Research Policy Network (RPNs)

Spatial Disparities and Policy

Project lead

Helen Simpson

Professor of Economics Bristol University; Professor of Economics Professor of Economics University of Bristol

Spatial disparities in income and productivity are a feature of many countries. They arise in low-income countries during the process of economic development and in high income countries that are experiencing, or have experienced, structural change. They are often persistent, lasting for many decades with consequent social and political implications. Economic adjustment mechanisms have failed to bring about convergence and policy interventions have often been unsuccessful.

The network will support research to deepen our understanding of the causes and consequences of spatial disparities in income and productivity, while addressing two over-arching questions. How can spatial disparities persist for long periods of time, even in relatively well integrated modern economies? What policy measures are effective in addressing the disparities and their adverse consequences?

Leadership of the RPN is supported by a Steering Committee:- Gilles Duranton (Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania), Gianmarco Ottaviano (Bocconi University), Henry Overman (London School of Economics), Helen Simpson (University of Bristol), Jens Suedekum (Henrich Heine University Düsseldorf) and Elisabet Viladecans-Marsal (University of Barcelona).

Steering Committee

Gilles Gilles Duranton

Professor and Dean's chair in real estate University Of Pennsylvania

Gianmarco Ottaviano

Professor of Economics Universita' Luigi Bocconi

Henry Overman

Professor of Economic Geography London School of Economics and Political Sciences

Jens Südekum

Professor of International Economics at the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf

Anthony Venables

Professor of Economics Department of Economics, University of Oxford; Honorary Senior Research Fellow Research Professor (part time) Monash University; Professor of Economics Monash University

Elisabet Viladecans-Marsal

Researcher Full Professor Full Professor University of Barcelona

Members

Marius Brülhart

Research Fellow Centre for Economic Policy Research; Professor of Economics HEC-Lausanne (University of Lausanne)

Pierre-Philippe Combes

CNRS Professor Sciences-Po Paris - University

Diane Coyle

Swati Dhingra

Associate Professor, Department of Economics London School of Economics and Political Sciences

Maximilian Von Ehrlich

RPN Member, Spatial Disparities and Policy

Cecile Gaubert

Assistant Professor of Economics University Of California, Berkeley

Edward Glaeser

Professor of Economics Harvard University

RPN Member, Spatial Disparities and Policy

Ines Helm

Camille Hemet

Paul Krugman

philippe Martin

Vice President, Europe Centre for Economic Policy Research; Chair French Council of Economic Analysis; Professor of Economics and Dean School of Public Affairs Sciences-Po Paris - University

Philip McCann

Professor of Urban and Regional Economics, Management School University of Sheffield

RPN Member, Spatial Disparities and Policy

Sandra McNally

Director of Education and Skills Programme, Centre for Economic Performance London School of Economics and Political Sciences; Professor of Economics University of Surrey

RPN Member, Spatial Disparities and Policy

Giordano Mion

Professor of Economics ESSEC Business School --; Professor in International Trade, Department of Economics University of Sussex

Enrico Moretti

Michael Peevey and Donald Vial Professor of Economics University Of California, Berkeley

Barbara Petrongolo

Giacomo Ponzetto

Senior Researcher Centre de Recerca en Economia Internacional

Diego Puga

Stephen Redding

Harold T. Shapiro Professor in Economics Princeton University

Andrés Rodríguez-Pose

Research Fellow Centre for Economic Policy Research; Princesa de Asturias Chair and Professor of Economic Geography London School of Economics and Political Sciences