Quamrul H. Ashraf

Quamrul H. Ashraf

Halvorsen Professor for Distinguished Teaching and Research of Economics

413-597-3051
Schapiro Hall Rm 312
At Williams since 2009

Education

B.A. Trinity College, Economics & Computer Science (1999)
M.A. Brown University, Economics (2004)
Ph.D. Brown University, Economics (2009)

Areas of Expertise

  • Economic Growth and Development
  • Political Economy
  • Macroeconomics
  • Economic Demography
  • Agent-Based Computational Economics

Scholarship/Creative Work

Profiles @ IDEAS, SSRN, CitEc, and Google Scholar

Published and Forthcoming Papers

Current Working Papers

Selected Works in Progress

  • Economic Growth, 4th Edition (joint with David N. Weil), textbook project, under contract with Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group). In progress.

  • Population Diversity and Differential Paths of Long-Run Development since the Neolithic Revolution (joint with Oded Galor and Marc Klemp). In progress.

  • Industrialization and Slavery in the Antebellum U.S. South (joint with Boris Gershman). In progress.

  • On the Deep-Rooted Origins of Heterogeneity in Political Preferences (joint with Oded Galor and Marc Klemp). In progress.

  • Divided by Diversity: Genetic Diversity and the Roots of Mistrust in Human Societies (joint with Oded Galor and Marc Klemp). In progress.

  • Population Diversity, Colonial Migrations, and the “Reversal of Fortune” in Long-Run Development (joint with Gregory Casey and Oded Galor). In progress.

Commentary and Other Writings

  • Interpersonal Diversity and Socioeconomic Disparities Across Populations: A Reply to Rosenberg and Kang (joint with Oded Galor and Marc Klemp), December 2018, Brown University, Department of Economics, Working Paper 2018-14.
    [ Open-access Working Paper ]

  • The “Out of Africa” Hypothesis of Comparative Economic Development: Common Misconceptions (joint with Oded Galor and Marc Klemp), November 2018, Brown University, Department of Economics, Working Paper 2018-13.
    [ Open-access Working Paper ]

  • Deep Roots of Comparative Development (joint with Oded Galor), in Stelios Michalopoulos and Elias Papaioannou (eds.), The Long Economic and Political Shadow of History, Volume I. A Global View, January 2017, pp. 19–50, London: CEPR Press.
    [ Link to Book Chapter ]

  • The “Out of Africa” Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development: A Response to Commonly Raised Criticisms (joint with Oded Galor), June 2014.
    [ Link to Response ]

  • Response to Comments made in a Letter by Guedes et al. on “The ‘Out of Africa’ Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development” (joint with Oded Galor), October 2012.
    [ Link to Response ]

  • Reply to Comments by Alan Kirman on “Macroeconomics in a Self-Organizing Economy” (joint with Boris Gershman and Peter Howitt), in Jean-Luc Gaffard and Mauro Napoletano (eds.), Agent-Based Models and Economic Policy, Revue de l’OFCE: Debates and policies, October 2012, 124, pp. 13a–14a.
    [ Link to Comment and Reply ]

  • The “Out of Africa” Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development (joint with Oded Galor), VoxEU.org, August 1, 2011.
    [ Link to Article ]

  • Cultural Assimilation, Cultural Diffusion, and the Origin of the Wealth of Nations (joint with Oded Galor), VoxEU.org, September 13, 2007.
    [ Link to Article ]

Awards, Fellowships & Grants

  • Halvorsen Professorship, Williams College (2021–2026)
  • Class of 1957 Summer Research Assistant Program Grant, Williams College (2010–2021)
  • Center for Development Economics Research Grant, Williams College (2020)
  • Oakley Center Fellows Program Research Grant, Williams College (2016–2017)
  • National Science Foundation, Award No. SES 1338738 (2013–2015)
  • Hellman Fellows Program Research Grant, Williams College (2012–2013)
  • Henry George Summer Research Grant, Williams College (2012)

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, The American Economic Association
  • Member, The Econometric Society
  • Fellow, The Global Labor Organization

Other Positions

  • Associate Editor, Journal of Economic Growth (2018–)
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Population Economics (2019–)
  • Visiting Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School (2012–2013)
  • Visiting Scholar, Center for International Development, Harvard University (2012–2013)
  • Short-term Consultant, The World Bank (2012)

Course Syllabi

  • ECON 120 Principles of Macroeconomics (Spring 2019)
  • ECON 376 The Economics of Global Inequality (Fall 2020)
  • ECON 378 Long-Run Perspectives on Economic Growth (Fall 2021)
  • ECON 459 Economics of Institutions (Spring 2020)
  • ECON 501 Economic Growth and Development (Fall 2021)
  • ECON 545 Growth Diagnostics (Spring 2020)