Researcher biography

John Quiggin is an Australian Laureate Fellow in Economics at the University of Queensland. He is prominent both as a research economist and as a commentator on Australian economic policy. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and many other learned societies and institutions. He has produced over 1500 publications, including six books and over 200 refereed journal articles, in fields including decision theory, environmental economics, production economics, and the theory of economic growth. He has also written on policy topics including climate change, micro-economic reform, privatisation, employment policy and the management of the Murray-Darling river system. His latest book, Economics in Two Lessons: Why Markets Work so Well and Why they can Fail so Badly, was released in 2019 by Princeton University Press

Research Impacts

In addition to scholarly books and journal articles, I have had an impact on public discussion of policy issues through a wide variety of new and traditional media, and through direct engagement with stakeholders and the general public. I have taken an active part in public debate, both in Australia and internationally, through books, magazines newspaper articles and appearances in electronic media. My book, Zombie Economics: How Dead Ideas Still Walk Among Us, published by Princeton University Press has been translated into eight languages and sold more than 20 000 copies. My work is regularly cited in the New York Times, The Economist and other leading international publications. For example, a search of the New York Times reveals 30 citations to me in the past 5 years, and The Economist 48. I have published invited articles in leading international newspapers and policy journals, including the Chronicle of Higher Education, Financial Times, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, Newsweek Daily Beast, the National Interest and the New York Times. I have also been prominent in 'New Media' (although this term has now become somewhat dated).

I maintain an individual blog (listed in the top 100 economics blogs http://www.onalyticaindexes.com/2012/11/26/ top-200-most-influential-economics-blogs/) and participate in the Crooked Timber group blog, regularly listed among the world's leading academic blogs. My public Facebook page has over 500 followers and my Twitter feed more than 5000. As part of my commitment to public debate I have regularly made submissions to, and appeared before, Parliamentary inquiries into a wide range of topics, notably including the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Commonwealth Hansard produces 266 results in a search for my name. My public policy work has been recognised through appointments to the Boards of the Queensland Competition Authority and the Climate Change Authority. My work has had a substantial impact, as recognized by a variety of criteria and metrics. My work has been recognised through awards including Fellowship of the Econometrics Society, Distinguished Fellowship of the Economics Society of Australia, Distinguished Fellowship of the American Agricultural Economics Society, Distinguished Alumni awards from the University of New England and Australian National University and election as President of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society. I have also been invited to hold numerous Fellowships, adjunct and honorary professorships and the like. Examples include the Centre for Policy Development (Sydney), the Cairns Institute (James Cook University Cairns Campus), the University of Maryland College Park, the Inaugural Don Dunstan Visiting Professorship at the University of Adelaide, the Centre for the Economic Analysis of Risk, Georgia State University and the Hinkley Visiting Professorship at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

Qualifications

  • Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Dire
  • Fellow, Academy Social Sciences in Australia
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of New England
  • Master of Economics, Australian National University
  • Bachelor of Economics (Honours), Australian National University
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Australian National University

 

Connect with John via Twitter:

  @JohnQuiggin