The EDI edited Handbook of Economic Development, comprising of 20 pathfinding papers, has been published by Princeton University Press.

The essential role of institutions in driving economic development has long been recognised across the social sciences, including in economics. Building on existing research carried out by the Economic Development and Research (EDI) programme, a new publication, the Handbook of Economic Development and Institutions, has been published today by Princeton University Press. Edited by EDI researchers Jean-Marie Baland, François Bourguignon, Jean-Philippe Platteau, and Thierry Verdier, the book serves as a definitive reference on the contemporary economics of institutions and development, and highlights current innovative thinking and insights.

Academic and policy interest in this subject has never been higher. The Handbook of Economic Development and Institutions is the first to bring together the most cutting-edge work by the best-known international economists in one single volume. The volume’s editors, themselves leading scholars in the discipline, provide a comprehensive introduction, and the highly regarded contributors offer up-to-date analysis into institutional change and its interactions with the dynamics of economic development.

This book focuses on three critical issues: 

  • the definitions of institutions in order to argue for a causal link to development,
  • the complex interplay between formal and informal institutions,
  • and the evolution and coevolution of institutions and their interactions with the political economy of development. 

The publication provides an in-depth examination of the relationship between institutions and growth, educational systems, the role of the media, and the intersection between traditional systems of patronage and political institutions. Each chapter—covering the frontier research in its area and pointing to new areas of research—is the product of extensive workshopping on the part of the contributors.

The definitive reference work on this topic, The Handbook of Economic Development and Institutions will be essential for academics, researchers, and professionals working in the field.

Find out more about the book, and order a copy, at the Princeton University Press site here. The book is available in print and digital format from the 10 February 2020.