I am primarily interested in issues related to property rights, the evolution of these rights, and economic development in Africa. Much of my work considers the role enterpreneurs play in alleviating poverty at the local level. I'm also interested in how commercial relations might help to promote reconciliation in post-conflict environments.
Articles
A Better Brew for Success: Economic Liberalization in Rwanda's Coffee Sector, Yes Africa Can: Success Stories from a Dynamic Continent/World Bank (2010)
This paper analyzes institutional changes that have occurred over the past decade in Rwanda's coffee...
Land Reform as Social Justice: The Case of South Africa, Economic Affairs (2010)
Hayek argues that when governments violate people's rights by imposing discriminatory laws it may be...
Land Reform as Social Justice: The Case of South Africa, Mercatus Center Working Paper (2009)
In his book Law, Legislation and Liberty, F.A. Hayek takes the concept of social justice...
Land Conflict and Genocide in Rwanda, Electronic Journal of Sustainable Development (2009)
In his 2005 best-selling book Collapse, Jared Diamond argues that some societies “choose to fail...
The Role of Entrepreneurship in Conflict Reduction in the Post-Genocide Rwandan Coffee Industry: Quantitative Evidence from a Field Study (with Jutta Tobias), Mercatus Center Working Paper (2009)
Entrepreneurship is widely acknowledged as a catalyst for poverty reduction and economic development. Yet its...
Books & Monographs
Paths to Property: Approaches to Institutional Change in International Development (with Paul D. Aligica) (2007)
Sub-Saharan Africa has received billions of dollars in foreign aid over the last fifty years...
Contributions to Books
Property Rights and Resource Conflict in Sudan, Realizing Property Rights (2006)
The genocidal conflict in the western region of Sudan- Darfur-is often characterized as an ethnic...
Popular Press
A Better Partnership for Protection, The Daily Caller (2010)
This op-ed draws on the example of community conservancies in Namibia and argues that devolving...
Empower Women Financially and Develop Communities, AllAfrica.com (2009)
This op-ed argues that focusing efforts on accomplishing Millennium Development Goal #3 -- Empowering Women...
African governments also at fault, Business Day (2008)
A short letter to the editor responding to a column in the South African paper...
"Economics in Many Lessons: A better brew for Rwanda" (with Donald J. Boudreaux), Pittsburgh Herald-Tribune (2007)
This editorial discusses some of the benefits that have flowed from the liberalization of Rwanda's...
Presentations
Wildlife, Property, and Poverty in Africa, EconTalk, The Library of Economics and Liberty (2008)
In this pod cast I talk with Russ Roberts about Namibia's innovative CBNRM, or community-based...
Property Rights and Incentives in Africa, EconTalk, The Library of Economics and Liberty (2007)
In this podcast I discuss some of my field work over the past three years,...