James Robinson

James Robinson is The University and Reverend Dr. Richard L. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict at the University of Chicago. His work spans political and economic development, with a particular focus on exploring the underlying relationship between poverty and the institutions of a society, and how institutions emerge out of political conflicts. He has a particular interest in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. He is widely recognized as the co-author of Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, with Daron Acemoglu. He is the Institute Director for The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts.