Thesis Title: Illicit Financial Flows and State Fragility
Abstract: My proposed research addresses the critical issue of illicit and tax-avoidance related financial flows (ITAFF) within the contemporary global development agenda, with a special focus on ‘fragile’ states. Rather than adhering to a nation-centric dichotomy between external and internal factors driving ITAFFs, the research project aims to situate the phenomenon of ITAFFs within a holistic understanding of contemporary global capitalism while reconceptualizing these flows as modes of geographical transfer of value (GTV). This pursuit necessitates a critical synthesis of neoclassical perspectives and heterodox traditions of political economy.
The research would comprise of three interlinked investigations. The first piece would critically examine the construction and dissemination of indices that ascribe fragility or institutional risk-based scores to nation-states, uncovering the epistemic hegemony of global financial hubs, and proximate multilateral institutions, over contemporary perceptions of ‘state capacity’ and expected role of ‘institutions’. The second investigation would delve into the politico-economic factors determining the choice of mode of geographical transfer of value (GTV), understanding how IFFs become dominant conduit for GTV in states lacking minimal ‘capacity’ to support global accumulation. The third piece would explore how IFFs shape the dynamics of extraction and geographical transfer of rents in resource-rich ‘fragile’ settings, where a unique rent-seeking alliance develops between local and global capital.
The research will employ a mixed-methods approach, drawing upon critical accounting, econometrics, comparative case studies, machine learning-based simulations, interviews, and content and discourse analysis. Offering novel insights on ITAFFs, the study ultimately aims to inform policies and frameworks for inclusive global development.
Primary Supervisor: Joel Rabinovich
Publications: 1) Malhotra (2021). Indian Household Balance Sheet: Accounting issues and wealth estimation. Eurostat Review on National Accounts and Macroeconomic Indicators, Issue 2021, 7-39. 2) Malhotra (2021). A hybrid econometric-machine learning approach for relative importance analysis: Prioritizing food policy. Eurasian Economic Review, 11(3), 549–581. 3) Malhotra & Krishna (2018). Release velocities and bowler performance in cricket. Journal of Applied Statistics, 45(9), 1616-1627. PATENT: Krishna & Malhotra (2016). Operational design of a tap-on-table dispensing system for aerated beverages with a circulatory flow and dynamic billing mechanism (Granted, Patent Number: 389690).
Social Media: Personal site – https://sites.google.com/view/akashmalhotra Twitter – https://x.com/AkashMalhotra1 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/akash-malhotra-in/