Bira Zhahadai
Employment
Present
Assistant Professor of Economics
Aug 2023
Consultant at Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program
Aug 2023
Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics
Education
2022
Dissertation: "Essays on Business Cycles in Emerging Market Economies."
2016
Coursework and research in macroeconomics and applied time series methods.
2013
Undergraduate studies in economics, Boston, Massachusetts.
Publication
Bira Zhahadai, Bryan McCannon.
Eastern Economic Journal
Bira Zhahadai.
International Economics and Economic Policy
Working Papers
Bira Zhahadai, Xi Zhou, Ernesto F. Reyes.
Bira Zhahadai, Husile Bai, Olivier Mahul.
Bira Zhahadai.
Teaching
The course begins with an introduction to business cycle theory through the classic work of Koopmans (1947), followed by Friedman’s permanent income hypothesis. It then turns to economic growth, covering the Solow growth model and Samuelson’s (1958) overlapping generations model. Monetary policy is introduced through the Keynesian AD/AS model, accompanied by Friedman’s influential 1968 paper on the role of monetary policy. Finally, the course concludes with the rational expectations revolution, culminating in the Lucas critique and its implications for macroeconomic policy analysis.
The course begins with an introduction to the balance of payments. It then covers the gravity model of trade, comparative advantage, the welfare effects of imports and exports, and the economic analysis of tariffs and subsidies. The classic Heckscher–Ohlin model is examined in depth, with applications to NAFTA, the development of the Chinese economy, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to connect international trade theory with real world institutions and events. Finally, the course turns to exchange rate determination and the international monetary policy trilemma, culminating in a case study of the 1997 East Asian financial crisis.
The course begins with Tobin’s ideas on financial frictions, the objectives of central banks, and the imperfect substitutability of financial assets. Arrow–Debreu securities are then introduced to illustrate the concepts of complete and incomplete financial markets. Next, students study major money market and capital market instruments to develop a broader understanding of the financial system. Bank balance sheets and the Diamond–Dybvig model are introduced to explain bank runs and financial instability. Finally, the course concludes with an examination of the Federal Reserve System, the conduct of monetary policy, and the monetary policy transmission mechanism.
A survey introduction to microeconomic and macroeconomic principles, covering markets, prices, and the forces shaping national economies.
Introduces probability, sampling, and statistical inference with applications to business and economic decision making.