Toward a Better World : Memoirs of a Life in International and Development Economics

In his memoir, __Towards a Better World__, Helleiner recounts his profound trip to Africa, a trip that propelled him into a career devoted to the research, advice and teaching of economic development and the reduction of global poverty.

Toward a Better World describes the life, times and perspectives of Gerry Helleiner, a Canadian activist and university-based economist, who worked for roughly 40 years with developing countries and international organizations. In his memoir, Toward a Better World, Helleiner, recounts the profound early experiences in Africa that propelled him into a rewarding career devoted to research, advice and teaching in international economics, economic development and global poverty reduction.

Describing himself as privileged, Toward a Better World recounts his early life as a young academic, having first landed in Africa in the 1960s for the purpose of research for Yale University. Detailing both successes and setbacks, frustrations and hopes, Helleiner, conveys his often difficult, yet transformative, experiences in Nigeria and Tanzania, missions in Uganda and South Africa, and witnesses the wavering efforts being made towards poverty alleviation in international organisations . Providing lively behind-the-scene accounts of multilateral economic meetings in the 1970s through the 1990s, Helleiner addresses his engagement with economic policymakers, his views often challenging common practice.

In Toward a Better World, Helleiner speaks to his early motivation as a young man in Africa, and his lifework as a practicing economist determined to make a positive effort in addressing global poverty.

"Towards a Better World describes the life, times and perspectives of Gerry Helleiner, a Canadian activist and university-based economist, who worked for roughly 40 years with developing countries and international organizations. In his memoir, Towards a Better World, Helleiner, recounts the profound early experiences in Africa that propelled him into a rewarding career devoted to research, advice and teaching in international economics, economic development and global poverty reduction. Describing himself as privileged, Towards a Better World recounts his early life as a young academic, having first landed in Africa in the 1960s for the purpose of research for Yale University. Detailing both successes and setbacks, frustrations and hopes, Helleiner, conveys his often difficult, yet transformative, experiences in Nigeria and Tanzania, missions in Uganda and South Africa, and witnesses the wavering efforts being made towards poverty alleviation in international organisations . Providing lively behind-the-scene accounts of multilateral economic meetings in the 1970s through the 1990s, Helleiner addresses his engagement with economic policymakers, his views often challenging common practice. In Towards a Better World, Helleiner speaks to his early motivation as a young man in Africa, and his lifework as a practicing economist determined to make a positive effort in addressing global poverty."-- Provided by publisher Contents 7 Preface 9 Abbreviations 11 Introduction and Overview 15 Part I. Beginnings 31 1. Early Years 31 2. Undergraduate Life 36 3. The Yale Years 43 Part II. An International and Development Economist in Africa 57 4. Nigeria 57 5. Tanzania 67 6. Uganda 88 7. South Africa 101 8. AERC: Macroeconomic Background and Early Days 113 9. More African Capacity Building: ACBF 118 Part III. An International and Development Economist in International Organizations 131 10. UN Activities: Satisfaction and Frustration 131 11. Sonny Times at the Commonwealth Secretariat 156 12. Cool Relations with the IMF 174 13. Ambivalent Relations with the World Bank 183 14. Life with the G-24 194 15. Interlude at IFPRI 215 16. Wilder with WIDER 226 Part IV. An International and Development Economist in Canada 235 17. IDRC: Again and Again 235 18. The North-South Institute: Present at the Creation (and Demise) 247 19. Trying to Infl uence Canadian Foreign Policy 259 20. Political Economy and Economics at the University of Toronto 279 Part V. Reflections on a Life in International and Development Economics 299 21. Intellectual Currents 299 22. Some Reflections for Others 308 Notes 313 Index 323