Economics
Former FTC Chair Lina Khan Urges Democrats to Rethink Federal Agency Function at IOP Forum
Lina Khan, the former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, said Democrats must respond to Department of Government Efficiency-led cutbacks with a new vision for effective federal agencies in a lecture at the Institute of Politics on Thursday night.
Harvard Faculty Say Shutdown Could Erode Trust in Government
Congressional Democrats and Republicans are in a healthcare standoff, disputing over whether the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies should last into 2026. Experts said the loss of services that result from the shutdown will have an impact on American’s daily lives.
Construction Underway for Economics Department’s Pritzker Hall
Professors in the department said they hope the new space, which is expected to open in December 2027, will provide a much needed upgrade and allow more collaboration between students and professors.
Former Senator Phil Gramm Slams Trump’s Economic Policy At HKS Talk
Former United States Senator Phil Gramm condemned the Trump administration’s economic policy and efforts to take equity stakes in private companies at a Harvard Kennedy School talk on Tuesday afternoon.
Top Harvard Economists Urge Supreme Court to Block Trump from Firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook
Nine Harvard economists called on the Supreme Court to stop President Donald Trump from dismissing Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook in a brief filed Thursday.
Harvard Economists Warn of Risks from Trump’s Economic Policies
Leading Harvard economist Jason Furman ’92 said he is concerned that the Trump administration’s attempts to influence the Federal Reserve could harm the U.S. economy beyond the next four years.
Prominent Harvard Affiliates Sent Birthday Letters to Jeffrey Epstein, WSJ Reports
Several high-profile Harvard affiliates were among those who sent birthday letters, some with sexually suggestive messages, to disgraced billionaire and sex offender Jeffrey E. Epstein in 2003, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Harvard Social Science Dean Lawrence Bobo Steps Down, Will Be Replaced by Economist David Cutler
Harvard Dean of Social Science Lawrence D. Bobo will step down from his position and take a sabbatical for the 2025-26 academic year. He will be replaced by interim Social Science dean David M. Cutler for the next two years.
Young Americans Oppose Trump, Report Economic Hardship in New IOP Poll
A new Institute of Politics poll finds that the Trump administration's policies are deeply unpopular among young people.
Trump Tariffs Mean Chaos for Consumers, HBS Professors Say
Two Harvard Business School professors and economics experts said President Donald Trump’s drastic tariff increases earlier this month will face rocky implementation and are a bad omen for U.S. businesses of many sizes.
African Leaders Call for Action on Trade and Accountability at IOP Forum
Two prominent African leaders said the Trump Administration’s tariffs will diminish U.S. influence and weaken diplomatic relations with African countries during a Friday Institute of Politics forum, just under a week after Trump’s 10 percent tariffs took effect.
Researchers Lose Federal Funding at Cambridge-Based National Bureau of Economic Research
Ari Ne’eman, an assistant professor at Harvard’s School of Public Health, had been studying disability income and employment for five months before his funding through the National Bureau of Economic Research was cut by the Trump administration.
‘Inconsistent with Basic Economics’: Harvard Economics Baffled by Trump’s Tariff Policy
After more than a week of escalating tariffs on the United States’ closest allies and adversaries alike, Harvard economists warned that President Donald Trump’s economic policy would plunge the country into a recession.
Harvard Launches ‘Impact Labs’ To Fund Social Scientists Who Partner With Outside Organizations
Harvard will pilot a program — named Harvard Impact Labs — to fund collaboration between social scientists and leaders in the public and private sectors.
Foreign Affairs Experts Debate Impact of USAID Cuts at Harvard IOP Forum
Harvard's Institute of Politics hosted a panel Tuesday evening on the future of foreign aid following the Trump administration’s plans to eliminate more than 90 percent of the contracts for the United States International Agency for Development.
World Bank President Ajay Banga Talks Jobs and Development at IOP Forum
World Bank President Ajay S. Banga said global development initiatives must prioritize job creation at a Harvard Institute of Politics Forum on Monday.
Nobel Laureate Claudia Goldin Warns of Federal Data Misuse at IOP Forum
Nobel laureate and Harvard Economics professor Claudia D. Goldin raised concerns about the Trump Administration’s “misuse” and removal of government data at an Institute of Politics forum Tuesday, warning of dire consequences for researchers and policymakers.
HBS Graduates Face a Tougher Job Market
2024 was a bad year for Harvard Business School graduates: down from 2023, 15 percent of graduates with a Masters in Business Administration seeking employment did not receive a job offer, and one percent of graduates postponed their search entirely.
Harvard Alumni Donate to Fund Construction of Economics Building, New Professorships
Several prominent Harvard alumni donated to the Economics department to fund two new professorships and the construction of the department’s new home, Pritzker Hall, the University announced Wednesday morning.
Harvard to Break Ground on Pritzker-Funded Economics Building in June 2025
Construction on the new building for the Harvard Economics Department will begin in June 2025, according to an email sent to Harvard Art Museums affiliates on Monday morning.
Former Harvard President, Treasury Secretary Summers Warns of Inflation Under Trump
Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence H. Summers said U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed economic policies will increase inflation at a Harvard Institute of Politics forum on Thursday.
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Talks China, New Book at IOP Forum
Kevin Rudd, Australian ambassador to the United States, said China should become self-sufficient to match other global powers at an Institute of Politics forum to promote his new book on Friday.
MIT Prof. Talks Ancient Chinese Philosophy and Global Economics at IOP
MIT professor of management and economics Kristin Forbes spoke about how Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” can be applied to global monetary policy on Tuesday at the annual Institute of Politics Albert H. Gordon Lecture.
Daron Acemoglu Highlights Technology’s Role in Inequality at HKS Lecture
MIT Economics professor Daron Acemoglu delivered the fourth annual Stone Lecture at a JFK Jr. Forum Tuesday evening, discussing the impacts of AI and technological advancement on wealth concentration.
Former Tanzanian President and Mozambican Prime Minister Talk African Governance at IOP
The Former President of Tanzania, Jakaya M. Kikwete, and former Mozambican Prime Minister Luisa D. Diogo took the stage at the Institute of Politics on Monday to discuss the state of political governance in Africa.