CV

Axel Dreher is professor of International and Development Politics at Heidelberg University’s Alfred-Weber-Institute for Economics and Editor of the Review of International Organizations. He is Co-Director of CefES, Faculty Associate of AidData, and Fellow of CEPR, CESifo, KOF, and EUDN. Most of his research is in the fields of political economy and economic development.

CURRENT POSITION

Professor of Economics (2011-), Chair of International and Development Politics, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

• Head of Institute (2015-2017), Alfred-Weber-Institute for Economics, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany (2011-2014, 2017-2018: Deputy Head)
• Professor of Economics (2008-2011), Chair of Development Economics and International Economics, Georg-August University Goettingen, Germany
• Managing Director (2009-2011), Center for European, Governance and Development Research (cege), Georg-August University Goettingen, Germany
• Assistant Professor in Economics (Oberassistent, 2005-2008), Chair of Applied Economics, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• Assistant Professor of Economics (Wissenschaftlicher Assistent, 2004-2005), Department of Economics, University of Konstanz, Germany and Thurgau Institute of Economics, Switzerland
• Lecturer of Economics (2003-2004), University of Exeter, School of Business and Economics, United Kingdom
• Lecturer of Economics (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter, 2000-2003), Department of Economics, University of Mannheim, Germany

PART TIME AND VISITING POSITIONS

• Visiting Professor (2018), Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
• Visiting Professor (2016), University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
• Visiting Professor (2016), Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
• Visiting Professor (2011), University of Rennes 1, Rennes, France
• Consultant (external, 2009-2010), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Frankfurt, Germany
• Visiting Professor (2008), Georg-August-Universität Goettingen, Chair of Development Economics, Goettingen, Germany
• Visiting Researcher (2007), CES, Munich, Germany
• Visiting Researcher (2006), RWI Essen, Essen, Germany, Kiel Institute for World Economics, Kiel, Germany
• Economist (external, 2004-2005), International Monetary Fund, Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), Washington, D.C., USA
• Visiting Professor (2004), Economics Education and Research Consortium, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kiev, Ukraine

GRANTS AND AWARDS

• 2022-23 Research Output Prize, University of Hong Kong, for the book Banking on Beijing. The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (with Andreas Fuchs, Bradley C. Parks, Austin Strange, Michael J. Tierney), HK$ 120,000. 
• 2023 Best Paper Award of the Political Economy of Aid Society (PEAS), for the paper Wedded to Prosperity: Informal Influence and Regional Favoritism (with Pietro Bomprezzi, Andreas Fuchs, Teresa Hailer, Andreas Kammerlander, Lennart Kaplan, Silvia Marchesi, Tania Masi, Charlotte Robert, Kerstin Unfried).
• 2022-23 Social Sciences Outstanding Research Output Award, University of Hong Kong, for the book Banking on Beijing. The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (with Andreas Fuchs, Bradley C. Parks, Austin Strange, Michael J. Tierney), HK$ 50,000. 
• 2023 International Political Economy Society’s Best New Dataset Award, “AidData’s Global Chinese Official Finance Dataset” (with Andreas Fuchs, Bradley C. Parks, Austin Strange, Michael J. Tierney). 
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), “Coming to America: Immigration, Political Campaigning, and Polarization,“ 2021-2023, 150.212 Euro
• International Geneva (IG) Award 2020, for the paper:
  African Leaders and the Geography of China’s Foreign Assistance (with Andreas Fuchs, Roland Hodler, Bradley C. Parks, Paul A. Raschky, Michael J. Tierney), Journal of Development Economics 140: 44-71 (2019)
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), „The Impact of Migration on Political and Social Beliefs,“ 2020-2023, 310.942 Euro
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), „Empirical Analyses of Emerging Donors in Development Cooperation,“ 2020-2022, 117.225 Euro
• Excellence in Refereeing Award, World Bank Economic Review, 2019
• Best teaching award, Alfred-Weber-Institute for Economics, 2019
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), „The Economics of Emerging Donors,“ 2015-2018, 142.232 Euro
• Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), „The Proliferation of Multilateral Funds,“ 2012-2014, 265.000 CHF (with Simon Hug, Katharina Michaelowa)
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), RTG 1723 „Globalization and Development,“ 2011-2020 (Principal Investigator)
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), „Foreign Aid of Emerging Donors and International Politics,“ 2011-2012, 88.000 Euro
• 2010 Excellence Award of the KfW Development Bank for policy relevant development research, for the paper:
  Development Aid and International Politics: Does membership on the UN Security Council influence World Bank decisions? (with Jan-Egbert Sturm and James Vreeland), Journal of Development Economics 88: 1-18 (2009)
• 2009 Publication Award of the Friends and Sponsors of RWI, for the paper:
  The Nexus Between Corruption and Capital Account Restrictions (with Lars-H.R. Siemers), Public Choice 140, 1-2: 245-265 (2009)
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), “Aid effectiveness from a donor and from a recipient perspective,” 2010-2013, 220.000 Euro (with Stephan Klasen)
• European Commission JLS/2009/ISEC/AG/005, “Indexing Trafficking in Human Beings: Gauging its Trends, Causes and Consequences in the European Dimension,” 2010-2012, 300.000 Euro
• EPRU Research Network, “Education Policy, International Students and Migration Flows: An Economic Analysis,” 2004-2005 (with Panu Poutvaara)
• Ph.D. scholarship, 1999-2000, Gesellschaft der Freunde der Universität Mannheim

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. in Economics (Dr. rer. pol., 2003), University of Mannheim, Germany, Advisor: Prof. Dr. Roland Vaubel
• Master in Economics (Diplom-Volkswirt, 1999), University of Mannheim, Germany, Advisor: Prof. Dr. Robert K. von Weizsäcker
• Studies in Economics (1994-1999), Department of Economics, University of Mannheim, Germany

BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS

• Program Committee, Political Economy of Aid Society (PEAS), 2023-2024
• Co-Director, Center for European Studies (CefES), University degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2023- (Scientific Committee 2018-)
• Editorial Board, Journal of International Development, 2021-
• Advisory Board, Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 2021-
• Selection Committee for Freigeist-Fellowships, VolkswagenStiftung, 2019
• Curatory Board, International Academic Forum Heidelberg (IWH), 2019-
• Associate Editor, Journal of Comments and Replications in Economics (until 2021: International Journal for Re-Views in Empirical Economics), 2019-2023
• Selection Committee for the SWIPE Mentor Award, International Studies Association (ISA), 2019-2020
• Advisory Board, World Development, 2018-
• Wicksell Prize Committee, European Public Choice Society, 2016-2019
• Global Expert Panel on Multi-dimensionality, OECD Development Centre, 2016
• Chairman of the Research Committee on Development Economics, German Economic Association, 2015-2019
• Program Committee, German Development Economics Conference, 2015-
• President of the European Public Choice Society (EPCS), 2015-2017
• Editorial Board, Defence and Peace Economics, 2014-
• Selection Committee for the IO Distinguished Senior Scholar Award, International Studies Association (ISA), 2013-2014
• Scientific Committee of the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), 2013-2018
• Selection Committee for the KfW Award for Policy-relevant Development Research, KfW Development Bank, 2013-2019
• Selection Committee for the Allocation of Georg Forster Awards and Fellowships, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, 2012-2015
• Advisory Board, Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 2011-
• Program Committee, Political Economy of International Organization (PEIO), 2008-
• Program Committee, Beyond Basic Questions Workshop, 2008-
• Advisory Board, Index of Economic Freedom, The Heritage Foundation, 2007-2008
• Co-Editor, e-conomics, 2007-2018
• Editor, Review of International Organizations, 2005-

RESEARCH AFFILIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS

• Member of the Academia Europaea, 2018-
• Marsillius Fellowship (awarded by the Marsillius College, the Institute of Advanced Studies at Heidelberg University), 2018-2019
• Research Fellow at CEPR, 2013-
• Full Member, European Development Network (EUDN), 2013-
• Faculty Associate, AidData, 2012-
• Affiliated Professor, Georg-August University Goettingen, 2011-
• Member of the Research Committee on Economic Policy, German Economic Association, 2011-
• Member of the Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), Georg-August University Goettingen, 2010-2011
• Research Fellow at CESifo, 2009-
• Research Fellow at IZA, 2009-2015
• Member of the Research Committee on Development Economics, German Economic Association, 2009-
• Managing Director, Center for European, Governance and Economic Development Research (cege),  Georg-August University Goettingen, 2009-2011
• Principal Investigator, Courant Research Center „Poverty, Equity and Growth in Developing Countries,“ Georg-August University Goettingen, 2009-2021
• Affiliated Professor at the KOF Swiss Economic Institute, 2008-
• Research Affiliate at CESifo, 2007-2009

CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION

• Political Economy of International Organizations XVII (with Stephen Chaudoin, Christina Davis, Christopher Kilby, Christoph Mikulaschek, Christina Schneider), Harvard University, USA (2025).
• Political Economy of International Organizations XVI (with Lisa Dellmuth, Christopher Kilby, Christina Schneider, Jonas Tallberg), Stockholm University, Sweden (2024).
• Political Economy of International Organizations XV (with Renee Bowen, Lawrence Broz, Christopher Kilby, Christina Schneider), USCD, San Diego, USA (2023).
• Political Economy of International Organizations XIV (with Thomas Hale, Emily Jones, Christopher Kilby, Karolina Milewicz, Duncan Snidal), Oxford University, United Kingdom (2022)
• Political Economy of International Organizations XIII (with Katharina Coleman, Christopher Kilby, Katharina Michaelowa, Eric Werker), University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, Canada (2020)
• Political Economy of International Organizations XII (with Andreas Dür, Christopher Kilby, Katharina Michaelowa, Christoph Moser, Gabi Spilker), University of Salzburg, Austria (2019)
• Political Economy of International Organizations XI (with Mark Copelovitch, Christopher Kilby, Katharina Michaelowa, Jon Pevehouse), University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States (2018)
• Tracking International Aid and Investment from Developing and Emerging Economies (with Gerda Asmus, Vera Z. Eichenauer, Andreas Fuchs, Angelika Müller), Heidelberg, Germany (2017)
• Political Economy of International Organizations X (with Manfred Elsig, Christopher Kilby, Katharina Michaelowa), University of Bern, Switzerland (2017)
• Annual Conference of “Verein für Socialpolitik: Research Committee Development Economics,” (with Stefan Klonner), Heidelberg, Germany (2016)
• Political Economy of International Organizations IX (with Tobias Hofmann, Christopher Kilby, Katharina Michaelowa, Daniel Nielson, Michael Tierney), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, United States (2016)
• Political Economy of International Organizations VIII (with Mark Hallerberg, Mark Kayser, Christopher Kilby), Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany (2015)
• Political Economy of International Organizations VII (with Christina Davis, Katharina Michaelowa, Helen Milner), Princeton University, USA (2014)
• Political Economy of International Organizations VI (with Daniel Finke, Thomas König, Katharina Michaelowa, Stefanie Walter), Universities of Mannheim and Heidelberg, Germany (2013)
• Measuring Globalization: an international workshop (with Pim Martens, Philippe De Lombaerde), Maastricht, Netherlands (2012)
• Human Trafficking, International Crime and National Security: A Human Rights Perspective (with Seo-Young Cho, Eric Neumayer), Goettingen, Germany (2012)
• Political Economy of International Organizations V (with Christopher Kilby, Katharina Michaelowa), Villanova University, Philadelphia, PA, USA (2012)
• Political Economy of International Organizations IV (with Thomas Bernauer, Katharina Michaelowa, Helen Milner, Jan-Egbert Sturm), Zurich, Switzerland (2011)
• Egon-Sohmen-Memorial Conference “The Political Economy of International Financial Institutions” (with Peter Bernholz, Roland Vaubel), Tuebingen, Germany (2010)
• Political Economy of International Organizations III (with Carol Lancaster, Katharina Michaelowa, Helen Milner, James Vreeland), Washington, DC, USA (2010)
• Political Economy of International Organizations II (with Richard Baldwin, Simon Hug, Katharina Michaelowa), Geneva, Switzerland (2009)
• Beyond Basic Questions Workshop, Goettingen, Germany (2008)
• Political Economy of International Organizations I (with Katharina Michaelowa), Monte Verità, Ascona, Switzerland (2008)

KEYNOTES AND SUMMER SCHOOLS

• Democracy and Development in the Global South, University of Zurich, Switzerland, December 5-6, 2024, Wedded to Prosperity? Informal Influence and Regional Favoritism (keynote).
• 2nd DEM Workshop on Ageing, Culture and Comparative Development, University of Luxembourg, May 31-June 1, 2024, Wedded to Prosperity? Informal Influence and Regional Favoritism (keynote).
• 17th Workshop on Political Economy, Dresden, Germany, November 24-25, 2023, Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (keynote)
• China in the Global Economy Conference, University of Orléans, Orléans, France, November 16-17, 2023, Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (keynote)
• Foreign Aid and Political Gains Workshop, University of Haifa, Israel, July 31-August 3, 2023, Banking on Beijing and Beyond (keynote).
• Cinquièmes Journées Transversales du Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne, Paris, November 18, 2022, Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (keynote)
• International Political Economy conference of the Austrian, German, and Swiss Political Science Associations, Technical University of Munich, Akademiezentrum Raitenhaslach, June 21, 2022, Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (keynote)
• Hosting Refugees: National Policies and Local Communities, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy, March 31, 2022, Immigration, Political Ideologies and the Polarization of American Politics (keynote)
• Nordic Conference in Development Economics, Bergen, Norway, June 15-16, 2021, Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (keynote)
• 2nd International Workshop Graduate Program, Universitas Bandar Lampung, April 8, 2021, Banking on Beijing: The Aims and Impacts of China’s Overseas Development Program (keynote)
• PhD Summer School WTI, University of Bern, Switzerland, September 16-20, 2019, Institutions and the Political Economy of Development (summer school)
• Annual Economic Research Southern Africa Workshop on ‘Structural Constraints on the Economy, Growth and Political Economy’, Johannesburg, September 6, 2019, The Political Economy of Foreign Aid (keynote)
• Economic Society of South Africa (ESSA), Johannesburg, September 3-5, 2019, The Political Economy of Chinese Aid (keynote)
• INTECO Workshop XIII, November 24, 2016, The Political Economy of Foreign Aid (keynote)
• European Public Choice Society (EPCS), Freiburg, Germany, March 30, 2016, The Political Economy of Foreign Aid (presidential address)
• Silvaplana Workshop on Political Economy, July 25-29, 2015, Pontresina, Switzerland, Aid on Demand: African Leaders and the Geography of China’s Foreign Assistance (after dinner paper)
• Sheffield Workshop in Political Economy, February 5, 2015, University of Sheffield, Aid on Demand: African Leaders and the Geography of China’s Foreign Assistance (keynote)
• Graduate School in Law & Economics, July 12-16, 2010, University of Hamburg, Germany, Public Choice and International Organizations (summer school)
• Workshop “Strategies for Solving Global Crises – The Financial Crisis and Beyond,” October 16-17, 2009, Goettingen, Germany, Does the IMF Help or Hurt? The Effect of IMF Programs on the Likelihood and Outcome of Currency Crises (keynote)
• Silvaplana Workshop on Political Economy, July 25-29, 2009, Pontresina, Switzerland, Global horse trading and its consequences (after dinner paper)
• The Shadow Economy, Tax Evasion and Social Norms, University of Muenster, July 23-26, 2009, Muenster, Germany, Institutions, Corruption, and the Size of the Shadow Economy (keynote)
• ECSR and TransEurope Joint Summer School, Globalization, social inequality and the life course: comparative methodological approaches, August 27-31, 2007, Groningen, The Netherlands, Measuring Globalization (summer school)

PH.D. COMMITTEES (SELECTED)

• Lukas Wellner, The Impact and Implementation of International Development Finance (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2023), First Supervisor.
• Johannes Matzat, Essays in Political Economy – Drivers of Polarization (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2023), First Supervisor.
• Tobias Korn, The Economic Consequences of Political Turmoil (Leibniz University Hanover, 2023), Second Supervisor.
• Zain Chaudhry, The Citizen and the State: Evidence from Field Experiments (Heidelberg University, 2023), First Supervisor.
• Gerda Asmus, Essays in Political Economy – Historical Natural Experiments and Economic Development (Heidelberg University, 2022), First Supervisor.
• Angelika Budjan, Financing for Sustainable Development: Emerging Issues and Actors (Heidelberg University, 2022), First Supervisor.
• John Cruzatti C., Geography, Economics, and Power: Global Assessments of Development with Geo-Referenced Data (Heidelberg University, 2021), First Supervisor.
• Sven Kunze, Geospatial Analyses of Natural Disasters: Economic Impacts, Societal Responses, and Political Bias (Heidelberg University, 2021), First Supervisor.
• Paul Schaudt, The Political Economy of Development and Organized Violence (Leibniz University Hanover, 2019), Second Supervisor.
• Lennart Kaplan, Promises and Perils of Globalization (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2018), First Supervisor.
• Sarah Langlotz, Conflict, Income Shocks, and Foreign Policy: Macro- and Micro-Level Evidence (Heidelberg University, 2018), First Supervisor.
• Katharina Richert, Empirical Evidence on Development Effectiveness: From Macroeconomic Structures to Micro-Level Implementation (Heidelberg University, 2018), First Supervisor.
• Valentin Lang, Political Decisions, Economic Effects: How International Organizations Govern the Globalized Economy (Heidelberg University, 2018), First Supervisor.
• Vera Eichenauer, The Political Economy of Foreign Aid. Allocation, Timing, and Effectiveness (Heidelberg University, 2016), First Supervisor.
• Bernhard Reinsberg, The Rise of Multi-bi Aid (University of Zurich), Member of Thesis Committee.
• Anna Minasyan, Aid, Politics, Culture, and Growth (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2015), First Supervisor.
• Alexandra Rudolph, Challenges of Globalization – For International Mobility, Social Security and Environmental Sustainability (Heidelberg University, 2015), First Supervisor.
• Diego Hernandez, The Role of Politics in the Allocation of Multilateral Aid (Heidelberg University, 2015), First Supervisor.
• Kai Gehring, Political Economy in a globalized world – How politics, culture, and institutional incentives shape economic and political outcomes (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2015), First Supervisor.
• Merle Kreibaum, Microeconomic Analyses of the Causes and Consequences of Political Violence (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2015), Second Supervisor.
• Steffen Lohmann, A Contribution to the Empirics of Development and Globalization (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2015), First Supervisor (joint with Prof. Stephan Klasen).
• Juanita Vasquez-Escallon, Beyond Punishment: Achieving sustainable compliance with the law. The case of coca-reducing policies in Colombia (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2015), Second Supervisor.
• Shu Yu, Leaders, Regimes, and Political Stability (University of Groningen, 2014), Member of Thesis Committee.
• Ingvild Nordtveit, Capital flows to developing countries: Essays on the behavior of aid donors and official creditors (University of Bergen, 2014), Second Supervisor.
• Johannes Rieckmann, Battle and Beating, Water and Waste. Micro-Level Impact Evaluation in Developing and Emerging Economies (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2014), Second Supervisor.
• Philipp Mohl, Empirical evidence on the macroeconomic effects of EU cohesion policy (Heidelberg University, 2013), Second Supervisor.
• Maya Schmaljohann, The Political Economy of International Financial Flows to Developing Countries (Heidelberg University, 2013), First Supervisor.
• Dominik Noe, Micro-Level Impacts of Conflict and the Duration of Armed Groups (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2013), Second Supervisor.
• Nicolás Corona Juárez, Essays on the Economics of Crime in Mexico (Heidelberg University, 2013), First Supervisor.
• Hannes Öhler, Essays on the Allocation, Effectiveness and Coordination of Development Aid (Heidelberg University, 2013), First Supervisor.
• Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati, Essays in Political Economy (Heidelberg University, 2012), First Supervisor.
• I. Kadek Dian Sutrisna Artha, Financial Crises: Impact on Central Bank Independence, Output, and Inflation (University of Groningen, 2012), Member of Thesis Committee.
• Andreas Fuchs, Political Determinants of Foreign Aid and International Trade of Emerging Economies (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2012), First Supervisor.
• Philipp Kolo, New Approaches to the Dynamics, Measurement and Economic Implications of Ethnic Diversity (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2012), Second Supervisor.
• Heiner Mikosch, Rigidities, Institutions and the Macroeconomy (ETH Zurich, 2011), Second Supervisor.
• Seo-Young Cho, The Economics of Human Rights – Gender, Human Trafficking, and Policy (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2011), First Supervisor.
• Jan Priebe, Drivers of Poverty, Mortality and Labor Supply in Developing Countries (Georg-August University Goettingen, 2011), Second Supervisor.
• Julien Reynaud, A critical analysis of the International Monetary Fund’s governance and actions (University Paris I – Pantheon Sorbonne, 2007), Second Supervisor.