Past Events

Each year The Pearson Institute hosts a variety of lectures, workshops and seminars. Unless noted otherwise, all events are held on the University of Chicago campus.

04.19.22

Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace

Most people think war is easy and peace is hard. In a new book, Why We Fight, Professor Chris Blattman argues that, in fact, war is hard and finding peace is easier than you think. From warring states to street gangs, violence is not the norm, and there are five reasons why conflict wins over compromise.  

This event is presented by the Harris School of Public Policy, The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts, and the Development Economics Center at the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics. 

This event will be presented in both the in-person and virtual format. Copies of Why We Fight will be available for purchase in-person following the event. 

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

5:30 PM — 6:30 PM CDT

David Rubenstein Forum 
1201 E. 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

RSVP

04.12.22

Africa's Latent Assets and the Future with James Robinson

London Business School is holding an online course on African Economic History February to April 2022.

The Pearson Institute Director James Robinson will be joining April 12 to teach a plenary session on Africa's assets and future. 

This masterclass aims to familiarize students with insights into the recent, burgeoning literature on the impact of Africa’s history on contemporary development (JEL review). The online course will cover recent economic history contributions that use geospatial data from anthropological maps, colonial archives, secondary sources, and other sources to uncover the legacies of these phenomena. 

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04.05.22

Making Parliament Responsive to Poverty: A Citizen-led Approach

Join us for a Pearson Speaker Series event with Andrew Lavali, Executive Director of the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR), a research and advocacy think tank in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The discussion will focus on the experience of collaborating on a World Bank-funded citizen engagement program focused on improving health.

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM CDT

Keller Center, Sky Suite

FREE

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James Robinson in Ukraine

Institute Director James Robinson presents themes from his internationally bestselling book, Why Nations Fail, at an event in Ukraine.