Michael Walton

Michael Walton is Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, Senior Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, Delhi. He wasV.K.R.V. Rao Chair Professor, Institute of Social and Economic Change, Bangalore for 2008 and 2009.

From 1980-2004, he worked at the World Bank, including extended periods on Indonesia and Zimbabwe, adviser to two Chief Economists, Regional Chief Economist for East Asia and the Pacific (1995-97), Director for PovertyReduction (1997-2000), Chief Economist for Human Development (1999-2000) and Adviser for poverty and human development in Latin America and the Caribbean(2000-2004). He was part of the management group for World DevelopmentReport 2000/2001: Attacking Poverty,and played a central role in the design of the poverty reduction strategy process for low income countries. Prior to joining the World Bank, he worked for the Central Planning and Development Office for the Government of Lesotho, 1997-79.

Major publications include: co-author of the World Bank’s World Development Report 1990 on poverty;director of World Development Report 1995 on labor; co-editor of Culture and Public Action (Stanford University Press, 2004); co-author of Inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean: Breaking with History? (World Bank, 2004); co-director of World Development Report 2005/06 on Equity and Development; and co-editor of No Growth without Equity?Inequality, Interests and Competition in Mexico.(Palgrave Macmillan and the World Bank, 2009).