Dialogues économiques | AMSE | Aix-Marseille School of Economics

An online media outlet dedicated to making economics accessible, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and the general public. Dialogues économiques publishes articles, video interviews, and infographics, twice a month, providing information on a wide range of topics addressed by economic research. Available in both French and English, the content may be reproduced in its entirety, provided the authors and the source Dialogues économiques are credited (CC BY-NC-ND). Readers can subscribe to receive each new publication directly in their inbox.

Dialogues économiques

Exchange Rate Targeting in Sub-Saharan Africa: Real, Nominal, or Mixed?

With little diversification, a great amount of debt, and a high level of dependence, the economies of Sub-Saharan Africa are confronted with many challenges and left vulnerable against external shocks. What exchange rate regimes do central banks choose to protect these countries and help them reach seemingly incompatible macroeconomic aims?

JUNE 14, 2022

Photographie par Gorodenkoff sur Adobe Stock

Dialogues économiques

Evaluating Education Systems Through Inequalities Between Families

Is the French education system a rather average performer? According to the PISA ranking, this seems to be the case. But this ranking, which ranks education systems based on the average scores of their 15-year-old pupils, has its limitations. The economists Nicolas Gravel, Edward Levavasseur, and Patrick Moyes have therefore taken a new look at the PISA ranking by accounting for inequalities in family background.

OCTOBER 9, 2022

Dialogues économiques

Cesarean Section Epidemic: The Algerian Case

Is the world experiencing a caesarean section epidemic? The use of this practice is increasing in parallel to the establishment of private actors in the health sector. Using the example of Algeria, economists Ahcène Zehnati, Marwân-al-Qays Bousmah and Mohammad Abu-Zaineh reveal the differences in practice between the private and public health sectors.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

Dialogues économiques

Is there a “Natural Resources Curse?”

Oil, coal, gas, gold, diamonds, and other minerals are a great source of wealth for the countries that have these natural resources beneath the surface of their land. However, resources and development do not always go hand-in-hand. For a long time, economics literature has talked about the “curse of natural resources.” In the 2000’s, this theory is questioned: this “curse” may in fact just be a statistical artifact. The economists Nicolas Clootens and Djamel Kirat provide another perspective to the argument.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Dialogues économiques

Does a Denser City Mean a Greener City?

New Delhi, Jakarta, Mexico City, and Tokyo are all globally celebrated cities, but their population density is most often associated with polluted, unbreathable air and a heavy atmosphere. However, according to the economists David Castells-Quintana, Elisa Dienesch, and Mélanie Krause, promoting denser urban areas could actually lower emissions per capita—especially if the city is organized into multiple business districts.

JUNE 28, 2022

Dialogues économiques

The Growth Rate of Cities: From Agricultural to Industrial Towns

According to the World Bank, cities account for only 55% of Earth’s population, and generate more than 80% of the global GDP. They also often have a high economic growth. An Oxford study estimated Paris’ growth rate between 2019 and 2035 to be approximately 1.7%. But how can we explain this urban economic growth? The economists Christian Ghiglino, Kazuo Nishimura, and Alain Venditti aim to respond to this question by using a model that combines two major economic theories.

MAY 24, 2022

Dialogues économiques

The Balance Between Labor and Capital: Do Profits Consume Wages?

How are wages decided upon? One major determining factor is how value added is shared between a company’s profits and employee compensation. It has been collectively admitted that over the past forty years, profits have increased in many developed countries at the expense of wages. Economists Gilbert Cette, Lorraine Koehl, and Thomas Philippon look at this in a new light and demonstrate that the percentage for wages has actually increased in France.

MAY 10, 2022

Dialogues économiques

Students Prefer Accredited Schools!

How can you set yourself apart within a world of excellence? In order to be noticed and attract the very best students, elite French business schools, much like peacocks, show off their finest attire. However, when it comes to the strategy institutions use to win over students, a new element is quickly gaining traction: accreditations! The economists Mathieu Lefebvre and Julien Jacqmin explore this new tactic.

APRIL 26, 2022

Dialogues économiques

Risky Workplace: Reserved for Immigrants

Not all is equal between natives and immigrants in the labor market. Beyond wage differences, immigrants also tend to work in more dangerous jobs and face difficult working conditions. According to the economist Eva Moreno Galbis, this difference can be partially explained by outside employment opportunities and preferences driven by socio-demographic characteristics.

APRIL 14, 2022

Le serment du Jeu de Paume le 20 juin 1789 © Jacques-Louis David / Musée Carnavalet

Dialogues économiques

In Favour of the Majority

What could be more natural than reaching agreement by following the preference of the majority? Mihir Bhattacharya and Nicolas Gravel study the issue through a mathematical lens. They show that, in addition to its philosophical legitimacy, the majority is a collective preference representative of the preferences of the members of a society. Like the average, the median, or other statistical measures, the preference of the majority bears the closest resemblance to the individual preferences from which it emanates.

MARCH 29, 2022