James A. Robinson, a political scientist and economist, is one of nine University Professors at the University of Chicago. Focused on Latin America and Africa, he is currently conducting research in Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Haiti, and Colombia, where he has taught for many years during the summer at the University of the Andes in Bogotá. His fieldwork in these regions has provided invaluable firsthand insights into the political and economic dynamics that shape development outcomes, allowing him to merge theoretical frameworks with practical realities in his influential scholarship.
Robinson is best known for his collaborations with Daron Acemoglu, with whom he co-authored Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. This widely acclaimed book examines why some nations thrive while others remain mired in poverty, emphasizing the importance of inclusive political and economic institutions. Their subsequent work, The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty, delves into the delicate balance of power between state and society necessary to sustain freedom and prosperity.
