The Project on Justice, Welfare, and Economics (JWE) seeks to foster scholarly research by faculty and graduate students on issues at the intersection of economics and the other social sciences, as well as law and ethics. The main thrust of this initiative is to stimulate new research and teaching in this area and to support the work of younger scholars that encompasses and integrates ethical, political, and economic dimensions of human development. To meet this aim, JWE awards dissertation fellowships and research grants each year to graduate students whose research topics are relevant to the work of the project. Since its inception in June 2001, JWE has awarded 49 dissertation fellowships and 20 research grants to graduate students in the fields of anthropology, economics, government, sociology, philosophy, law, health policy, and history.

JWE also hosts a variety of formal and informal events to foster a community of scholars whose research and knowledge connects the study of freedom, justice, and economics to human welfare and development. The project has also sponsored conferences on a variety of topics, most recently the April 2007 conference “Democracy and the Future.”

Nine dissertation fellowships and three research grants have been awarded to graduate students for summer 2007 and academic year 2007-2008. The award recipients are in the fields of economics, government, history, history of American civilization, and law. The JWE project also plans to host a variety of activities in the coming year, including regular dinner meetings with invited guest speakers, luncheons during which graduate students can present their work, and an annual conference.

Lamont University Professor and Weatherhead Center Faculty Associate Amartya Sen is the faculty chair of the JWE project. The members of the faculty committee involved in the initiative, in addition to Professor Sen, are Professors Philippe Aghion, Beatriz Armendariz, Benjamin Friedman, Jerry Green, James Kloppenberg, Michael Kremer, Jane Mansbridge, Frank Michelman, Martha Minow, Sendhil Mullainathan, Nancy Rosenblum, Alvin Roth, Thomas Scanlon, Beth A. Simmons, Dennis Thompson, Laurence Tribe, and Richard Tuck.

The Project on Justice, Welfare, and Economics is anchored in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, but also includes professors and students at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Law School, and other schools of the University. The Provost’s Office provides general oversight for the project, which is housed at 61 Kirkland Street.