Forskerportrett: Roswitha King

Position, name and department: Roswitha M. King, Professor, Institute of Economics, Faculty of Computer Science, Engineering and Economics.

Field of study: International Economics

At HIØ since: 2006

Title of doctoral dissertation / graduate institution / dissertation year:

University of Minnesota 1998, ‘An Analytical Comparison of Alternative Arbitration Schemes’.

What are you working on now? 

I am working on two interrelated issues: International Migration and Macroeconomic Development in the New EU Member States in Eastern Europe. And, yes, I am very absorbed with what is going on in Ukraine. It should not have happened, but it did. I am quite obsessed with it. I lived 8 years in Riga, Latvia, so I am quite in tune with Eastern Europe. In my international migration work I am taking the perspective of the migration sending country. The issue that I study is not how to integrate arriving migrants, but what out-migration means for the country of origin and why so many people choose migration. I think people will come around to see that something has to happen in migrants’ countries of origin. Regarding Development in Eastern Europe I am currently focusing on the residential housing market – an indicator of economic health and a very interesting market in its own right given the multiple roles: Use value, and asset value.

What is your most read and / or quoted publication about?.

The funny thing is that one of my most read papers is definitely not one of my best. It just was out there before others came and it dealt with public administration reform in Eastern -Europe (My Riga years).

I would like to mention one paper of each of my research strands:

• Ivlevs, Artjoms & King, Roswitha Maria (2012). Does more schooling make you run for the border?: Evidence from post-independence Kosovo. Journal of Development Studies. ISSN 0022-0388. 48(8), s. 1108–1120. doi: 10.1080/00220388.2012.658377.This is about migration from Kosovo and educational achievement – and we had lots of data and it was great.
• Borgersen, Trond Arne & King, Roswitha Maria Berta (2019). Is the transition process neutral to the employment–output ratio? Or does ‘jobless growth’ come naturally? The case when allocative and technological effects interact. Post-Communist Economies. ISSN 1463-1377. doi: 10.1080/14631377.2019.1678102.This is about a condition that plagues economies in Eastern Europe more than in Western Europe. The economy is doing seemingly well but employment is lagging behind. This research has led to important insights regarding inefficiencies.

What did motivate you to choose a research career?

My father was always surrounded by books and emphasized sharing insights. Growing up in this milieu did something to me. Then there was my dissertation advisor at University of Minnesota, Leonid Hurwicz. I learned many things from him. One thing that I noticed about him was that he was extremely curious about things inside and outside of economics. I learned that pursuing something you are deeply curious about is a lucky thing. I have always liked the independence that comes with an academic research career – that also pushed me in this direction.

If you could change anything in the world of research, what would it be? Why?

I would change two things: I would like to get rid of gender stereotypes in all aspects of life   especially in science and research. I would also like to change the sensationalism culture in research. When all scream it is as if no one screams – only louder. The reason I would like to change these things is that they are impediments to good research.

Do you have any advice for young students at HIØ who want to start their research career?

Be clear about what you are curious about and go for it.

Are there any issues of your particular concern at HiØ (not related to research)? 

Open landscape office environment, cubicles, for academic staff? You are kidding, aren’t you? Please tell me you are kidding.

Do you have special rituals throughout the working day / workplace that characterize you?

Coffee!!! During the lockdown days of Covid-19 there was only one thing I was ‘hamstring’. Yes, you guessed it!

What do you do in your free time? I like gardening. This is not the kind of gardening that brings in busloads of people from the gardening society. It is more like maintaining a woodland garden. It is great in every season. I also like to go on long walks in the forest with a thermos of coffee in my backpack. Southern Norway has great forests. I’m sure there is one in your neighborhood.

Which book or publication has been most important to you in your academic career? Morris Kline: Mathematics and the Physical World.