On May 30,  Douglas Gollin  of Tufts and Oxford University will give the 2024 Maddison Lecture. Gollin will speak on the topic of Structural Transformation and Growth. Economists have long recognised that for a country to develop, its economy should transform. Traditional emphasis has been on the shift from agriculture to industry, but what Gollin will discuss in his lecture is the need to consider a broader set of transformations: from rural to urban, from home to market (and from market to home), from informal to formal, and from self-employment to wage work. 

Drawing on new data sources, including micro data and administrative records, the literature tries to understand the complex interactions of a broad set of market failures, policy distortions, and impediments to the growth process. In broadening the understanding of structural transformation – to encompass processes beyond industrialisation – this literature opens the door to a richer understanding of the processes of growth and a wider set of potential levers for policy.

This lecture is given in memory of Angus Maddison, the renowned Groningen economic historian who has done much to enhance our understanding of economic growth and development. The Maddison Lecture is given by world-renowned scholars who have likewise contributed to this broader understanding. 

The lecture will be on May 30, 15:00 in the Blauwe Zaal (Duisenberg Building, Groningen). After the lecture, there will room for Q&A, followed by drinks and bites in the Plaza.