Bio.

Kosal Nith is a macro-development economist and fiscal policy research fellow at Future Forum. He also coordinates the East Asia Working Group of the Institute for New Economic Thinking’s Young Scholars Initiative.

He holds a double bachelor’s degree in economics from Lumière University Lyon 2 and the Royal University of Law and Economics, both awarded in July 2019. He previously served as a research associate at the Center for Development Economics and Trade at the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI). Before that, he held a series of research and program roles at Future Forum, including young research fellow, junior research fellow, and program coordinator; and he remains affiliated with the organization. He was also a Blueprints for a New Economy Fellow, part of an international program for emerging public intellectuals from the Global South that advances transformative economic ideas and tackles extreme inequality.

A pluralist economist, Kosal conducts research at the intersection of macroeconomics and development economics. His work covers economic growth and development, monetary and fiscal policy, institutions, income distribution, economic uncertainty, and resilience. Drawing on post-Keynesian and other heterodox traditions, he combines theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented approaches to study the development challenges of emerging economies. His work has appeared in international journals and edited volumes, including the Journal of International Development Studies and New Frontiers in Regional Science: Asian Perspectives.

Kosal is an active voice in economic policy debates. He regularly contributes commentary to media outlets and writes the Growth and Distribution Lab newsletter on Substack. He is also a co-founder of the Southeast Asia Economic Research and Development Conference, which brings scholars together to share research in economics and other social sciences. He serves on academic committees and helps organize workshops, conferences, and webinars with various universities across the region.

Recognizing that the impact of economic research is often long-term, Kosal aims to contribute to policies that promote sustainable development and foster real peace, harmony, and happiness. He believes that change does not come from strong theory, rigorous empirical work, or a sound diagnosis of the issues alone. It comes from practical policy recommendations, a clear account of the trade-offs backed by evidence, and an understanding of the interests of the actors with the power to shape policies that affect socio-economic development and people’s lives.