Sign in

Ola Olsson

@oolsson.bsky.social
633 followers 360 following 63 posts

Professor of Economics and HoD at University of Gothenburg Economic growth, development economics and economic history. Author of "Paleoeconomics: Climate Change and Economic Development in Prehistory” sites.google.com/site/econolaols/ho…

PostsRepliesMedia
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Why did COVID policies differ so much across countries? In this article with @econannika.bsky.social, recently published in J Comp Econ, we find that deep historical exposure to infectious disease shaped how governments reacted to COVID‑19, but only during 2020. authors.elsevier.com/a/1mTcY_3Mo1...
authors.elsevier.com
Please wait whilst we redirect you
All content on this site: Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For all open access content, the relevant licensing terms apply.
120
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
It was a great pleasure to host and listen to so many great presenters at this year’s ASWEDE outside Gothenburg. Already looking forward to next year in Stockholm!
000
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
We are very excited about the new research opportunities that this VR funding opens up for the department.
031
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Kul att långsiktig ekonomisk tillväxt blir föremål för ännu ett Nobelpris! I artikeln nedan kommenterar mina kollegor och jag pristagarnas bidrag. www.gu.se/nyheter/uppt...
gu.se
Upptäckter av drivkrafter för ekonomisk tillväxt prisas
Aldrig tidigare har människan upplevt en så lång period av ihållande ekonomisk tillväxt som under de senaste tvåhundra åren. Årets ekonomipristagare Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion och Peter Howitt har ge...
000
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Väldigt glad för denna fina recension av min bok Paleoeconomics i @ekonomiskdebatt.bsky.social ! www.nationalekonomi.se/artikel/pale...
nationalekonomi.se
Paleoekonomi - Nationalekonomiska Föreningen
Recension av Ola Olsson: Paleoeconomics, Palgrave Macmillan, 2024, 351 sidor, ISBN 978-3-031-52783-8.
020
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 05/08/2025
Will we be able to trust key economic data from the US again? The America We Knew Is Rapidly Slipping Away www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | The America We Knew Is Rapidly Slipping Away
020
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Just presented my paper on weather shocks and monument construction during the Classic Maya period at the WEHC in Lund. Happy for the great lineup of very interesting papers and presenters and for the turnout. Also thrilled to find my book in the book exhibition!
070
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
Jag kommenterar handelsavtalet mellan EU-USA i dagens Di. Jag tycker att EU vek ned sig alldeles för lätt. Inget hindrar Trump från att kräva ännu mer senare. Att ensidigt acceptera 15% tullar är orimligt. dise.page.link?link=https:/...
dise.page.link
Professor kritisk: EU borde ha trappat upp – ”har mer muskler”
EU-kommissionens ordförande Ursula von der Leyen borde ha satt hårt mot hårt i förhandlingarna med USA:s president Donald Trump. Det är mycket som står på spel – en hel världsordning – varnar Ola Olss...
031
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
I was interviewed a short time ago in Javier’s excellent EPH Podcast about my book Paleoeconomics. I hope you enjoy listening to it. www.linkedin.com/posts/javier...
linkedin.com
🌍 New season of the EPH Podcast! | Javier Mejia Cubillos
🌍 New season of the EPH Podcast! In this episode, I talk with Ola Olsson about the economics of the Paleolithic and Neolithic. How did a small species of hominids conquer the world? What challenges ...
011
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
EU should of course respond with tariffs in line with the measures agreed on in April. Time to take a break from the flattery that EU leaders have tried in different fora and show resolve.
020
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
Kommenterar senatens behandling av Trumps budget Dagens ETC.
000
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg @gothenburg-econ.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Congratulations to @rhelensdotter.bsky.social !
072
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
efn.se/usas-akademi...
efn.se
Akademisk kris i USA – Sverige måste agera nu
Den akademiska friheten är under press i USA. Det öppnar upp för svenska universitet att rekrytera forskare och öka vår internationella status som forskarnation. Handelshögskolans rektor varnar: ”De a...
000
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg @gothenburg-econ.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
Several members of faculty in the development group @gothenburg-econ.bsky.social have taken part in this nice collaboration as supervisors. We thank our Ethiopian friends for their visit and hope for fruitful research interaction in the future.
021
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
There are of course numerous lessons from recent history about what Trump’s handling of the unrest in LA might lead to. The most worrying is probably ”Crackdowns can be steppingstones to wider power grabs.” www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/w...
nytimes.com
3 Lessons From International Protests Amid Unrest in L.A.
Experts who study protest movements say the scenes unfolding in California broadly follow a script that has played out many times in other countries — sometimes with deadly consequences.
000
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg @gothenburg-econ.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Our frequent guest and affiliated colleague Martin Berg Karlsson @drdemant.bsky.social has co-authored a paper on German health insurance that is forthcoming in @jpolecon.bsky.social. Congratulations! doi.org/10.1086/734781
doi.org
University of Chicago Press Journals: Cookie absent
032
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
An illustration of how the Trump administration’s counterproductive tariffs hurt even the manufacturing of Swedish cars in the US.
010
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
My paper with Laura Mayoral on the political impact of floods and droughts in Ancient Egypt, is now assigned to an issue of JEconGrowth. We provide evidence of a "dynamic circumscription model" where Egypt was sometimes like a "social cage" where rulers could easily dominate. rdcu.be/eoDL5
rdcu.be
Floods, droughts, and environmental circumscription in early state development: the case of ancient Egypt
191
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg @gothenburg-econ.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
We were very happy to host Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin today during seminars and an important keynote lecture. Thanks to all 700 participants irl and online for attending! www.gu.se/en/event/cla...
gu.se
Claudia Goldin: Why Women Won
Join the 2025 edition of the Tore Browaldh Lecture, where Nobel Laureate and Harvard Professor Claudia Goldin talks about women's societal and economical changes and impact.
021
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 27/04/2025
Such an incredibly well deserved PL title!!!
000
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
So true. But it also comes with a responsibility to be better at defending our freedom. economist.com/europe/2025/...
economist.com
The thing about Europe: it’s the actual land of the free now
Europe’s very real problems don’t look so bad by comparison
000
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Good to see that Harvard takes the lead in this important fight for academic freedom. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/u...
nytimes.com
Trump’s Threats Force Powerful Institutions to Choose: Cut a Deal or Resist
In a hint of a shift in strategy, some of the country’s most powerful institutions have started choosing to resist.
010
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
Yet another interview with me on the political economy of Trump’s tariff circus (in Swedish). www.dn.se/ekonomi/expe...
dn.se
Expert: ”Trump lär ha en mycket svagare förhandlingsposition”
USA har undantagit elektronik från de höjda tullarna. Därmed slipper en knapp fjärdedel av Kinas export till USA de amerikanska 125-
000
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
Interview about the crisis in Affärsvärlden (in Swedish). www.affarsvarlden.se/artikel/ekon...
affarsvarlden.se
Ekonomiprofessorn: ”En självförvållad Trump-kris som är helt vansinnig” | Affärsvärlden
Förtroendet för USA är skadat och att göra affärer med landet kommer att vara för riskabelt. Det hävdar ekonomiprofessorn Ola Olsson. ”Det kommer att bli svårt att lita på regimen”, säger han till Affärsvärlden.
020
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
In particular, why did so many seemingly well-informed finance guys delude themselves to this extent? www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Why Did Wall Street Get Trump So Wrong?
Wall Street mistook demagogy for wisdom.
041
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
052
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
This is remarkably close to what we had six days ago. The average tariff rate of most European nations was about 1%.
451025231
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Dani Rodrik @drodrik.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
This is absolutely horrifying. Turkish graduate at Tufts student is picked up and removed to undisclosed destination by ICE, apparently because she wrote a pro-Palestinian oped.
810041
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 19/03/2025
1. For the past thirty years I've had the best job in the world. 
I've had the opportunity to follow my curiosity; explore the workings of nature and society; mentor students and junior colleagues in the same process; and teach generations of students about it all.
382585927
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
European universities will probably very soon need to deal with many US-based researchers who want to relocate to Europe. If handled efficiently, a great opportunity for EU research. www.politico.eu/article/euro...
politico.eu
Europe looks to poach US researchers as Trump cuts funding
Twelve EU capitals want programs to bring over American scholars.
031
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Can’t say that I am very sad about this development. A well-deserved own goal and surely not the last one. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/b...
nytimes.com
Tesla Shares Plunge as Elon Musk’s Political Role Grows More Divisive
The automaker’s shares soared after Election Day as Elon Musk took a high-profile role as a Trump adviser. Now those gains have evaporated.
000
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 06/03/2025
"Washington has become the court of Nero, an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers, and a jester high on ketamine in charge of purging the civil service. This is a tragedy for the free world, but it is first and foremost a tragedy for the United States."
10138821051
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
In this OA book chapter, Pelle and I critically discuss the SDG target 8.1 that the poorest countries should reach at least a 7% growth rate in GDP per capita. After two decades of rapid convergence 2000-2019, there are major challenges ahead. www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-...
taylorfrancis.com
Sustainable economic growth | 3 | A critical assessment of Target 8.1
In this chapter, we focus on Target 8.1, stipulating that countries should pursue real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita growth rates that are in
010
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
A brilliant Banksy.
501386659890
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Oh yes. And what a shameful day for the country that used to be the leader of the free world.
120
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Daron Acemoglu @dacemoglumit.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
If, as I hope, the US democracy survives and (somehow) recovers, then history books will judge those working with Trump and Republican lawmakers in the Senate and Congress enabling him harshly (and so should we). If US democracy does not survive, I don’t know what history books will be like.
514619
Reposted by Ola Olsson
EFN Ekonomikanalen @efntv.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Det är dags för val i Tyskland och drömsituationen för Sverige är ett valresultat som ger en stark regering som kan föra EU:s talan på ett effektivt sätt gentemot USA. Samtidigt behöver Tyskland stärka landets eget försvar. Det säger @oolsson.bsky.social till EFN. efn.se/play/starkt-...
efn.se
”Starkt Tyskland en nödvändighet”
091
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
It was really fun to feature in this episode of the very nice pod ”Our long walk” run by @johanfourieza.bsky.social. Among other research topics, we talk about my recent book Paleoeconomics. Thanks for the opportunity!
020
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
EU and UK must stay focused on defending Ukraine and liberal democracy and not be distracted by the representatives of this idiot regime in the US. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
theguardian.com
JD Vance stuns Munich conference with blistering attack on Europe’s leaders
US vice-president questions whether European values are worth defending as he rails against ‘threat from within’
010
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Chris Stringer @chrisbstringer.bsky.social · 08/02/2025
In a 1st, ancient proteins reveal sex of human relative from 3.5 million years ago www.livescience.com/archaeology/...
livescience.com
In a 1st, ancient proteins reveal sex of human relative from 3.5 million years ago
Researchers have extracted ancient proteins from australopithecine fossils and determined whether they were male or female — a first for human evolution studies.
0639
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Det andra avsnittet i Vetenskapsradion om den fascinerande stenålderskulturen i sydöstra Turkiet för 12000 år sedan. Jag intervjuas i slutet om övergången till jordbrukssamhällen. sverigesradio.se/play/avsnitt...
sverigesradio.se
Civilisationens nollpunkt grävs ut - Vetenskapsradion Historia
I närheten av ikoniska Göbekli Tepe har nu tjugotalet liknande platser börjat grävas ut. Tobias Svanelid besöker några av platserna som tillsammans målar ...
010
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
It is really efficient to combine a great workshop on historical economics with paleoeconomic field research on Ötzi in his Bolzano museum.
040
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
Thanks for a wonderful workshop at a fantastic location!
140
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
It is essential that EU has the guts to regulate and limit their inappropriate market power now that the they have become allies of Trump.
020
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg @gothenburg-econ.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
I ett nytt avsnitt av Vetenskapsradion diskuterar @oolsson.bsky.social hur stenåldersplatsen Göbekli Tepe kan ha uppstått efter en köldknäpp som tvingade människor att samlas på bördiga platser, vilket skapade konkurrens och hierarkier. www.sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/gobe...
sverigesradio.se
Göbekli Tepe - stenåldersplatsen som skriver om historien - Vetenskapsradion Historia
I sydöstra Turkiet skriver utgrävningarna av Göbekli Tepe om historien. Det enorma komplexet, åtminstone 11 500 år gammalt, berättar en ny historia om ...
111
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
Trade and FDI between major blocs after Russian’s invasion of Ukraine are decreasing towards levels during the Cold War, claims IMF economists #ASSA2025. Probably particularly bad for small, trade-oriented countries like Sweden.
030
Ola Olsson @oolsson.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
In a new wp "The Political Economy of Bread and Circuses", we examine the tradeoff in early states between productivity-enhancing infrastructure (like irrigation systems) and non-productive architecture (stelae, altars, etc) by studying the Classic Maya (250-950 CE). 1/5 dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
12512
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
Americans and others owe Ukrainians a debt of gratitude for their resistance to Russian aggression. That resistance, which Russian political and media elites cannot understand, is grounded in the simple notion that Ukrainians citizens should choose their leaders. snyder.substack.com/p/gratitude-...
snyder.substack.com
Gratitude to Ukraine (2024)
Security, Freedom, Democracy, Courage, Pluralism, Perseverance, Generosity
462672643
Reposted by Ola Olsson
Alice Evans @draliceevans.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Demographic discourse is wild! The more I read, the more I am bewildered by the dearth of empiricism. Standard response: fertility is down due to [things I dislike*] being bad *house prices/ cost of living/ women
2354
Reposted by Ola Olsson
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 30/11/2024
Rebels had seized most of Syria’s largest city, Aleppo, as of Saturday, according to a war monitoring group and to fighters who were combing the streets in search of any remaining government forces. nyti.ms/4eTqDQM
16698122