Bob Rijkers

Prof. Bob Rijkers is a Professor of Political Economy at the Department of Economics, Utrecht University. He holds an academic position within the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance and contributes to multidisciplinary research through UU LEG Research and UUSE Multidisciplinary Economics. His work focuses on understanding the intersections between political institutions, economic policies, and development outcomes.

Prof. Rijkers is actively involved in teaching, including courses such as Macroeconomics 3B: Development and Growth (ECB3GD), RM International Trade (elective), and Political Economics. His research emphasizes topics like corruption in customs systems, protectionism’s gender impacts, automation’s trade effects, and labor market responses to crises, particularly in developing contexts. Notably, he has studied the implications of elite capture on foreign aid and the role of political connections in tariff evasion, contributing to policy discussions in countries like Tunisia, Indonesia, and Ghana.

His research interests span political economy, international trade, development economics, and labor economics, with emphasis on how governance structures influence economic outcomes. Recent work highlights the transformative effects of technology (e.g., robotics) on global trade patterns and labor markets, while earlier studies examined job creation mechanisms in transitional economies.

Prof. Rijkers collaborates extensively with international organizations like the World Bank and academic networks, focusing on experimental methods to measure employment and analyzing health shocks’ labor impacts. His contributions address policy challenges in corruption, inequality, and crisis management, offering actionable insights for developing nations.