Migrant Inventors and the Technological Advantage of Nations

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Migrant Inventors and the Technological Advantage of Nations. Countries are between 25 to 60% more likely to gain advantages in patenting if there's a doubling in number of foreign inventors that specialize in certain technologies. The best example is Fran Shock Valley in South Africa, where French refugees were expelled from France by King Louis XIV during the 17th century. Today this little town is home to some of the most renowned wineries in South Africa that export wine to the rest of the world.

Co-host Janet Bush talks with economist Dany Bahar. He is an associate professor of practice of international and public affairs at Brown University’s Watson Institute and a senior fellow of the Growth Lab at the Harvard Center for International Development. He’s also a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution and the Center for Global Development. Two themes stand out in his work: the diffusion of technology and knowledge, and migration. In this podcast, Bahar covers topics including the following: