Research

Data Analysis for Transparency and Accountability 
The Boston University Global Development Policy Center manages a suite of data projects under its Data Analysis for Transparency and Accountability (DATA) program. The GDP Center manages five interactive public databases that collectively track hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese loans and investment to a variety of sectors, including energy and other infrastructure development. Additionally, the GDP Center manages four interactives all created and released in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to provide transparent and accessible information to monitor, track and aid the global economic recovery effort. The databases and interactives are all updated annually with information and analysis regarding economic ramifications, implications and policy shortcomings and opportunities. These data projects are open knowledge products and we welcome additions and corrections; please reach out to us at gdp@bu.edu.
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Global China Initiative

The Global China Initiative (GCI) advances policy-oriented research on China’s overseas economic activity and engagement with international institutions in order to enable financial stability, human well-being, and environmental sustainability.

GCI manages and updates all five of the interactive databases focused on China’s overseas economic activity, in a bid to provide transparent information to aid research, education, policymaking, journalism and accountability.

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Global Economic Governance Initiative

Red globe croppedFounded in 2008, the Global Economic Governance Initiative (GEGI)works to advance policy-relevant research on international financial, trade, and development institutions created in the aftermath of World War II that continue to play a leading role in global economic governance.

GEGI research focuses on analyzing financial stability, trade and investment rules, development finance, promoting a renewed multilateralism and a working group focused on trade and access to medicines. GEGI also manages four interactive data projects, which track global recovery efforts in the wake of COVID-19 and the increasing threat of climate change.

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Human Capital Initiative

The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) works to advance interdisciplinary research on the role of human capital in human development to inform policy solutions to global challenges including poverty, women’s empowerment, and sustainable economic growth through investments in education and health.

HCI is an interdisciplinary research group drawing together five members of Boston University’s faculty from across campus, including the Pardee School for Global Studies, the Questrom School of Business, the Economics Department and the Schools of Epidemiology and Public Health. HCI research focuses on population health economics, the political economy of human capital and a program on women’s empowerment research.

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Land Use and Livelihoods Initiative

The mission of the Land Use and Livelihoods Initiative (LULI) is to advance policy-relevant, interdisciplinary research on the impacts of international institutions, domestic policies and local practices on ecosystem and human well-being in regions with commodity based resource extraction. LULI has three key areas of focus: Extraction of commodities through mining, forestry and agriculture; trade of these commodities through international resource value chains, the drivers involved and the distribution of benefits; policies and Institutions that shape how commodity extraction and trade influence the environment and human livelihoods.

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