Ola Olsson
Professor of Economics and HoD at University of Gothenburg
Economic growth, development economics and economic history.
Author of "Paleoeconomics: Climate Change and Economic Development in Prehistory”
sites.google.com/site/econolaols/home
- Why did COVID policies differ so much across countries? In this article with @econannika.bsky.social, recently published in J Comp Econ, we find that deep historical exposure to infectious disease shaped how governments reacted to COVID‑19, but only during 2020. authors.elsevier.com/a/1mTcY_3Mo1...
- It was a great pleasure to host and listen to so many great presenters at this year’s ASWEDE outside Gothenburg. Already looking forward to next year in Stockholm!
- We are very excited about the new research opportunities that this VR funding opens up for the department.
- The research project ATLASS receives VR infrastructure funding through SwedPop! 🎉 Using machine learning, ATLASS will digitize Swedish school archives to enable new research on education and inequality. 👉Read more: shorturl.at/EvrTj
- Kul att långsiktig ekonomisk tillväxt blir föremål för ännu ett Nobelpris! I artikeln nedan kommenterar mina kollegor och jag pristagarnas bidrag. www.gu.se/nyheter/uppt...
- Väldigt glad för denna fina recension av min bok Paleoeconomics i @ekonomiskdebatt.bsky.social ! www.nationalekonomi.se/artikel/pale...
- Will we be able to trust key economic data from the US again? The America We Knew Is Rapidly Slipping Away www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/o...
- Just presented my paper on weather shocks and monument construction during the Classic Maya period at the WEHC in Lund. Happy for the great lineup of very interesting papers and presenters and for the turnout. Also thrilled to find my book in the book exhibition!
- Jag kommenterar handelsavtalet mellan EU-USA i dagens Di. Jag tycker att EU vek ned sig alldeles för lätt. Inget hindrar Trump från att kräva ännu mer senare. Att ensidigt acceptera 15% tullar är orimligt. dise.page.link?link=https:/...
- I was interviewed a short time ago in Javier’s excellent EPH Podcast about my book Paleoeconomics. I hope you enjoy listening to it. www.linkedin.com/posts/javier...
- EU should of course respond with tariffs in line with the measures agreed on in April. Time to take a break from the flattery that EU leaders have tried in different fora and show resolve.
- Kommenterar senatens behandling av Trumps budget Dagens ETC.
- Reposted by Ola OlssonCongratulations to @rhelensdotter.bsky.social !
- Recently accepted to #REStud, "Surviving Childhood: Effects of Removing a Child From Home," from Ronja Helénsdotter @rhelensdotter.bsky.social @MIT @econGU: www.restud.com/surviving-ch... #econsky
- Reposted by Ola OlssonSeveral members of faculty in the development group @gothenburg-econ.bsky.social have taken part in this nice collaboration as supervisors. We thank our Ethiopian friends for their visit and hope for fruitful research interaction in the future.
- This week, the PhD students who have divided their time between Addis Ababa University and the University of Gothenburg present their theses to their peers and supervisors before finalizing them. Excellent work! #addisababauniversity #universityofgothenburg #EnvironmentalEconomics #phdstudent #PhD
- There are of course numerous lessons from recent history about what Trump’s handling of the unrest in LA might lead to. The most worrying is probably ”Crackdowns can be steppingstones to wider power grabs.” www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/w...
- Reposted by Ola OlssonOur frequent guest and affiliated colleague Martin Berg Karlsson @drdemant.bsky.social has co-authored a paper on German health insurance that is forthcoming in @jpolecon.bsky.social. Congratulations! doi.org/10.1086/734781
- An illustration of how the Trump administration’s counterproductive tariffs hurt even the manufacturing of Swedish cars in the US.
- My paper with Laura Mayoral on the political impact of floods and droughts in Ancient Egypt, is now assigned to an issue of JEconGrowth. We provide evidence of a "dynamic circumscription model" where Egypt was sometimes like a "social cage" where rulers could easily dominate. rdcu.be/eoDL5
- Reposted by Ola OlssonWe were very happy to host Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin today during seminars and an important keynote lecture. Thanks to all 700 participants irl and online for attending! www.gu.se/en/event/cla...
- Such an incredibly well deserved PL title!!!
- So true. But it also comes with a responsibility to be better at defending our freedom. economist.com/europe/2025/...
- Good to see that Harvard takes the lead in this important fight for academic freedom. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/u...
- Yet another interview with me on the political economy of Trump’s tariff circus (in Swedish). www.dn.se/ekonomi/expe...
- Interview about the crisis in Affärsvärlden (in Swedish). www.affarsvarlden.se/artikel/ekon...
- In particular, why did so many seemingly well-informed finance guys delude themselves to this extent? www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/o...
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- Reposted by Ola Olsson1. For the past thirty years I've had the best job in the world. I've had the opportunity to follow my curiosity; explore the workings of nature and society; mentor students and junior colleagues in the same process; and teach generations of students about it all.
- European universities will probably very soon need to deal with many US-based researchers who want to relocate to Europe. If handled efficiently, a great opportunity for EU research. www.politico.eu/article/euro...
- Can’t say that I am very sad about this development. A well-deserved own goal and surely not the last one. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/b...
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- In this OA book chapter, Pelle and I critically discuss the SDG target 8.1 that the poorest countries should reach at least a 7% growth rate in GDP per capita. After two decades of rapid convergence 2000-2019, there are major challenges ahead. www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-...
- Reposted by Ola OlssonA brilliant Banksy.
- Oh yes. And what a shameful day for the country that used to be the leader of the free world.
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- It was really fun to feature in this episode of the very nice pod ”Our long walk” run by @johanfourieza.bsky.social. Among other research topics, we talk about my recent book Paleoeconomics. Thanks for the opportunity!
- EU and UK must stay focused on defending Ukraine and liberal democracy and not be distracted by the representatives of this idiot regime in the US. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
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[Not loaded yet] - Det andra avsnittet i Vetenskapsradion om den fascinerande stenålderskulturen i sydöstra Turkiet för 12000 år sedan. Jag intervjuas i slutet om övergången till jordbrukssamhällen. sverigesradio.se/play/avsnitt...
- It is really efficient to combine a great workshop on historical economics with paleoeconomic field research on Ötzi in his Bolzano museum.
- Thanks for a wonderful workshop at a fantastic location!
- It is essential that EU has the guts to regulate and limit their inappropriate market power now that the they have become allies of Trump.
- Reposted by Ola OlssonI ett nytt avsnitt av Vetenskapsradion diskuterar @oolsson.bsky.social hur stenåldersplatsen Göbekli Tepe kan ha uppstått efter en köldknäpp som tvingade människor att samlas på bördiga platser, vilket skapade konkurrens och hierarkier. www.sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/gobe...
- Trade and FDI between major blocs after Russian’s invasion of Ukraine are decreasing towards levels during the Cold War, claims IMF economists #ASSA2025. Probably particularly bad for small, trade-oriented countries like Sweden.
- In a new wp "The Political Economy of Bread and Circuses", we examine the tradeoff in early states between productivity-enhancing infrastructure (like irrigation systems) and non-productive architecture (stelae, altars, etc) by studying the Classic Maya (250-950 CE). 1/5 dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
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- Our revised paper on how historical disease experiences affected government COVID-19 policy mainly during first pre-vaccine year (2020) of fundamental uncertainty.
