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Sala-i-Martin, Xavier --- "Keynote speech: Convergence and divergence Â… theoretical underpinnings" [2003] ELECD 13; in Tumpel-Gugerell, Gertrude; Mooslechner, Peter (eds), "Economic Convergence and Divergence in Europe" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2003)

Book Title: Economic Convergence and Divergence in Europe

Editor(s): Tumpel-Gugerell, Gertrude; Mooslechner, Peter

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781843762416

Section: Chapter 7

Section Title: Keynote speech: Convergence and divergence Â… theoretical underpinnings

Author(s): Sala-i-Martin, Xavier

Number of pages: 12

Extract:

7. Keynote speech: Convergence and
divergence ­ theoretical
underpinnings
Xavier Sala-i-Martin

7.1. INTRODUCTION BY PETER MOOSLECHNER

Xavier Sala-i-Martin received his PhD from Harvard in 1990. Since then he
has researched in diverse fields, such as the theory of growth, human capital
investment, public finance and social security as well as money and inflation,
has received widespread attention in the academic world and has published
contributions in numerous high-ranking economic journals. While covering
these diverse research interests, Professor Sala-i-Martin has always main-
tained a focus on the issue of economic growth and in particular on the
empirics of growth. In this field he is one of the leading researchers in the aca-
demic world. His best-selling textbook co-authored by Robert Barro as well
as numerous papers in this area bear clear testimony to this. Xavier Sala-i-
Martin's professional affiliation covers renowned institutions such as the
NBER and the CEPR, and his academic career has led him from Harvard to
Yale and recently to Columbia University, where he serves as full professor.
His contribution is entitled `Convergence and divergence: theoretical
underpinnings'. He addresses some of the basic issues of modern growth
theory and their relationship to convergence and divergence. This helps to
provide some understanding of the future of economic performance in
countries in Eastern, Central and ­ as discussed in previous chapters ­
Western Europe.


7.2. LECTURE BY XAVIER SALA-I-MARTIN:
CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE ­
THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS

Let me discuss why ...