Alexander Sarris


Alexander Sarris is professor of economics in the University of Athens, Greece since 1982. He holds a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and has taught at the University of California at Berkeley. He has been president of the Brussels-based Center for the Development of Industry, and president of the Athens based Center for Planning and Economic Research. He has consulted extensively with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the European Commission, the World Bank, IFAD, OECD, and other organisations. He has led or participated in development related missions to many countries in Africa, Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe. He has published 14 books and monographs, and over 75 scientific articles. His professional and research interests are in agricultural development and food policy, applied international trade, income distribution and poverty analysis, international migration, and commodity risk management.




Papers Published in World Economics:


The Impact of Globalization on Rural Poverty

The paper first reviews the meaning and causes of globalization. It indicates that globalization is not a new phenomenon in history, but the current phase seems to have new elements that did not exist previously. Regarding the consequences of the various aspects of globalization at the national level, it is shown that there can be both positive and negative aspects in the short and long runs. However, empirical investigations seem to suggest largely positive implications. The structure of poverty in rural areas is subsequently discussed, and it is shown that rural poverty takes very different forms in different parts of the world. Exploring the various aspects of the incomes of the rural poor, reveals that there are both opportunities, but also dangers of detrimental impacts from global integration. On balance, it appears that globalization creates both opportunities as well as risks, and the impacts on the rural poor will depend on the extent to which they manage to seize the opportunities while managing the increased risks.

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