Dr Sarah Hamersma, Associate Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs at Syracuse University, will be our special guest.

Policy makers can be influenced by their constituents, whether individuals or communities, including communities of faith. It makes sense for people of faith to consider what their roles might be in helping society set goals that promote human flourishing.  At the same time, there is a distinction between promoting goals and promoting specific policies; the goal of poverty alleviation, for instance, could be pursued in a variety of ways. Economists are in a position to evaluate how different policies play out; we have both theoretical models and real-world data that can be utilized to that end, and the church could benefit by taking a look at our analysis before championing a particular policy solution to a major social challenge. There are real synergies that can develop if economists and people of faith recognize the value that each adds to creating a policy environment that promotes human flourishing.