Matthias Neuenkirch

Consequences of Economic Sanctions

Matthias Neuenkirch, together with Jerg Gutmann and Florian Neumeier, has examined the impact that economic sanctions could have on life expectancy. Using data from 98 less developed and newly industrialised countries over the period 1977–2012, the researchers conclude that sanctions have indeed reduced life expectancy, especially those imposed by the UN, as compared to US-imposed sanctions. They also determined that women are affected more severely by the imposition of sanctions, implying that sanctions disproportionately affect the life expectancy of the more vulnerable members of society. Furthermore, countries with a better political environment are less severely affected by economic sanctions.

During his stay at the ifo Institute, Matthias Neuenkirch will continue his collaboration with Klaus Wohlrabe on a GDP forecasting project. He will also collaborate with Florian Neumeier on the consequences of economic sanctions in targeted countries.

Mr Neuenkirch's primary field of research is monetary policy, in which he is currently working on monetary policy transmission in times of crises with a special emphasis on the role of the banking sector. In the field of international political economy, he is evaluating the effects of economic sanctions on human rights and life expectancy in targeted countries. He has published in the Journal of Development Economics, the Journal of Banking and Finance, and the Journal of International Money and Finance, among others.

Matthias Neuenkirch is a tenure-track Junior Professor of Empirical Economics at the University of Trier. Previously, he was temporary Full Professor of Macroeconomics at RWTH Aachen University and Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Marburg, where he was awarded his PhD in Economics in 2009.