James Robinson is the Dr. Richard L. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies and University Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy and Faculty Director of the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts at the University of Chicago. He is the recipient of three honorary doctorates and numerous awards for his work in the area of conflict studies. Professor Robinson earned his B.Sc. in Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, M.A. in Economics from the University of Warwick, and Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University.

His main research interests are in comparative economic and political development with a focus on the long-run with a particular interest in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Representative Publications

Fergusson, Leopoldo, et al. “The Need for Enemies.” The Economic Journal 126.593 (2014): 1018-1054.

Acemoglu, Daron, Camilo García-Jimeno, and James A. Robinson. “State Capacity and Economic Development: A Network Approach.” The American Economic Review 105.8 (2015): 2364-2409.

Chaves, Isaías, Leopoldo Fergusson, and James A. Robinson. “He Who Counts Elects: Economic Elites, Political Elites, and Electoral Fraud.” Economics & Politics 27.1 (2015): 124-159.