On June 3, 2025, Nobel laureate in Economics (2007) and Harris School of Public Policy’s Globe Professor of Conflict Studies at the University of Chicago, Roger Myerson, delivered the keynote speech titled “Decentralized Stabilization Assistance” at NTU’s College of Social Sciences. The event, held in the Liang Kuo-shu International Conference Hall, drew a full audience.
Professor Myerson, a founding figure in mechanism design theory and co-recipient of the Nobel Prize with Leonid Hurwicz and Eric Maskin, has profoundly shaped academic and policy thinking on power allocation, incentive design, and institutional accountability. In recent years, his research has focused on governance and state-building in fragile or post-conflict societies.
In his lecture, Myerson stressed the importance of decentralized governance frameworks for achieving long-term stability in conflict-affected regions. He argued that international aid and peacebuilding efforts should prioritize inclusive and legitimate local political institutions rather than rely solely on centralized models. Drawing on rigorous theory and comparative evidence, he offered concrete recommendations to help donor countries and international actors build local systems that empower communities and reduce incentives for violence.
The lecture provided NTU faculty and students with valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance, enriching the university’s scholarship in democratic governance, international development, and conflict studies. It also fostered connections between NTU and leading global scholars and institutions, expanding Taiwan’s presence and engagement in the international academic community.