Massimo Morelli Plans to Research on European Reforms

THE ECONOMIST COMES FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Massimo Morelli will join Bocconi University as a full professor at the Departmet of Policy Analysis and Public Management in the academic year 2014-2015. He has been a Professor of Political Science and Economics at Columbia University since 2007. Previously, he taught at European University Institute (EUI), Iowa State University, University of Minnesota and Ohio State University. A graduate of Bocconi University, Morelli got his PhD at Harvard University.

He contributed in economic theory to network formation, bargaining theory and the theory of contracts. In terms of political economy, Morelli did extensive work on political party formation, electoral systems, politicians’ incentives in institutional reforms and constitutional design. He has been recently working on the rational choice approach to conflict.

For Morelli, coming to Milan is like coming home. He did spend a few years working at the EUI in Florence. But, Bocconi is still his alma mater and could not be so easily overlooked.

Talking to him, one could just feel Morelli’s absolutely burst of ambition on how to make Bocconi an even better place – both in terms of research and teaching. It looks like he’s got it all planned out. He will dedicate his time at Bocconi to the research on European reforms. Morelli clarified, “There is some of my work on desirability of fiscal union in Europe, but now it is time to move to specific public policy proposals.”

Masters and PhD students will see Morelli in their courses in political economics, formal theory, and theory of conflict.

But, in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. That fun factor for Morelli is rowing. He will be working hard but he also plans on doing some fun rowing races. All we have to do is give him a hand in forming a rowing master team (age bracket 43-55). Anyone ready for the Morelli challenge?

by Bojana Murisic