Within development economics there has been enormous attention on generating “rigorous” evidence about the causal impacts of various “interventions” in order to find out “what works”. Despite its rhetorical attractiveness, in practice this agenda is plagued with deep underlying logical and theoretical problems, and the challenges of construct validity and external validity. The downsides to the bias induced in the research agenda are so severe as to call into question whether the entire endeavour has, on net, had positive impact. This talk will focus on research about education over the last decade or so to provide illustrations of the positives and negatives of the “randomista revolution” in development economics.

Zoom joining link: spi-ox-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/81868750127

Booking required.

(Department of Social Policy and Intervention members do not need to register)