Back to top

Robert A. Blecker Professor Economics

Additional Positions at AU
Affiliated Faculty, School of International Service (SIS)
Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS)
Degrees
PhD and MA, Economics, Minor in Political Science, Stanford University
Graduate Studies in Economics, Centro de Estudios Economicos y Demograficos, El Colegio de Mexico
AB, Economics, Yale University

Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Bio
Professor Blecker’s research interests include international trade, open economy macroeconomics, global trade imbalances, economic integration in North America, the Mexican economy, the limits to export-led growth strategies in developing countries, and U.S. trade policy. His teaching fields include international economics, macroeconomics, history of economic thought, and political economy.
See Also
AU Department of Econcomics
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Spring 2024

  • ECON-478 Senior Policy Analysis Seminar

Fall 2024

  • ECON-671 International Economics: Trade

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Work In Progress

  • “United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA)” (co-authored with Walter J. Ankner), in Matías Vernengo, Esteban Pérez Caldentey, and Jayati Ghosh, eds., The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, draft for online living reference and new print edition (London: Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming 2027)

  • “Kaldorian Growth Models,” draft chapter for Handbook of Alternative Theories of Economic Growth, 2nd edition, edited by Mark Setterfield, forthcoming, 2024. New chapter for 2nd edition.

  • “Export-led Growth, Real Exchange Rates and the Fallacy of Composition” (coauthored with Arslan Razmi), draft chapter for Handbook of Alternative Theories of Economic Growth, 2nd edition, edited by Mark Setterfield, forthcoming, 2024. Revised & updated chapter.

  • “The Balance of Payments and Exchange Rates: Why Are They Important?” forthcoming in Intermediate Macroeconomics: Theory, Policy and Competing Perspectives, edited by Hassan Bougrine, Louis-Philippe Rochon, and Mario Seccareccia, 2024.

  • “Structural Change in the US Phillips Curve, 1948-2021: The Role of Power and Institu­tions” (co-authored with Mark Setterfield), Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, FMM Working Paper No. 75, February 2022.
  • “Sluggish Capital Accumulation with a Rising Profit Share: Four Hypotheses for the Mexican Economy” (co-authored with Carlos A. Ibarra), draft chapter for book in memory of Jaime Ros, to be edited by Amitava K. Dutt, Juan Carlos Moreno-Brid, Nora Lustig, and José Antonio Ocampo, May 2020.

Policy Papers, Blogs, and Op Eds

Speeches, Interviews, and Videos

  • Lecture on, “Kaldorian Growth Theory: Cumulative Insights and Emerging Limitations,” 5th International Workshop on Demand-led Growth, Instituto de Economia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, July 2024 (in person).
  • How Important is the Real Exchange Rate for Exports and Growth?” Presentation prepared for the 26th FMM Conference, Berlin, Germany, October 2022. (The link is to the slideshow; I was unable to attend due to personal reasons.)
  • "The Basic (Neo) Kaleckian Model," Poznań (Virtual) Conference on Kalecki and Kaleckian Economics, Fundacja Lipińskiego (Lipińsky Foundation) and Review of Political Economy, September 25, 2020.
  • Introductory Lecture, “An Introduction to Post-Keynesian Theories of Distribution and Growth: Alternative Models and Empirical Findings,” FMM/IMK Conference, “10 Years After the Crash: What Have We Learned?,” Berlin, Germany, October 2018. These links will take you directly to the video and the slideshow of my lecture.
  • Speech on “The US Economy After the Crisis: Slow Recovery or Secular Stagnation?” FMM/IMK Conference on “The Spectre of Stagnation? Europe in the World Economy,” Berlin, Germany, October 2015. You can watch the video of my presentation and you can download my slides in a pdf file.

Honors and Awards

  • Honorable Mention for the William M. LeoGrande Award for the best book or article in Latin American or Latino Studies published by a member of the American University community for my 2022 book chapter, “Mexico: Unequal Integration and ‘Stabilizing Stagnation,’” awarded jointly by the AU Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS) and School of Public Affairs (SPA), May 2023.
  • Named a Fellow of the Forum for Macroeconomics and Macroeconomic Policy (FMM), 2018.
  • AU Faculty Award for Outstanding Service to the University Community, 2014.
  • AU Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching in a Full-time Appointment, 2005.

Selected Publications

Books

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

AU Experts

Area of Expertise

U.S. economy including the budget debate; international trade and finance; exchange rates, the U.S. trade deficit, global trade imbalances.

Additional Information

Blecker researches international trade, open economy macroeconomics, the value of the dollar and the U.S. trade deficit, economic integration in North America, the Mexican economy and the limits to export-led growth strategies in developing countries. His teaching areas include international economics, macroeconomics, history of economic thought, and political economy.

For the Media

To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Related Links