Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President

Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Kwabena Gyimah-Brempong

Name

Kwabena Gyimah-Brempong

College

Business

Department

Economics

Undergraduate Degree

BA (Hons.)

From

University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana

Doctoral Degree

Ph D

From

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

Previous Post(s)

Assistant Professor, New College of USF: 1982-1988, Associate Professor/Professor, Wright State University, Dayton OH: 1988-1994; Economics Program Director, National Science Foundation: 2002-2004.

Selected Published Works

I have published over 60 refereed journal articles and book chapters.  Here is a sample of my publications. 1.  “Telecommunications Investment in Africa: Implications of US Reform of International Settlement Rate System”, African Development Review, Vol. 13 (2), 2006.  2. “Crime and Punishment: And Skin Hue Too?”, American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, Vol. 96 (2), May 2006, pp. 246-250.  3. “Corruption and Economic Growth: Are there Regional Differences?”, Economics of Governance. Vol. 8 (2), 2006.  4. “Civil War Incidence and Economic Growth in Africa”, Journal of African Economies, Vol. 14 (2), 2005, pp. 270-311.  5.  “Cost Shifting in Demand for International Telephone Services Between the US and Africa”, Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 68, 2002, pp. 455-477. 6.  “Alcohol Availability and Crime: Evidence from Census Tract Data”, Southern Economic Journal, Vol.  68, June 2001, pp. 2-21. 6. "Political Instability, Investment, and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa", Vol. 8 (1) Journal of African Economies, Vol.  8 (1) 1999, pp. 52-86.  7.  "Explaining the Wage Gaps Between White and Minority Males: Human Capital Versus Race", Applied Economics, Vol. 29 1997, pp. 1033-1044.  8.  "Demand for Factors of Production in Municipal Police Departments," Journal of Urban Economics. Vol. 25, 1989, pp. 247-259.  Reprinted in I. Ehrlich and Z. Liu (eds.) The Economics of Crime, Elgar International Library of Critical Writings in Economics, Vol. 195, Northampton, MA: Elgar, 2006. 9.  "Production of Public Safety:  Are Socioeconomic Characteristics of Local Communities Important Factors?", Journal of Applied Econometrics,  Vol. 4, 1989, pp. 57-71.  10.  "Economies of Scale in Municipal Police Departments:  The Case of Florida," The Review of Economics and Statistics, May 1987, pp. 352-356.

Area of Specialization / Research

Economics of Crime; Development Economics

Current Course Offerings

Economics of Crime (U) Development Economics (U, G).

How and when did you first become interested in your field of study?

It was 1969, my last year in High School, and there was a heated debate in Ghana as to whether Ghana should devalue its currency. The pro devaluation camp was led by Perkins (Harvard) and a young Ghanaian economist (J. H. Mensah) while the anti devaluation camp was led by Dr. Agama who later became the Governor of Bank of Ghana. Even though I did not understand the technical aspects of the arguments, the way both sides put their cases across on radio, the print medium, and television impressed me so much I resolved to be an economist. Fortunately for me, I was asked to major in economics when I got into college.

What made you decide to pursue a career in higher education? 

I was influenced and helped along the way by my teachers and I have always wanted to help other people achieve their dreams. A career in higher education made that possible. Higher education also allowed me to explore new ideas and influence public policy through my research.

Why did you choose to be a part of the academic community at USF?

I initially came to Florida (New College) in 1982 partly because of the weather. Having grown up in the tropics, I chose Florida over Minnesota where I had been offered an appointment. However, as soon as I arrived, I discovered what a gem USF was.

What do you enjoy about teaching the students of USF?

The diversity of the student body (gender, race, national origin, culture, age, academic preparation) makes for an exciting teaching environment. Each group brings a different experience to the classroom and this, to me, enriches the classroom experience compared to one in which student backgrounds seem to be homogenous.

What do you like about the university community?

Among the many things I like about the USF community are outstanding colleagues, student heterogeneity, USF’s increasing emphasis on research, and the freedom the university environment affords me to pursue my research interests. I am particularly excited to be part of this rapidly improving university and to help build the “USF brand”.