What is Global Economics and why am I doing this now?

Global Economics has been a long time coming. I’ve been an economics professor since 2003 and often get asked to speak on various topics for a range of groups. Most often the questions people have - even very sophisticated people - are around macroeconomic basics. I enjoy talking about and explaining these topics.

But, I also happen to focus on international macroeconomics and consistently find that people always think their local issues are unique to them. They usually are not. Very often the same phenomenon is occurring in multiple economies around the world at once and this both provides insights and also raises many question.

I’m not a partisan and am tired of all the partisan narratives floating around that shape how people think about things, especially economic things. So, I’d like to write more about these topics in a nonpartisan and analytical way. I think there is a real need for that today.

This column/newsletter brings all this together. Most of the questions I get are around monetary policy and how the monetary system works. Macroeconomics is just not well understood. It’s a strange world to be sure, but there are rules and laws and fundamentals that can guide our thinking and help people trying to understand the world generally and those trying to trade or invest although I don’t provide investment advice myself.

Why subscribe?

Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Never miss an update.

Help Shape Global Economics

I’m just launching this newslettet and I know it will evolve a lot as I learn what people are most interested in and where I can contribute the most. As an early subscriber, you’ll be able to help me shape the articles, analysis and information.

Since I’m just launching this now, I expect to learn and grow as I go. I’m already finding tons of questions coming in however, so I might already have the main column and something like “Ask the Global Economist” that just answers questions directly. We shall see.

Stay up-to-date

You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.

For the first few months, I plan to release 1-2 articles a month, maybe more as I experiment with “Ask the Global Economist”. But my goal is to get up to producing one quality column a week that I’m proud of and that I believe is meeting the needs of readers. I expect to be there this summer (2022).

Join the crew

Be part of a community of people who share your interests.

Again, I’d love your thoughts and input. Help me shape and even name things. It’s clear I should have a “Q&A” sort of column too but what should I call it? “Ask the Global Economist”, “Ask the Professor”, “Global Econ Q&A”…?

These columns/newsletters will be on substack. To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

Subscribe to Global Economics

Economic analysis and discussion of issues facing the global economy.

People

Chris Ball is a macroeconomics professor who writes on a range of economic topics with special emphasis on monetary policy and international affairs.