This PIIRS community, in collaboration with international partners in Africa, Asia and Europe, will investigate opportunities to channel capital flows to countries suffering from weak institutions and, in many cases, the threat or reality of violent conflict. Its objective is to study new models of development finance in the interest of raising incomes in the world’s poorest countries. Current strands of research include agricultural finance in Pakistan; access to finance in West Africa; private sector development; and reconceptualizing sovereign risk in countries where violence is limited to certain specific regions. The project will generate both academic and policy-oriented studies.

The effort is spearheaded by Ethan Kapstein, visiting professor of politics; Jacob Shapiro, professor of politics and international affairs; Atif Mian, the John H. Laporte, Jr. Class of 1967 Professor in Public Policy and Finance, professor of economics and public affairs, and director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy and Finance; Leonard Wantchekon, professor of politics and international affairs; Ronnie Sircar, professor of operations research and financial engineering; Maria Mica Sviatschi, assistant professor of economics and public affairs; and Helen Milner, the B.C. Forbes Professor of Public Affairs, professor of politics and international affairs, and director of the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance.