Dani Rodrik Explains Why He Is Moving From Harvard To A New Job

Dani Rodrik is one of our top developmental economists.  He has worked at Harvard for over 20 years and he has been quite happy there.  It is a great place to work.  He does not have to look hard for new problems or opportunities for research.  The world comes to Harvard and to the Kennedy School where he teaches.  Yet he decided to take a new position at the Institute For Advanced Study (IAS) located in Princeton.  I really liked the most important reason that motivated his decision.  He knew what he would be doing for the rest of his professional life if he stayed at Harvard.  He is less certain about what he will be doing at the IAS.  He has a chance to create a somewhat different Dani Rodrik.  We should all have the opportunity that has been given to Dani Rodrik.  We would all be better off   if we took opportunities to reinvent ourselves.