Author Archives: mkevane

About mkevane

Economist at Santa Clara University and Director of Friends of African Village Libraries.

Did capitalism reduce global poverty?

Posted on October 23, 2018

You will find that questions being asked, rhetorically, all over the Internet and especially academic Twitter. I think many people conflate “recent small policy change towards market liberalization” with capitalism. What is missing in these discussions is an agreed upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Development thinking

Great story on gender equality (er, lack thereof) in professional labor markets in Japan

Posted on October 20, 2018

Yuka Ogata, one of the few women in the Kumamoto municipal assembly in southwestern Japan, petitioned the council last year to let her breast-feed during sessions. Her request was rejected. She then asked for day care to be provided and … Continue reading →

Posted in Gender

More annals of correlations wrongly attributed as causation: The more equal women and men are, the less they want the same things

Posted on October 19, 2018

I can’t believe that Science published this without referees strenuously objecting and recommending that the language be modified. But I guess in academia clickbait is becoming the norm, too. And nothing is more clickbaitable than “men from Mars, women from … Continue reading →

Posted in Gender

In happened sooner than I thought: Baobab beer in microbrewery in New Jersey

Posted on October 17, 2018

The couple says they are creating uniquely flavored drinks based on their backgrounds, with Leo Sawadogo working on a beer made from baobab tree fruit from his native Burkina Faso in western Africa. Source: Long-awaited microbrewery opens in Montclair | … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso

Building housing in San Jose

Posted on October 16, 2018

My response to a friend and neighbor: “I have no problem with 3-4 story housing all along the corridors, throughout the city, and higher heights on larger lots like the old hospital site. So when the planner you quoted gave … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso, United States

Readings on immigration issues in the United States

Posted on October 16, 2018

A good The New Yorker introduction to very recent (October 2018) policy issue of naturalization of permanent residents (green card holders). Hanson, Liu and McIntosh on immigration to the US by low-skilled young workers. Abstract: From the 1970s to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso, United States

Trying to fix my old turntable in basement I turned into a voyeur

Posted on October 13, 2018
Posted in Personal Kevane life