Nancy Folbre, UMass professor of economics and CPPA faculty associate, recently discussed the need for economists to maintain a high level of ethics when commenting on the current economic situation and to avoid situations where they fail to reveal conflicts of interest. Folbre also writes a column in the Economix blog about the protests in Italy of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s personal behavior and news of his dalliance with an underage young woman. She says those who protest this behavior are standing up for women’s dignity and the credibility of their country’s future prospects.
Listen to Folbre’s commentary on ethics in economics at Marketplace (NPR), and read her column on the empowerment of Italian women here.