of debt strangulation. Such practices have raised fears of a return to inflation, and of a threat to the independence of the monetary authorities. However, in the current context such practices can be beneficial, according to economists Gilles Dufrénot, Fredj Jawadi and Guillaume A. Khayat.

Are the containment measures effective? Should the population have been tested? Burning questions like this are igniting current public debate. Researchers Raouf Boucekkine (AMSE), Josselin Thuilliez (CNRS / PSE) and Jérôme Adda (Bocconi, Milan) have developed the “ECOVID-19” project, to respond to and assess the effectiveness of French public policy in the face of the current crisis.

Even if immigrants arriving in Europe are in better health than native-born citizens, residing in their host country affects them much more negatively. According to Marwân-al-Qays Bousmah, Simon Combes, and Mohammad Abu-Zaineh, immigrants’ health deteriorates with the length of residence in the host country. Does discrimination go beyond the realm of social status to even impact health?

One of the things which led to Covid-19 becoming a catastrophic situation has revealed to be the choices that were made before the pandemic. Regardless of whether these choices were good or not, they were nevertheless made. This therefore leads to the question of how catastrophes influence decision-making in uncertain situations. Theories are able to clearly explain our choices when we have all the elements in hand. However, once exceptional situations occur, such as catastrophes that have disastrous yet very unlikely consequences, these theories reveal to be less pertinent.

Hidden behind the migrant are the shortcomings of a coercive state system that has little respect for Human Rights and individual dignity. Readmission has implications going far beyond the migration realm. Jean-Pierre Cassarino draws a parallel between the increasing regulation of migration policies and the gradual deregulation of the labor market.

Why are there so few women at the top of the academic career ladder? Recent research by Clément Bosquet, Pierre-Philippe Combes, and Cecilia García-Peñalosa using data for academic economists in France shows that only 18% of those in the most senior positions are women, and that this is largely due to them not applying for such positions. This is not just a matter of discrimination: women hurt their own careers by not putting themselves forward for promotion.

In a world where climate change is a hot topic, enterprising countries must take initiative in implementing ambitious environmental policies. However, the cost of these policies hinders those that have been straddled with massive public debt since the 2008 financial crisis. So, how can economics and ecology be united? This is the question that is being examined by economists Mouez Fodha, Thomas Seegmuller, and Hiroaki Yamagami.