John Firth joined J-PAL in August 2010, and is currently working in Jaipur, Rajasthan. He works on one project assessing the effects of voter information campaigns, and another examining how the state police should combat drunk-driving. John Firth graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2010, earning a B.A. in Honors Philosophy with a minor in PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics). At Notre Dame, John helped establish the International Development Research Council, a new student organization promoting the interdisciplinary study of development issues. He also studied philosophy at King’s College, Cambridge (UK), spent a summer teaching math in western Uganda, and received grants to conduct summer research projects in economics, mathematics, and the philosophy of mathematics.

John takes interest in most areas of development economics, but is especially fascinated by elections, corruption in political institutions, and the effects of international aid. His senior thesis at Notre Dame combined several of these interests, drawing on research in development economics to assess philosophers’ claims that wealthy individuals are morally obligated to donate their money to international aid agencies.