Economist Joseph Stiglitz to Lecture on Development Economics and the Future

Media contact: Noelle Lemoine, communications assistant; tele: (413) 597-4277; email: [email protected]

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Oct. 9, 2001 — Joseph Stiglitz, professor of economics at Columbia University, will deliver a lecture at Williams College on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall. The title of the talk is “Development Economics: What Next?”

Stiglitz was a member and then chair of the Council of Economic Advisors during the Clinton administration. In 1996, he joined the World Bank as senior vice president and chief economist. In November 1999 he left this position so that he might speak openly about his disagreements with policies implemented by the World Bank and by the International Monetary Fund. In particular, Stiglitz called for more open debate about global economic policies. He returned to academia in February 2000.

His contributions to economic theory over the last 35 years can be found in each of its subfields — microeconomics, macroeconomics, industrial organization, international economics, labor economics, financial economics and development economics. His published works span over 300 papers and 12 books. He has served on the faculties of Yale, Princeton, Oxford, and Stanford.

He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, a member of the National Academy of Science, and the recipient of the John Bates Clark Medal, awarded every two years to the American economist under the age of 40 who has made the most significant contributions to the subject.

Stiglitz is working on a new Initiative for Policy Dialogue at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs. The initiative aims to provide an alternative to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank for countries in need of sound economic policy advice.

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Published October 9, 2001