Sasidaran Gopalan

I am currently an Assistant Professor of Economics in the Department of Innovation in Government and Society, College of Business and Economics (CBE) at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Abu Dhabi.

Prior to joining UAEU, I have held various academic and research appointments across several renowned universities in Asia, including Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), Nazarbayev University (Kazakhstan), National University of Singapore (Singapore) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong).

I completed my Ph.D. (Public Policy) at the School of Public Policy, George Mason University, USA. My research specialization lies in the intersection of international economics and development policy, focusing on emerging markets.

My scholarly publications include several academic articles in refereed international journals, including notable field journals. I have also co-authored books published by leading publishing houses as well as contributed to numerous book chapters in edited volumes, policy briefs, and op-eds for leading global financial dailies.

My teaching experience includes both undergraduate and graduate level courses on macroeconomics, money and banking, international finance and applied empirical methods.

Research areas

My research falls under the broad intersections of international economics and development policy. Most of my work is empirical with an applied policy focus.

I am currently involved in various research projects that fall under the following themes:

• Financial Inclusion
• Foreign Direct Investment
• Global Value Chains
• Financial Openness
  

Education

• PhD George Mason University (2010 — 2014)
• M.Sc Madras School of Economics (2005 — 2007)
• B.A Loyola College (2002 — 2005)

Companies

• Assistant Professor Of Economics United Arab Emirates University (2021)
• Senior Research Fellow Nanyang Business School, NTU (2019 — 2020)
• Assistant Professor Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Public Policy (2018 — 2019)
• Research Fellow Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (2015 — 2018)
• Post Doctoral Fellow HKUST (2014 — 2015)
• Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant George Mason University (2011 — 2014)
• Research Assistant USPS OIG (2011 — 2013)
• Graduate Assistant Center for Global Studies (2011 — 2011)
• Research Intern US-ASEAN Business Council (2010 — 2010)

Recent publications

Latest Books

Cavoli, T., Gopalan, S., and Rajan, R.S. "Complexities of Financial Globalisation: Analytical and Policy Issues in Emerging and Developing Economies," Routledge, Taylor & Francis (UK), August 2020. Media coverage: "Economic Liberalisation No Shortcut For Development,"​ Global-is-Asian, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, 24 August, 2020.

Selected Journal Articles

Gopalan, S. (2022). "What Drives Start-Up Entrepreneurship in India's Subnational Economies?," The Indian Economic Journal (Accepted and Forthcoming).

Gopalan, S., and Khalid, U. (2022). "How Does Financial Inclusion Influence Tourism Demand? Empirical Evidence from Emerging Markets and Developing Economies," Tourism Recreation Research (Accepted and Forthcoming).

Gopalan, S., and Sharipova, A. (2022). "What Attracts Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment Inflows to Asia? Evidence from Firms’ Motives," Transnational Corporations Review (Accepted and Forthcoming).

Cavoli, T., Gopalan, S. and Rajan, R.S. (2022). "Can Macroprudential Policies Moderate the Influence of Capital Flows on Real Exchange Rates? Empirical Evidence from Emerging Markets" International Review of Finance (Accepted and Forthcoming).

Gopalan, S., and Rajan, R.S. (2021). “Does Digital Financial Inclusion Moderate or Exacerbate Output Volatility?” Applied Economics Letters (Accepted and Forthcoming).

Cavoli, T., Gopalan, S. and Rajan, R.S. (2021). "Do Macroprudential Policies Counter Real Exchange Rate Appreciation in Emerging Markets?" The World Economy , 44(7): 2164-2187.

Cavoli, T., Gopalan, S., and Rajan, R.S. (2020). “Financial Inclusion and Output Volatility: An Empirical Investigation” Open Economies Review, 31: 901-930.

Gopalan, S., and Sasidharan, S. (2020). “Financial Liberalization and Firms’ Access to Credit in Emerging and Developing Economies: An Empirical Investigation” Journal of Economics and Business, 107: 1-19.

Gopalan, S., Luu, N.T.D. and Rajan, R.S. (2019). "Trade Configurations in Asia: Assessing De Facto and De Jure Regionalism" The World Economy, 43(4): 1034-1058.

Cavoli, T., Gopalan, S., and Rajan, R.S. (2018). “Exchange Rate Policies in Asia in an Era of Financial Globalization: An Empirical Assessment,” The World Economy, 42: 1774-1795.

Gopalan, S. (2018). "Does Foreign Bank Entry Contribute to Financial Development? Examining the Role of Income Thresholds," Development Policy Review, 36(S2): 0954-0983.

Gopalan, S. and Rajan, R.S. (2018). “Foreign Banks and Financial Inclusion in Emerging and Developing Economies: An Empirical Investigation” Journal of International Development, 30(4): 559-583.

Gopalan, S. and Rajan, R.S. (2017). "Does Foreign Bank Presence Affect Interest Rate Pass-Through in Emerging and Developing Economies?," Journal of Macroeconomics, 54: 373-292.

Cavoli, T. and Gopalan, S. (2017). "Economic and Financial Interconnections and Income Growth Convergence in Asia: A Real-Financial Nexus?” Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 53(12): 2672-2685.

Gopalan, S., and Rajan, R.S. (2016). "Has Foreign Aid Been Effective in the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector? Evidence from Panel Data,” World Development , 85 (September): 84-104.

Recent Op-Eds & Commentaries (Since 2018)

“How Financial Inclusion is a Pathway to Reviving Tourism ” Gulf Business, June 27, 2021 (with Usman Khalid).

“Covid-19 shows up Asia’s Vulnerability to a Strong Dollar in a Crisis” South China Morning Post, September 21, 2020 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

“Does Covid-19 Mark the Death of Financial Globalisation?” The Business Times, September 17, 2020 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

“Why Asia’s Rapidly Growing Bond Markets are Still Vulnerable to Financial Stress” South China Morning Post, July 15, 2020 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

“COVID-19 and India's Fiscal Conundrum” The Hindu, May 05, 2020 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

“Doing Whatever It Takes: Understanding the COVID-19 Stimulus Calculus,” Global Policy Opinion, April 15, 2020 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan)

“Covid-19: Another Blow to India’s Economy,” The Hindu Business Line, March 30, 2020 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

"Inappropriate Template for a Legitimate Target," The Hindu, July 19, 2019 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

"Are Trade Wars Spiraling into Currency Wars?" Global-is-Asian, August 21, 2018 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

"Plugging Asia's Yawning Infrastructure Gap," Live Mint, July 12, 2018 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).

"International Trade Tensions: A Worry for Asia" Live Mint, May 23, 2018 (with Ramkishen S. Rajan).