Nobel prize awarded to J-PAL affiliates Daron Acemoğlu and James Robinson, bringing the lab’s tally to five

Community Jameel congratulates Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) affiliates Daron Acemoğlu and James Robinson, and their collaborator Simon Johnson, on winning the 2024 Nobel prize in economics for their research illuminating the relationship between political systems and economic growth.

Formally called the Sveriges Riksbank prize in economic sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel, the prize was awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in recognition of the three researchers’ work on “how institutions are formed and affect prosperity”.

The official citation states: “Societies with a poor rule of law and institutions that exploit the population do not generate growth or change for the better. The laureates’ research helps us understand why.”

J-PAL is a global research centre working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Supported by Community Jameel and anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomised impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty. In 20 years, J-PAL has helped benefit the lives of over 600 million people.

Daron and James bring the number of Nobel laureates in J-PAL’s network of affiliates to five, joining J-PAL co-founders and co-directors Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo and affiliate Michael Kremer, who were awarded the 2019 Nobel prize in economics for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.

Jakob Svensson, chair of the committee for the prize in economic sciences at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said:  “Reducing the vast differences in income between countries is one of our time’s greatest challenges. The laureates have demonstrated the importance of societal institutions for achieving this.”

Fady Jameel, vice chairman of Community Jameel, said: “Daron and James typify J-PAL’s approach to tackling poverty, taking a rigorous approach to understanding the causes and then, importantly, advancing real-world solutions. On behalf of Community Jameel, congratulations to Daron, James and Stephen on winning the 2024 Nobel prize in economics.”

A native of Türkiye, Daron received his undergraduate in 1989 from the University of York, in England, and his master’s degree in 1990 and his doctorate in 1992, both from the London School of Economics. He joined the MIT faculty in 1993 and is currently a professor in the department of economics.

James received his undergaduate degree from the London School of Economics in 1982, his master’s at the University of Warwick in 1986 and his doctorate at Yale in 1993. Before joining the University of Chicago, where is a professor of global conflict studies, James taught at Harvard, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Southern California and the University of Melbourne.