Costas Arkolakis on what geospatial data can tell us about international trade, infrastructure investment, and immigration
Economists have long been interested in how space – or distance – affects economic activity between buyers and sellers, firms and workers, or global trading partners. But until recently, traditional models have struggled to incorporate spatial complexity, even as more and more data have become available. For Costas Arkolakis, an economics professor at Yale and EGC affiliate, this tension has been a major research motivation.
Economists have long been interested in how space – or distance – affects economic activity between buyers and sellers, firms and workers, or global trading partners. But until recently, traditional models have struggled to incorporate spatial complexity, even as more and more data have become available.
For Costas Arkolakis, an economics professor at Yale and EGC affiliate, this tension has been a major research motivation.