Lakshmi Iyer
Keough School of Global Affairs; Department of Economics
Professor of Economics and Global Affairs
- Development economics and political economy
- Social and economic impact of religious and political leaders
- Colonial rule and democratization
- Decentralization and women’s political participation
- Property rights and the distribution of political power
- Governance, global health and natural resource management
Iyer’s Latest News
Iyer in the News
Today's Catholic
Researchers Find Link Between Papal Visits, Fertility Rates
May 26, 2025
A University of Notre Dame researcher recently discovered a remarkable legacy Pope St. John Paul II bestowed on Latin America during the pontiff’s 16 visits to the region between 1979 and 1996. Economics Professor Lakshmi Iyer and her colleagues set out to determine how the pope’s visits might have impacted life in 13 traditionally Catholic countries there, and they found that birth rates increased dramatically after the pope visited a region.
The News Memo
Pope John Paul II's Visits to Latin America Boosted Fertility Rates
May 19, 2025
The research was conducted by Professors Lakshmi Iyer (Notre Dame), Vivek Moorthy (College of the Holy Cross), and Paloma Lopez de mesa Moyano (Emory University).
Crux
New research finds ‘John Paul II effect’ on boosting fertility in Latin America
April 15, 2025
“These results indicate that people are really listening to what the pope has to say,” said Lakshmi Iyer, a professor of economics at Notre Dame. “And the topics he addresses really matter.”
phys.org
'Who the messenger is matters': Cultural leaders can positively influence population growth
April 15, 2025
Lakshmi Iyer, a professor in the Department of Economics, found that there was more to fertility rates than a simple economic or circumstantial explanation. According to her research, people are having fewer children due to cultural factors, with social norms playing a larger role than previously thought.
The Catholic Herald
New study claims John Paul II’s visits boosted fertility rates across Latin America
April 01, 2025
“These results indicate that people are really listening to what the pope has to say,” said Lakshmi Iyer, a professor of economics at Notre Dame. “And the topics he addresses really matter.”