Antonio Saravia

Dr. Antonio Saravia holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Arizona State University, an M.S. in Economics from Arizona State University, an M.A. in Economics and Social Policies from Georgetown University and a B.S. in Economics from Bolivian Catholic University. Dr. Saravia has more than twenty years of academic and consulting experience. Prior to joining Mercer University, Dr. Saravia held faculty appointments at Arizona State University, American University of Sharjah and Georgia State University. He has provided consulting services for Deloitte & Touche, Cox Communications and the Dubai Economic Council among other organizations.

Dr. Saravia’s research interests lie in the areas of institutional economics, political economy and the determinants of economic freedom. His work has appeared in highly reputed academic journals such as Constitutional Political Economy, Review of Development Economics, European Societies and the Cato Journal among others. Dr. Saravia’s latest research agenda has to do with the study of social, political and economic attitudes in Latin America as well as with the analysis of socialist indoctrination in school textbooks in the same continent.

Dr. Saravia is also interested in producing children’s literature designed to teach economics. Learn more about his latest picture book “What you can Make with Freedom” co-authored with Clara Mengolini.

Education

• PhD, Economics, Arizona State University, 2003
• MS, Economics, Arizona State University, 2000
• MA, Economics, Georgetown University, 1998
• BS, Economics, Bolivian Catholic University, 1996

Courses Taught

• Principles of Macroeconomics
• Principles of Microeconomics
• International Economics
• The Economic and Moral Foundations of Capitalism
• Global Managerial Economics (graduate)
• Global Macroeconomics Analysis (graduate)

Specializations

• Economic Freedom
• Institutional Economics
• Political Economy

Memberships/Leadership Positions

• Teaching Fellow, Foundation for Economic Education
• Editorial Board Member, The Social Science Journal
• Op-Ed Columnist, Brújula Digital

Professional Interests

Dr. Saravia’s research interests lie in the areas of economic freedom, institutional economics, and political economy. In particular, he is interested in the nature and evolution of institutions of economic freedom and the impact of those institutions on market performance, international trade, and economic growth.

Media Appearances

• CNN, “The US Debt”
• CNN, “New stimulus package and Pope Francis and capitalism”
• CNN, “The last meeting of the Fed before the elections”
• Forbes Bolivia, “The new economic normal”
• Radio Lider, “The pervasive effects of over-regulating”
• Univision Radio, “The economic effect of remittances in Latin America”
• CNN, “Fed announces low interest rates through 2022”
• CNN, “The signs of recovery after Covid-19”
• Radio Lider, “Opening the economy after Covid-19”
• Univision Radio, “The US budget deficit”
• NBC 41, “On the $2,000 stimulus check”
• Maggy Talavera Productions, “Economics and Covid-19”
• Radio Lider, “The economic effects of Covid-19”
• Contacto Bolivia, “On the strategies to overcome the Covid-19 crisis” (https://www.pscp.tv/w/1vOGwoNBNoNGB?t=10)
• Right-ish Podcast, “Defending capitalism”
• Univision Radio, “The economic effects of Covid-19”
• CNN, “The economic effects of Covid-19”
• Univision Radio, “President Trump’s 2021 budget”
• CNN, “President Trump’s 2021 budget”
• Radio Lider, “Bolivian economics and politics”
• NBC 41, “On the cost of retirement in Georgia”

Recent Publications

Refereed Papers

• “Socialist Indoctrination in School Textbooks: The Case of ‘Colección Bicentenario’ in Venezuela” (with Clara Mengolini and Robert Ragan), The Journal of Private Enterprise Education (forthcoming), 2020. This is supported by a $4,600 grant from The Charles Koch Foundation and a $3,450 grant from Mercer University’s Provost Office.
• “Pope Francis on Poverty and Economic Inequality: Good Intentions, Unfortunate Ideas.” The Journal of Private Enterprise 34, 3, p. 59-88, 2019. This was supported by a $3,600 grant from The Charles Koch Foundation.
• “The Black Market for Antiretroviral Drugs in Illicit Street Markets: The Case of Atlanta, Georgia” (with undergraduate student Robert Mueller). AIDS and Behavior 23, 8, p. 2079-2087, 2018. This was supported by a $3,000 grant from Mercer University’s Quality Enhancing Program. Journal ranked Q1 by SCImago; Impact factor: 3.017.
• “Intellectual Property Rights, Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Freedom” (with Gustavo Canavire and Fernando Rios-Avila). Global Economy Journal 17, 2, 2017. Journal ranked Q3 by SCImago.
• “Trade Effects of U.S. Antidumping Actions Against China.” (with Minsoo Lee and Donghyun Park). Asian Economic Journal 31, 1, p. 3-16, 2017. Journal ranked Q3 by SCImago; Impact factor 0.256. This paper was recognized by the Asian Economic Journal as one of the journal’s top 20 most downloaded papers in recent history.

Non-Refereed Publications

• Middle Georgia Economic Outlook Survey 2019 Report. Stetson-Hatcher School of Business and Economics, Mercer University. 2020.

Books

• What You Can Make with Freedom (with Clara Mengolini), 2019. Foundation for Economic Education.

Book Chapters

• “The trade-offs of the COVID-19 Crisis” in Oporto, H., ed. 2020. Bolivia: The Day After, Changes Coming or Already Here. La Paz, Bolivia: Fundación Milenio. 2020.

Recent Research Grants

• 2019, “How do Socio-Economic Conditions Matter for Socialist Indoctrination? The Case of Argentina’s 20th Century Socialism” (with Clara Mengolini), Provost Office Seed Grant Mercer University. Amount: $2,000.
• 2018, “Marxist Indoctrination in Children’s Literature and Visual Media: The Case of Latin America’s 21st Century Socialism” (with Clara Mengolini), Provost Office Seed Grant Mercer University. Amount: $3,450.
• 2018, “Communicating the Economic Benefits of Free Societies to Young Readers” (with Clara Mengolini), The Charles Koch Foundation. Amount: $10,000.
• 2017, “How do Socio-Economic Conditions Matter for Socialist Indoctrination” (with Clara Mengolini), The Charles Koch Foundation. Amount: $4,600.