By Bob Needham
Michigan Law
Professor James Hines, Jr. recently started a three-year term as president of the International Institute of Public Finance (IIPF), the leading academic organization of economists working in public finance.
With 600 members in 60 countries, the IIPF studies and researches various questions of economic public policy. As president, Hines is responsible for organizing the institute’s annual conference—the next one will be in Nairobi, Kenya, in August—as well as various other managerial tasks.
Hines takes particular pride in the way his organization addresses real-world problems of government finance and taxation.
“The academy can get a little abstract sometimes, and there’s a lot of value in that. However, it’s also important not to lose sight of the world that we inhabit,” he said.
“Part of our goal is to encourage and catalyze research that is going to be useful in the world—to governments, to taxpayers,” Hines added. “There’s plenty of valuable theory discussed at these events. But it’s always with an eye to the reality that there are governments, they need money, and it’s valuable to have people figure out the pros and cons of different ways of getting money and what they do with it.”
During his term as IIPF president, Hines hopes to expand participation in membership, particularly from the Americas.
“Every country, including the United States, has government-financing struggles. Those issues are perhaps more dire in poorer countries,” he said. “There’s a lot that American scholars have to offer about this, but this particular organization is very heavy on European membership and other parts of the world. Americans, writ large, are kind of underrepresented.”
Hines—the L. Hart Wright Collegiate Professor of Law and the Richard A. Musgrave Collegiate Professor of Economics—started his IIPF role just after concluding a term as president of another academic group, the American Law and Economics Association.
“I really like both of these organizations. I’ve been a member for years and years and have benefited greatly,” he said. “If I really believe in the mission of an organization and I think I can be helpful, then I’m happy to help lead it.”
He also finds involvement in these groups to be personally rewarding. “I’ve been going to these tax conferences for more than 40 years, and I get a real charge out of it every single time. I take real inspiration from it,” he said.
“You learn a lot of things that you
didn’t know before, and you think through things that you thought you knew—but now you see nuance that you hadn’t before. More generally, though, I appreciate the energy and excitement, especially from the incredible young scholars. It makes a difference, and I’m still feeling it.”
Michigan Law
Professor James Hines, Jr. recently started a three-year term as president of the International Institute of Public Finance (IIPF), the leading academic organization of economists working in public finance.
With 600 members in 60 countries, the IIPF studies and researches various questions of economic public policy. As president, Hines is responsible for organizing the institute’s annual conference—the next one will be in Nairobi, Kenya, in August—as well as various other managerial tasks.
Hines takes particular pride in the way his organization addresses real-world problems of government finance and taxation.
“The academy can get a little abstract sometimes, and there’s a lot of value in that. However, it’s also important not to lose sight of the world that we inhabit,” he said.
“Part of our goal is to encourage and catalyze research that is going to be useful in the world—to governments, to taxpayers,” Hines added. “There’s plenty of valuable theory discussed at these events. But it’s always with an eye to the reality that there are governments, they need money, and it’s valuable to have people figure out the pros and cons of different ways of getting money and what they do with it.”
During his term as IIPF president, Hines hopes to expand participation in membership, particularly from the Americas.
“Every country, including the United States, has government-financing struggles. Those issues are perhaps more dire in poorer countries,” he said. “There’s a lot that American scholars have to offer about this, but this particular organization is very heavy on European membership and other parts of the world. Americans, writ large, are kind of underrepresented.”
Hines—the L. Hart Wright Collegiate Professor of Law and the Richard A. Musgrave Collegiate Professor of Economics—started his IIPF role just after concluding a term as president of another academic group, the American Law and Economics Association.
“I really like both of these organizations. I’ve been a member for years and years and have benefited greatly,” he said. “If I really believe in the mission of an organization and I think I can be helpful, then I’m happy to help lead it.”
He also finds involvement in these groups to be personally rewarding. “I’ve been going to these tax conferences for more than 40 years, and I get a real charge out of it every single time. I take real inspiration from it,” he said.
“You learn a lot of things that you
didn’t know before, and you think through things that you thought you knew—but now you see nuance that you hadn’t before. More generally, though, I appreciate the energy and excitement, especially from the incredible young scholars. It makes a difference, and I’m still feeling it.”
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