Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Sevket Pamuk

Author

Sevket Pamuk
Professor of Economics and Economic History, Bogaziçi (Bosphorus) University

Şevket Pamuk is retired Professor of Economics and Economic History at Bogaziçi University, Istanbul. He graduated from Yale University and obtained his PhD in Economics from University of California, Berkeley (1978). He is a leading economic historian and the author of many books and articles on Ottoman, Middle East and European economic history, most recently of Uneven Centuries: Economic History of Turkey since 1820 which is published by Princeton University Press in 2018. Pamuk was Professor and Chair in Contemporary Turkish Studies at the London School of Economics from 2008 through 2013. He was the President of European Historical Economics Society (2003-2005), the President of Asian Historical Economics Society (2012-2014), Editor of European Economic History Review (2011-2014), is a member of Academia Europea and Science Academy, Istanbul and International Fellow of the British Academy.

Content by this Author

Market integration in the Middle East and the Balkans, 1560-1914

Trade has re-emerged as a central issue in global policy debates, as governments debate not only the costs and benefits of trade, but also the underlying determinants of market integration. To inform the discussion, this column reports new research evidence on the experiences of the former Ottoman territories in the Middle East and the Balkans over nearly four centuries, tracing the evolution, drivers and consequences of trade integration across these regions.

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The political economy of stalled structural reforms in MENA

There is a persistent pattern to the structural reforms that are required to underpin economic progress in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa: ambitious strategies are announced and partially implemented, but ultimately they are diluted or reversed. This column argues that the repeated stalling of reform is not primarily a failure of economic design. Rather, it reflects deep-seated political economy constraints rooted in rent dependence, elite bargaining and weak institutional credibility. Without addressing these underlying dynamics, reform efforts are likely to remain symbolic rather than transformative.

Untapped talent, unrealised growth: jobs and women in the MENAAP region

Only around one in five women of working age participate in the labour markets of the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As this column explains, the region can no longer afford to leave half its human capital underused. Expanding women’s labour force participation is central to growth and resilience in the face of looming demographic change.

Closing the gender gap in political participation in MENA

Women across the Middle East and North Africa participate less than men in politics – not only in political parties and elections, but also in petitions, boycotts, protests and strikes. This column reports evidence from ten countries showing that differences in education, employment and political attitudes explain part of this disparity, yet a significant gender gap remains.

Labour demand and informal employment in Egypt’s manufacturing sector

Egypt’s manufacturing sector faces a dual challenge of weak job creation and persistent informality. Drawing on survey evidence on business behaviour and labour market dynamics, this column explains why job creation is limited and informal work remains such an integral part of how firms organise production. The generation of more formal jobs requires a comprehensive policy approach, one that goes beyond enforcement of labour regulations to reshape the economic environment in which firms and workers make decisions.




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