Holiday message and reading list from our Editor-in Chief
Dear All,
We will be taking a break at VoxDev from posting new content from 22 December to 2 January, but we will post some of the highlights from 2017 and you can see our videos from the year here.
VoxDev has now been up and running for six months (wow!) and we have accomplished a tonne! In my opening editorial note I quoted one of my favourite authors, Douglas Adams: “We’re off to a great start. We have the first snowflake. Now let's build a blizzard.” I think we have started a blizzard, now let’s make it the snow storm of the century!
VoxDev has had a fantastic six months. In terms of reach, here are some statistics (because you know how much we love data): our readers span 190 countries, with over 30% based in the developing world, and we have about 25,000 page views per month!
We have had an outpouring of feedback, thanks, and everything in between. We would not have gotten here without you, our readers, and our awesome contributors – thank you! Please keep sending us stuff at [email protected]. A huge shout out to my Managing Editor, Nidhi Parekh, and our fabulous Board, Robin Burgess, Chang-Tai Hsieh and Chris Woodruff – the team that has worked tirelessly to build VoxDev! And, of course, thanks to CEPR, the IGC and PEDL for all they do.
Next year we hope to do lots more! Expect more videos, many more articles, and maybe even some cool new experiments with content. Stay tuned as we keep trying to bridge the gap between research and practice so that research can be used to inform economic decisions at every level.
Meanwhile, I wish you all a very happy holiday and hope 2018 brings you all amazing things. If you miss us over the break, below is my very own VoxDev reading list! See you in 2018!
Reading list
The role of trade
2017 has seen what may be the start of a sea change in trade policy across the world. Here is what some of our contributors had to say on the evidence:
1. Trading up: Globalisation and developing countries
2. How high intra-national trade costs limit the gains of globalisation
3. The evolving impact of trade liberalisation on wages and employment in Brazil
4. Trade and inequality: From theory to estimation
India and Pakistan turn 70
On the 70 year anniversary of India and Pakistan’s independence, we ran these columns on the two countries:
1. Drawing the line: The short- and long-term consequences of partitioning India
2. Democracy in Pakistan: Elections tell us why politicians behave badly
3. Colonial investments in education in India
SME growth
SMEs are an important policy priority area in the developing world. We featured a number of pieces on the obstacles they face and how to overcome them:
1. The implication of firm competition on industrial policies
2. Using consulting to improve managerial capital for SMEs
3. Generating SMEs through a business plan competition in Nigeria
4. Bad practices hold back small firms in developing countries
The environment
As ever, the effects of climate change weigh heavy. Some readings on the impact of pollution and possible solutions to climate change:
1. Forest conservation in Uganda: Using financial incentives to avert climate change
2. The effect of pollution on worker productivity: Evidence from call-centre workers in China
3. The cost of air pollution in South Africa
Some of my other personal favourites:
1. Combating poverty in developing countries with a universal basic income
2. How refugee camps benefit host communities
3. The skills to pay the bills: Returns to on-the-job soft skills training
4. Interfirm relationships and business performance in China
5. Sunlight as disinfectant: Disclosure requirements and corruption in India