10/4/2017
Researching American Financial Power
(Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano)
How does America’s economic power affect the world? Professor Thomas Oatley dives into this question in his work and research. As the holder of the Corasaniti-Zondorak Chair of International Relations in the Department of Political Science, Professor Oatley studies international politics and plans to write a book about American financial power.
Oatley hopes that his work on the relationship between American financial power abroad and rising income inequality at home will enter into a broader public discussion about American economic policy. He plans to use his time at Tulane to further develop his new research project, temporarily called, “The Carbon Peace,” which examines the interrelationship between food, fossil fuels, climate change and conflict.
“I want to say thank you to the donors of the professorship,” Oatley says. “As the holder of the chair, I feel I must and will make good use of their investment at Tulane University, in the Department of Political Science, and in my work. Philanthropic support and a generous research budget make it easier to acquire the necessary data for social science research. Having funds allows us to build networks among researchers who are working on similar questions, by inviting them to give talks or host a conference. An endowed chair attracts attention to research from inside and outside the university community and thus provides the chance to reach a wider audience.”