Seminar series on globalisation research

Screenshot: De-globalization and the Future of GVCs Event

©DIE

On 20 April 2021, Pol Antràs (Harvard University and CEPR) presented on “De-Globalization and the Future of GVCs” as part of the seminar series on “The Policy Implications of Recent Globalization Research”. The event was attended by more than 200 people, affiliated to international organizations (e.g. UNCTAD, OECD, World Bank), universities (e.g. LSE, Berkeley, Bonn) and implementing agencies (e.g. GIZ). Pol Antràs argued that there has been merely a slowing of globalisation in recent years, rather than de-globalisation. He pointed out that the initial “hyper” globalisation during the previous decades was mainly driven by advances in information and communication technologies (ICT), global reductions in tariff and non-tariff trade barriers and political developments. While there has been a return towards protectionism which may limit globalisation, Pol Antràs argued that advances in technologies, such as automation and robotisation, rather than reduce globalisation, may contribute to greater demand for inputs and hence fuel globalisation. Finally, he pointed out that the recent backlash against globalisation is troublesome and largely driven by unequal distributional effects of trade within countries and in some cases by the lack of compensation for those most affected by globalisation.

Recording of the event