Remittances provide developing economies with the means to grow. Therefore, migration contributes to development. And migration policy is development policy.

The 2017 David K Smith Symposium at Middlebury College deals with the “Economics of Remittances”. GLO Fellow Phanindra V. Wunnava of Middlebury College is the local organizer.  The keynote speech is given by GLO Fellow Dilip Ratha of the World Bank. The set of prominent researchers speaking (see program below) includes also Klaus F. Zimmermann, Princeton University, UNU-MERIT and Bonn University, who is the President of the Global Labor Organization (GLO).

Conference program

Tentative_Middlebury_Remittances_April_29th_2017_Symposium

David K Smith ‘42 Economics Symposium at Middlebury College
“Economics of Remittances”

Saturday, April 29th, 2017 [Robert A. Jones ’59 House Conference Room]
Welcome Remarks: 9:00 to 9:15 AM President Laurie L. Patton [Middlebury College]

I. AM Session 9:20 AM to 11:20 AM Remittances, Crime, and Racial Wealth Gap
–Stephen Brito [International Monetary Fund]
“Remittances and the Impact on Crime in Mexico”
–Darrick Hamilton [New School of Social Research]
“The Racial Wealth Gap: the roles of Remittance, Inheritance, Incarceration and Education”

Coffee Break 11:25 AM to 11:40 AM

II. Keynote Address: 11:45 AM to 12:55 PM Dilip Ratha [World Bank and GLO]
“The Global Agenda on Remittances”
Lunch 1:00 PM to 1:55 PM

III. PM Session: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Remittances, Income Inequality, and Well-being
– James Bang [St. Ambrose University], Aniruddha Mitra [Bard College], and Phanindra V.
Wunnava [Middlebury College and GLO]
“Hollowing out the Middle? Remittances and Income Inequality in Nigeria”
–Klaus F. Zimmermann [Princeton University, Bonn University, UNU-MERIT and GLO]
“Remittances and Well-being”

Closing Remarks: Phanindra V. Wunnava [Middlebury College]

Ends;