Research Fields
Primary: Development Economics, Digital Economics, International Economics.
Topics: Digital infrastructure, submarine cables, ICT and firm performance, political economy of corruption, economic vulnerability, regional integration in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Professional Background
2015–present
Research Officer, FERDI, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Coordinator, Chair Digitalisation and Public Policies.
Head, Program Energy Transition and Digital Transformations.
2023–present
Affiliate Researcher, CERDI — University Clermont-Auvergne, France.
2021–2022
Short-Term Consultant, World Bank & IFC.
2009–2010
Anti-corruption expert and trainer, European Commission.
2008–2013
Research Assistant, FERDI.
Teaching (2014–2024): Microeconomics, economic policy, digital economics — Paris-Dauphine University; Clermont Graduate School of Management; CERDI-UCA.
Education
2025
Habilitation à Diriger la Recherche (HDR).
2014
French Qualification for Assistant Professor tenure (Qualification MCF), renewed 2019.
2013
Ph.D. in Economics, CERDI — University Clermont-Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
2007
Master 2 in Development Economics (Research track), CERDI–UCA.
Master 2 in Project Management in Developing Countries (Professional track), CERDI–UCA.
2006
Master 1 in Comparative European and Latin-American Studies, University Sorbonne-Nouvelle (IHEAL, Paris III).
2005
Master 1 in International Economics, University Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris I).
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Imbruno, M., Cariolle, J., & de Melo, J. (2025). "Digital connectivity and firm participation in foreign markets: An exporter-based bilateral analysis,"
Journal of Development Economics, 177, 103551.
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J. & Leon, F. (2024). "How internet helped firms cope with COVID-19,"
Revue Économique, 75(4), 793–834.
↗ Link
Cariolle, J., Elkhateeb, Y., & Maurel, M. (2024). "Misinformation technology: Internet use and political misperceptions in Africa,"
Journal of Comparative Economics, 52(2), 400–433.
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J. & Da Piedade, C. (2023). "Digital Connectedness and Exports Upgrading: Is Sub-Saharan Africa Catching Up?"
The World Economy, 46(11), 3325–3344.
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J. & Le Goff, M. (2023). "Spatial internet spillovers in manufacturing,"
Journal of Development Studies, 59(8), 1163–1186.
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J. & Sekeris, P.G. (2022). "How export shocks corrupt: Theory and evidence,"
Journal of Government and Economics, 8, 100057.
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J. (2021). "International Connectivity and the Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa,"
Information Economics & Policy, 55, 100901.
↗ DOI
Brezis, E.S. & Cariolle, J. (2019). "The Revolving Door, State Connections and Inequality of Influence in the Financial Sector,"
Journal of Institutional Economics, 15(4), 595–614.
Elinor Ostrom Prize 2019
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J., Chalendard, C., Geourjon, A.M., & Laporte, B. (2019). "Going beyond analysis of internal data to support customs modernization: A case study in Gabon,"
The World Economy, 42(6), 1850–1872.
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J., De Ubeda, A-A., & Geourjon, A-M. (2019). "L'engagement dans l'intégration commerciale donne-t-il des résultats tangibles? Principes et application à l'UEMOA d'un indice d'engagement des États,"
Revue d'Économie du Développement, 27(1), 73–112.
↗ Cairn
Cariolle, J., Goujon, M., & Guillaumont, P. (2016). "Has structural economic vulnerability decreased in LDCs? Lessons drawn from retrospective indices,"
Journal of Development Studies, 52(5), 591–606.
↗ DOI
Cariolle, J. & Goujon, M. (2015). "Measuring Macroeconomic Instability: A critical Survey Illustrated with Export Series,"
Journal of Economic Surveys, 29(1), 1–26.
↗ DOI
Book
Aker, J. & Cariolle, J. (2023).
Mobile Phones and Development in Africa: Does the Evidence Meet the Hype? Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy Series, Palgrave MacMillan.
↗ Palgrave
Book Chapters
Cariolle, J. & Da Piedade, C. (Forthcoming). "Submarine Cable Infrastructure and Trade in Africa," in Ferracane, M. & Nordas, H. (eds.), A Digital Trade Research Agenda on Africa, EUI Press.
Brezis, E.S. & Cariolle, J. (2017). "Financial Sector Regulation and the Revolving Door in US Commercial Banks," in Schofield, N. & Caballero, G. (eds.), State, Institutions and Democracy: Contributions of Political Economy, Springer, pp. 53–76.
Cariolle, J. (2016). "Corruption in turbulent times: A response to export booms and busts," in Sarris, A. (ed.), Commodity market instability and asymmetries in developing countries, FERDI, 92 p.
Working Papers
Cariolle, J. (2026). "Digital Disasters: The Economic Costs of Submarine Cable Failures." Ferdi Working Paper P370.
↗ Ferdi
↗ Updated version
Cariolle, J. (2026). "Digital transformations in developing economies: From the first-mile infrastructure to the end-user finger tips." WIPO Economic Research Working Paper, World Intellectual Property Organization.
↗ SSRN
Cariolle, J., Houngbonon, G.V., Silue, T., & Strusani, D. (2024). "Submarine Cables, Internet Access Price and the Role of Competition and Regulation." Policy Research Working Paper, World Bank Group; Ferdi WP P357.
Submitted.
↗ World Bank
Cariolle, J. & Carroll II, A.D. (2024, rev. 2026). "From phone access to food markets: How mobile connectivity is transforming West-African livelihoods" Ferdi Working Paper P341.
R&R American Journal of Agricultural Economics.
↗ Ferdi
Cariolle, J., Le Goff, M., & Santoni, O. (2019). "Broadband infrastructure deployment, digital vulnerability, and local firm performance in developing and transition countries." Banque de France WP #709.
↗ SSRN
Cariolle, J. (2018). "Telecommunication Submarine-Cable Deployment and the Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa." CESifo Working Paper No. 7415.
Cariolle, J. (2013). "A Retrospective Economic Vulnerability Index, 1990–2011: Using the 2012 UN-CDP definitions." Ferdi Working Paper I17, Innovative Indicator Series.
Cariolle, J. (2012). "Measuring Macroeconomic Instability: Applications to Export Revenue Data, 1970–2005." Ferdi Working Paper I14.
Cariolle, J. (2011). "The Economic Vulnerability Index: 2010 Update." Ferdi Working Paper I09.
Policy Briefs
Cariolle, J. (2024). "Mobile Connectivity: A Vector for Rural Transformations in the WAEMU?" FERDI Policy Brief B273.
Cariolle, J., Elkhateeb, Y., & Maurel, M. (2023). "(Mis-)information technology: Internet use and perception of democracy in Africa." Ferdi Policy Brief B258.
Cariolle, J. & Leon, F. (2022). "How internet helped firms cope with COVID-19." Ferdi Policy Brief B230.
Cariolle, J., De Ubeda, A-A., & Geourjon, A-M. (2017). "Établir un indice d'engagement des États pour l'intégration commerciale : principes et application à l'UEMOA." Ferdi Policy Brief B168.
Cariolle, J. (2015). "Corruption in Turbulent Times: A Response to Export Booms and Busts." Ferdi Policy Brief B139.
Cariolle, J. & Geourjon, A-M. (2015). "Renforcer l'intégration régionale et mesurer ses progrès : intérêt et principes d'un indice d'engagement des États." Ferdi Policy Brief B116.
Brezis, E.S. & Cariolle, J. (2014). "Sizing Up the Distortive Power of the Revolving Door." U4 Brief, U4 Anti-Corruption Center, Bergen.
Cariolle, J. (2012). "Measuring Macroeconomic Instability: Applications to Export Revenue Data, 1970–2005." Ferdi Policy Brief B47.
Cariolle, J. & Guillaumont, P. (2011). "The Economic Vulnerability Index: 2010 Update." Ferdi Policy Brief B17.
Cariolle, J. & Kodi, M.W. (2010). "European Commission Support to Anti-Corruption in Partner Developing Countries." Background paper, European Commission review.
Reports
Cariolle, J. & D'Souza, A. (2026). Rural Youth Employment in the WAEMU. FERDI Report, 98 p.
Cariolle, J., De Ubeda, A-A., & Geourjon, A-M. (2017).
Mesurer l'engagement des États membres dans l'Union Économique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine. FERDI Report, February 2017.
↗ PDF
Cariolle, J. & Geourjon, A-M. (2015).
Etat des lieux sur la disponibilité des données à l'UEMOA et sur les Processus de Collecte Statistique. FERDI Report, November 2015.
↗ PDF
Blog Posts & Media
D'Souza, A. & Cariolle, J. (2026). "Invisible jobs: Unpaid care and women's employment in rural sub-Saharan Africa."
Global Development Blog, April 2026.
↗ globaldev.blog
Cariolle, J., De Melo, J., & Imbruno, M. (2025). "Bridging the digital divide in global trade." VoxDev Blog, August 28, 2025.
Cariolle, J., Maurel, M., & Raballand, G. (2024). "Strengthening social contracts in Africa: Is social media a blessing or a curse?" World Bank Blog, September 2024.
Award
2019
Elinor Ostrom Prize — best full-length article published in the Journal of Institutional Economics in 2019, awarded with Elise S. Brezis.
Visiting Positions
2022
Visiting researcher, University Aix-Marseille (AMSE), Marseille, France.
2018
Visiting researcher, Bar-Ilan University, Tel-Aviv, Israël. (August)
Research Supervision
Post-doctoral supervision
2026–
Balasubramanyam Pattath, Geneva Graduate Institute and Global Development Network.
PhD supervision
2022–23
Yasmine El-Khateeb, University Paris 1 — Defended. Economist at J-PAL Egypt.
PhD defense committees
2024
Jean-Baptiste Guiffard, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
2023
Damien Girollet, Bordeaux School of Economics.
2022
Quoc Thang Nguyen, University Paris-Dauphine.
Databases
› Submarine cable network dataset.
› Economic Vulnerability Index, retrospective series (UN-CDP 2012 design), endorsed by the UN-CDP.
› Build Your Own Economic Vulnerability Index website: byind.ferdi.fr.
› State Commitment to Trade Integration Index.
Refereeing Activity
Journal of Development Economics • American Journal of Agricultural Economics • Plos One • Public Administration Review • Technological Forecasting and Social Change • Information Economics and Policy • Telematics & Informatics • Journal of African Economies • Journal of Economic Surveys • Journal of Development Studies • International Review of Economics and Finance • Oxford Development Studies • African Development Review • Baltic Journal of Economics • Economics Bulletin • Revue Économique • Revue d'Économie du Développement.
Selected Invited Talks & Events
Invited Keynotes / Panels
2025
IDOS-EUI Workshop on Digital Trade Research Agenda, European University Institute, Florence; GDN Roundtable at Clermont Innovation Week; Council on Economic Policies Webinar.
2024
World Bank-IFC Flagship Conference on Digitalisation and Development, Sciences-Po Paris.
2023
Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Executive Working Group on Digital Governance, Geneva; UN LDC5 Conference, Doha; UNCTAD E-Commerce Week, Geneva.
Research Seminars
2025
Centre d'Économie de la Sorbonne (Paris 1); CERDI-UCA; Bordeaux School of Economics.
2024
US Federal Communications Commission (Washington DC); DIAL-IRD (Paris-Dauphine); Banque de France–FERDI Research Seminar; CERDI-UCA.
2019
Center for Global Development (London); Bordeaux School of Economics.
Academic Conferences (selected)
2025
CEPR/Kiel African Economic Development Conference (Berlin); CSAE Annual Conference (Oxford); LAGV (AMSE, Marseille).
2024
AFEDEV/ICDE, AMSE (Marseille); LAGV.
2023
CSAE (Oxford); SAGE Annual Conference.
2019
Royal Economic Society (Warwick); INFER Annual Conference (Brussels); DIAL-IRD (Paris).
2018
DEGIT Conference (Moscow); CESifo Economics of Digitization (Munich).
Last updated: April 2026
