International financial institutions (IFIs) appear to agree that quality of policymaking sees gains from diversifying the body of policymakers, all issuing diversity, equity, and inclusion statements. But how do these institutions perform when it comes to their own staff— do they lead by example? We...

Exposure to school violence has been proven to be detrimental to human capital formation, but there is limited rigorous evidence about how to tackle this pervasive issue. This paper examines the impacts of a large-scale government intervention that aimed to improve school leaders’ skills to manage s...

On October 27, 2023, Mauricio Cárdenas, distinguished non-resident fellow, delivered remarks on "the importance of knowledge in uncertain times" during the closing panel of the Inter-American Development Bank's Knowledge Week. 

Over two decades and dozens of countries, the United States Agency for International Development has refined a package of support for early-grade reading, often referred to as “structured pedagogy”, which includes textbooks, teacher training, coaching, and lesson plans.

School violence—physical, sexual, and psychological—is prevalent in many schools around the world. Because media coverage of current events can play an important role in shaping tolerance for school violence and policy responses, we examine 208 recent news items about school-related violence in the ...

Epidemics and pandemics pose a sporadic and sometimes severe threat to human health. How should policymakers prioritize preventing and preparing for such events, relative to other needs? Our simulations suggest that an event having the mortality level of COVID-19 should not be considered a “once in ...

A global economy moving towards low-carbon production is going to dramatically shift demand for subsoil resources, from fossil fuels toward metals and minerals. Which countries may be winners and losers from the process?