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Renee Bowen

Professor, UC San Diego Department of Economics

Renee Bowen is a professor at the University of California San Diego. She is jointly appointed at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, and the Department of Economics.

Her research focuses on political economy, microeconomic theory and international trade. Bowen applies dynamic game theory to study the behavior of individuals who are constrained by institutions and who have long-term strategic considerations. Her recent work examines designing an international economic order.

She has published in top economics journals including the American Economic Review, and the Quarterly Journal of Economics and is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Mathematical Economics, Quarterly Journal of Political Science and the Review of International Organizations. She is a member of the California Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a research fellow at the Center for Economic Policy Research and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Bowen has held positions at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Hoover Institution, the World Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. 

For more information, please visit Renee Bowen’s personal site.

Education and CV

Ph.D., Economics, Georgetown University, 2008
M.A., Economics, Georgetown University, 2003
B.Sc., Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000
CV

Media

Academic Webinar: International Trade Policy
Oct. 21, 2020, Council on Foreign Relations (audio)

How Tariffs Could Impact Your Home Renovation
May 20, 2019, interviewed by The Wall Street Journal (video)

GPS Spotlight

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GPEC 416. International Trade Agreements
The objective of this course is to give students an understanding of what international trade agreements mean for global leaders. This course examines the reasons for international trade agreements, their design, the strategic interactions that determine implementation and sustainability, and consequences for global welfare and inequality. The course draws on international economics, game theory, law and economics, and political economy. The tools are used to understand multilateral trade and investment agreements, such as NAFTA, international organizations, such as the WTO, and what is implied by tariffs on solar panels, steel or aluminum, for example. The course will combine case studies, group interaction and presentations. In addition, we will watch the documentary “Life and Debt” for discussion in class.

ECON 106. International Economic Agreements
Examines reasons for international economic agreements, their design, the strategic interactions that determine how the agreements are implemented and sustained, and consequences for global welfare and inequality. Draws on international economics, game theory, law and economics, and political economy to understand international economic agreements. These tools are used to understand multilateral trade and investment agreements, such as NAFTA, and international organizations, such as the WTO. Prerequisites: Econ 100B and 102.

ECON 281. Dynamic Political Economy Theory
This a graduate course in political economy. This course provides an introduction to political economy theory and its implications for dynamic questions. We will cover basic theory, some useful tools and research at the frontier of the field. Topics covered will include dynamics of power fluctuations, representative democracy, redistribution, government formation and learning about policies. Tools will be primarily those of dynamic game theory including dynamic programming, and stochastic processes.