Maxwell School News and Commentary

"Gold has become an attractive hedge against sanctions risk for central banks at risk of such penalties. While there are limitations to gold's usefulness compared to, say, U.S. Treasuries, its unique appeal is found in its physical form, unquestioned value, and the ability to store bars in national vaults, safe from foreign seizure," says Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science.

“When interest rates were very low, companies basically had endless money—and investors were telling them to focus on growth, not profitability,” says Aaron Benanav, assistant professor of sociology. “But because interest rates are rising, there’s a shift from big investors to say, ‘No, now you really have to focus on profitability.’ And the big way to do that is through cuts.”

Published by Cultural Dynamics, Christopher DeCorse, professor and chair of anthropology, reviews "Reconstructing the Landscapes of Slavery: A Visual History of the Plantation in the Nineteenth-Century Atlantic World," where the authors examine the economic and political restructuring of 19th century slavery through contemporary paintings, plans and images.

Brian Taylor, professor of political science, discusses the war’s progress, the state of the Russian economy, Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, Vladimir Putin’s view of Ukrainian sovereignty and other topics. 

Alexander Rothenberg, assistant professor of economics, and co-authors analyze how changes in road quality driven by maintenance and upgrading decisions impact local economic outcomes in Indonesia. 

Asked about the White House’s assertion that “President Biden’s leadership” is responsible for the increase, Gary Engelhardt, professor of economics, tells CNN: “This assertion is incorrect.”

"It hasn't reached the potential that I think many folks thought it might have, especially given China's overall economic size and role in world trade," Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science, tells BBC World News.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned on Thursday after a tumultuous 45 days in office. Alan Allport, professor of history, calls the resignation "extraordinary" and explains what it means for British politics in an interview with NewsNation.

"Has the export-oriented manufacturing model reached its sell-by date for India?," authored by Professor Devashish Mitra, was published in Ideas for India.