The Bob Graham Center for Public Service provides a wide variety of programs for students and the larger public on topics related to public service, public leadership and civic engagement.
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Nita Rudra: Globalization, Politics & Poverty in Developing Countries
January 30 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Has globalization lived up to its promise of reducing poverty and creating prosperity in developing countries?
Political economist Nita Rudra from Georgetown University spoke in the Pugh Hall Ocora on January 30, 2025 and explored the challenges and opportunities that globalization presents for the poor in developing countries today.
Globalization has reshaped our world, bringing both opportunities and challenges, particularly for developing economies. On one hand, it has connected markets, created jobs, and opened access to new technologies and investments.
Yet, it has also deepened inequalities, with many individuals left behind in a rapidly changing economy. For millions living in poverty, globalization can feel like a false promise. The question isn’t whether globalization is good or bad—it’s how it can be made to work for everyone.
Rudra serves as the Executive Director of the university’s Lab for Globalization and Shared Prosperity, where she leads research initiatives aimed at understanding and addressing the challenges posed by globalization.
About Nita Rudra
Nita Rudra is a Professor at Georgetown University, holding joint appointments in the Department of Government, the School of Foreign Service, and the McDonough School of Business. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Economy and Public Policy from the University of Southern California in 2000.
Professor Rudra’s research centers on the distributional consequences of globalization, examining how technological innovation, reduced trade barriers, and foreign capital contribute to economic prosperity and inequality. Her work explores the political tensions and societal divisions arising from these disparities, with a focus on both developed and developing economies.
Her scholarship has been featured in leading academic journals, including the British Journal of Political Science, World Politics, Journal of Politics, American Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, International Organization, and International Studies Quarterly. She co-authored the book Democracies in Peril: Taxation and Redistribution in Globalizing Economies (Cambridge University Press, 2018).