Marcus Marktanner

Marcus
Marktanner

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My name is Marcus Marktanner and I am a Professor of Economics and International Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University.

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Marcus Marktanner
About Me

I grew up in Freiberg am Neckar, 15 miles North of Stuttgart, Germany. In Freiberg, I went to school from 1973 to 1986. After I graduated from high school ("Abitur"), I completed mandatory military service in the Air Transportation Squadron 61 in Penzing, Bavaria (1986-1987).

In the Fall of 1987, I began my undergraduate studies at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, and graduated in 1992 with a degree in Business Administration ("Diplom-Kaufmann"). In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and I became a real-time witness to Germany's reunification and the revolutions in Central and Eastern Europe. Fascinated by the political and economic changes around me, I decided to study them in more detail. After I graduated from Bayreuth, I became a doctoral student and lecturer in the Economics Department of the Technical University in Ilmenau, located in the former socialist part of Germany. I received my PhD in Economics in 1997. In my doctoral thesis, I analyzed the political economy of reintegrating transformation economies into the world economy.

After receiving my doctorate, I held post-doc and junior faculty positions at the University of North Texas and the University of Nuremberg, Germany. In 2003, I joined the Economics faculty at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. After eight years in Lebanon, I joined Kennesaw State University in 2011 where I have a dual appointment with the Department of Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Analysis and the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development.

Short Bio

Marcus Marktanner is Professor of Economics and International Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Analysis of the Coles College of Business and the PhD Program in International Conflict Management of the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development. He received his PhD from the Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany in 1997. In his doctoral thesis he examined the political economy of the economic transformation process of former socialist economies. Before joining the faculty of Kennesaw State University in June 2011, he held teaching and research positions in Lebanon, the USA, and Germany. His research focuses on comparative economics, economic development, and conflict economics. He has consulted the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the World Food Program (WFP), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He also regularly contributes to the work of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation as an author and speaker on the topic of the Social Market Economy.

Contact

Marcus Marktanner

Coles College of Business
Department of Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Analysis
560 Parliament Garden Way NW
Kennesaw, GA 30144

Phone: (470) 578 - 7750
Email: mmarktan@kennesaw.edu

Find Me
Curriculum Vitae
Download my CV here
Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) in Economics, 1997

Dissertation: Systems Transformation and Club Enlargement, Magna cum laude
Original: Systemtransformation und Kluberweiterung
Technical University of Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany

Master of Science (MS) in Applied Economics, 1999

Thesis: A Comparison of Economic Development in Latin America, Middle Eastern Europe and Asia in the 1990s
University of North Texas, Denton, USA

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Economics/Marketing/Human Resources, 1992

Supporting Areas of Emphasis: Economics
Thesis: Germany's Electricity Market after the Unification
Original: Die deutsche Elektrizitaetswirtschaft nach der Wiedervereinigung
University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

Professional Positions

Professor of Economics and Int'l Conflict Management, 2018 – Present

Department of Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Analysis
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, USA

Associate Professor of Economics and Int'l Conflict Management, 2011 – 2018

Department of Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Analysis
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, USA

Associate Professor of Economics, 2010-2010

Department of Economics
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Assistant Professor of Economics, 2003-2010

Department of Economics
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Visiting Research Scientist, 2002 - 2003

Center for Economic Development and Research
University of North Texas, Denton, USA

Hochschulassistent (Assistant Professor), 1999 - 2002

Institute of Economics
University of Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany

Post-doctoral Research Fellow and Masters student, 1998 - 1999

Center for Economic Development and Research
University of North Texas, Denton, USA

Instructor of Economics and Doctoral Student of Economics, 1992 – 1998

Institute of Economic Theory
Technical University of Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany

Project Supervision
Dissertation Projects

The Social Market Economy as a Formula for Peace, Prosperity and Sustainability

Almuth Merkel

Visualization and Simulation Projects

The Economic Burden of Human Capital Mismatch

From Conflict to Empty Stomachs and Empty Classrooms to Empty Wallets

Death by Revolution? The Economic and Socioeconomic Impact of the Arab Uprising

The Economic Dividend from Economic Freedom Simulator

Visualizing Theory

An Epidemiological Dynamics Simulator

The Solow-Growth Model and the Economic Impact of War

Research
Refereed Journal Articles

Gouda, M. and Marktanner, M., 2021. Social Welfare and ISIS Foreign Fighters. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, pp.1-30.

Marktanner, M. and Merkel, A., 2019. Conflict and aid dependency–an explorative study motivated by the case of Palestine. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 11(3), pp.253-272.

Gouda, M. and Marktanner, M., 2019. Muslim Youth Unemployment and Expat Jihadism: Bored to Death?. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 42(10), pp.878-897.

Marktanner, M. and Merkel, A., 2019. Hunger and Anger in Autocracies and Democracies. International Journal of Development and Conflict, 9(1), pp.1-18.

Hanafy, S.A. and Marktanner, M., 2019. Sectoral FDI, absorptive capacity and economic growth–empirical evidence from Egyptian governorates. The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, 28(1), pp.57-81.

Jenkins, D., Marktanner, M., Merkel, A.D. and Sedik, D., 2018. Estimating child mortality attributable to war in Yemen. International Journal of Development Issues.

Gouda, M. and Marktanner, M., 2018. Thank You, Infidels! Social Welfare and Islamic State Recruitment. Social Welfare and Islamic State Recruitment (June 29, 2018).

Marktanner, M., Mienie, E. and Noiset, L., 2015. From armed conflict to disaster vulnerability. Disaster Prevention and Management, 24(1), pp.53-69.

LeFebvre, R. and Marktanner, M., 2014. Did 9/11 change the New York state of mind? Lessons from NYC's leisure and hospitality labour market. Tourism Economics, 20(4), pp.831-848.

Marktanner, M., 2014. The social market economy–Assembled in Germany, not made in Germany. The Euro Atlantic Union Review, 1(0), pp.77-113.

Marktanner, M., Wilson, M. E., 2014. Pancasila – Roadblock or Pathway to Economic Development? Journal of Applied Economics in Developing Countries, 1(1), pp.1-13.

Marktanner, M. and Noiset, L.P., 2013. Food price crisis, poverty, and inequality. The Developing Economies, 51(3), pp.303-320.

Marktanner, M. and Noiset, L., 2013. Social versus conservative democracies and homicide rates. International Journal of Social Economics, 40(4), pp.292-310.

Hanna, M.R. and Marktanner, M., 2013. Legitimacy and market development risks of Sovereign Wealth Funds. International Journal of Public Policy, 9(4-5-6), pp.400-415.

Marktanner, M., Salman, L. and Bekdash, H., 2012. An explorative study in qualitative regime transitions. Journal of International Development, 24(2), pp.152-166.

Marktanner, M. and Salman, L., 2011. Economic and geopolitical dimensions of renewable vs. nuclear energy in North Africa. Energy Policy, 39(8), pp.4479-4489.

Marktanner, M. and Nasr, J., 2009. Potentials of democratization, demilitarization, industrialization, and contraception. Journal of Economic Studies, 36(3), pp.236-249.

Marktanner, M. and Sayour, N., 2009. Does Inequality Prevent Trade Development? A Political-Economy Approach. Trade and Development Review, 2(2), pp.93-105.

Marktanner, M. and Winterberg, J.M., 2009. Consenso de Washington vs. Economía social de mercado. Diálogo Político, 26(1), pp.99-131.

Marktanner, M. and Makdisi, S., 2008. Development against All Odds? The Case of Lebanon. Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, 4(3), pp.101-133.

Marktanner, M. and Nasr, J., 2008. Resource mobilization climates in the world. The Journal of Developing Areas, pp.27-43.

Marktanner, M., 2004. What does General System Theory say about Economic Transition?. Central European Political Science Review, 5(17), p.6.

Marktanner, M., 2002. International Policy Cooperation and Systems Competition. Global Business and Economics Review, 6(1), pp.171-183.

Marktanner, M., 2000. Why do politicians in developed nations prefer foreign trade policy to income redistribution to counteract income inequality resulting from globalisation?. Global Business and Economics Review, 2(2), pp.235-245.

Books

Marktanner, M., Juan Pablo, P., Violeta, H., Andres, N., Pedro, P., 2016. Challenges to Equitable Social Development in Guatemala. Guatemala City: Ediciones Papiro , S. A., Guatemala.

Marktanner, M., 1997. Systemtransformation und Kluberweiterung - Chancen und Risiken der Aufnahme von Reformstaaten in Integrierte Wirtschaftsraeume. Wiesbaden: Gabler (Deutscher Universitaetsverlag).

Book Chapter

Marktanner, M., Noiset, L. P., Merkel, A. D., 2019. Economic Issues in International Conflict Management. In Charity Butcher and Maia Carter Hallward (Ed.), Understanding International Conflict Management (187-202). Routledge.

Marktanner, M., Merkel, A. D., 2019. Ordnungspolitik und Sozialverfassung. In Günther Maihold, Hartmut Sangmeister, Nikolaus Werz (Ed.), Lateinamerika (pp. 432-442). Baden Baden: Nomos.

Marktanner, M., Wilson, M. E., 2018. Wasta in the Arab World: An Overview. In Warf, Barney (Ed.), Handbook on the Geographies of Corruption (pp. 228-246). Cheltenham, UK and Nothampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Marktanner, M., Wilson, M. E., El-Saghir, S., 2016. The Economic Cost of the Arab Uprising on the Lebanese Economy. In Maximilian Felsch and Martin Wahlisch (Ed.), Lebanon and the Arab Uprisings In the Eye of the Hurricane (pp. 119-134). Abingdon, Oxon and New York: Routledge (Durham Modern Middle East and Islamic World Series).

Marktanner, M., Wilson, M. E., 2016. The Economic Cost of Wasta in the Arab World: An Empirical Approach. In: Ramady M. (eds) The Political Economy of Wasta: Use and Abuse of Social Capital Networking. Springer, Cham.

Marktanner, M., Calfano, B., Michelmore, C., 2014. Elite-Led Consideration of the Role of Women in MENA Politics - Some Initial Experimental Findings. In Brian Calfano (Ed.), In Assessing MENA Political Reform, Post-Arab Spring (pp. 151-171). New York City: Rowman & Littlefield (Lexington Books).

Marktanner, M., Calfano, B., 2014. Introduction (Chapter 1). In Brian Calfano (Ed.), In Assessing MENA Political Reform, Post-Arab Spring (pp. 1-34). New York City: Rowman & Littlefield (Lexington Books).

Marktanner, M., Winterberg, J., 2011. Consenso de Washington vs. Economia Social de Mercado (reprint). In Susanne Kaess and Ivan Velasquez Castellanos (Ed.), Una Mirada a la Teoría, a los Modelos Económicos, a las Bases Conceptuales y al Modelo de la “Economía Social de Mercado” (pp. 101-125). La Paz: Fundacion Konrad Adenauer (KAS), Oficina Bolivia.

Marktanner, M., 2011. The Social Market Economy – Conception and Misconceptions. In Susanne Kaess and Ivan Velasquez Castellanos (Ed.), Una Mirada a la Teoría, a los Modelos Económicos, a las Bases Conceptuales y al Modelo de la “Economía Social de Mercado” (pp. 237-257). La Paz: Fundacion Konrad Adenauer (KAS), Oficina Bolivia.

Marktanner, M., Makdisi, S., 2010. Precarious Consociationalism: Lebanon's Predicament in Promoting Development. In K. C. Roy, A. Medhekar, and Hemant Chittoo (Ed.), Readings in World Development, Globalization and Development: Country Experiences (pp. 191-206). New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Makdisi, S., Kiwan, F., Marktanner, M., 2010. Lebanon: The Constrained Democracy and its National Developmental Impact. In Ibrahim Elbadawi and Samir Makdisi (Ed.), Democracy in the Arab World: Explaining the Deficit, Routledge, London, 2010. (pp. 115-114). London: Routledge.

Marktanner, M., 2010. Adressing the Marketing Problem of the Social Market Economy. In Glossner C. and Gregosz, D. (Ed.), 60 Years of Social Market Economy - Formation, Development and Perspectives of a Peacemaking Formula (pp. 170-188). St. Augustin/Berlin: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

Marktanner, M. 2008. Germany's Social Market Economy - A Development Model for the Arab world? In Hardy Ostry (Ed.), Freedom and Order for more Justice (pp. 29-30). Amman: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Regional Program Near East / Mediterranean.

Marktanner, M., Sahliyeh, E., Goedeken, S., 2007. Rhetoric vs. Reality in Palestine’s Political Development. In Henner Fuertig (Ed.), The Arab Authoritarian Regime between Reform and Persistence. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Marktanner, M., Nasr, J., 2006. Resource Curse Spillovers in the Middle East. In A. Abdel Gadir Ali (Ed.), Issues in the Design of Development Policies (pp. 205-224). Kuwait City: Arab Planning Institute.

Book Reviews

Marktanner, M., 2019. Exploring the future of Russia's economy and markets: towards sustainable economic development (2nd ed., vol. 95, pp. 497-498). International Affairs/Oxford University Press.

Marktanner, M., 2006. In Demetri Kantarelis (Ed.), Book Review of George A. Petrochilos, Managerial Economics – A European Text, Palgrave McMillan 2003 (3/4 ed., vol. 8, pp. 343-344). Geneva: Global Business and Economics Review.

Consulting

Konrad Adenauer Foundation, 2008 - Present

Various research reports and facilitated seminars and workshops on social market economics

Food and Agricultural Organization, 2017 and 2019

Background Reports

World Food Programme, 2010

Research Reports and Policy Papers

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, 2004 - 2010

Research Reports and Policy Papers

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2009 - 2010

Research Reports and Policy Papers

Refereed Conference Presentations

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), 40th MEEA/ASSA Annual Meeting, "Dying for Sex - Male Youth Unemployment, Unmarriedness, and Foreign Fighters," Middle East Economics Association/Allied Social Sciences Organization, San Diego. (January 6, 2020).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Gouda, M. (Author Only), Hanafy, S. (Author Only), ISA Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, "Democracy, Personal Freedom, and Islamic State Fighters," Singapore. (July 5, 2019).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Gouda, M. (Author Only), Hanafy, S. (Author Only), 94th Annual Meeting of the Western Economics Association International, "Dying for Sex - Sexual Frustration and Expat Jihadism," San Francisco. (July 1, 2019).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Gouda, M. (Presenter & Author), Hanafy, S. (Author Only), Economic Research Forum Annual Meeting, "Democracy, Personal Freedom, Islamic State Fighters," Kuwait City, Kuwait. (March 12, 2019).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Gouda, M. (Presenter & Author), Economic Research Forum Annual Meeting, "Thank You, Infidels! Social Welfare and Islamic State Recruitment," Kuwait City, Kuwait. (March 12, 2019).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Globalization, Social Cohesion and the Rise of Populism, "“The "pure people" and the "corrupt elite": populist trends in Latin America – historical background, comparison and definition," Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Washington. (January 23, 2019).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Merkel, A. D. (Presenter & Author), American Social Sciences Association/Middle East Economics Association Annual Meeting, "Palestine - Conflict and Aid Dependency as a Source of Income?," Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, GA. (January 7, 2019).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Gouda, M. (Presenter & Author), American Social Sciences Association/Middle East Economics Association Annual Meeting, "Thank You, Infidels! Social Welfare and Islamic State Recruitment," Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, GA. (January 7, 2019).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Merkel, A. (Presenter & Author), Yang, M. (Author Only), Conisoft 2018 (6th Edition of the International Conference in Software Engineering Research and Innovation), "The Use of Interactive Socioeconomic Data Visualization for a More Informed Public Debate," Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. (October 25, 2018).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Merkel, A. (Presenter & Author), 93rd Annnual Meeting of the Western Economics Association International, "Palestine - 100% Aid Dependent?," Western Economics Association International, Vancouver, BC, Canada. (June 30, 2018).

Jenkins, D. (Author Only), Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Merkel, A. (Presenter & Author), Sedik, D. (Author Only), 93rd Annnual Meeting of the Western Economics Association International, "The Burden of War on Child Mortality: The Case of Yemen," Western Economics Association International, Vancouver, BC, Canada. (June 30, 2018).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Gouda, M. (Presenter & Author), Allied Social Science Association/Middle East Economics Association Annual Meeting, "Muslim Youth Unemployment and Expat Jihadism - Bored to Death?," Middle East Economics Association, Philadelphia, PA. (January 6, 2018).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Wilson, M. E. (Presenter & Author), 36th Annual Meeting of the Middle East Economic Association, "Wasta - Myth or Reality?," Middle East Economics Association, San Francisco. (January 6, 2016).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Fischer, A. (Presenter & Author), 34th Annual Meeting of the Middle East Economics Association, "After the Dust Settles – What’s the Socioeconomic Dividend of the Arab Uprising?," Philadelphia, PA, January 6, 2014. (January 6, 2014).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Fischer, A. (Presenter & Author), 34th Annual Meeting of the Middle East Economics Association, "The International Community in the Arab Uprising from a Strategic Game Perspective: The Case of Syria," Philadelphia, PA, January 6, 2014. (January 6, 2014).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), The First Saudi International Conference on Crisis and Disaster Management, "From Armed Conflict to Natural Disaster Vulnerability," Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (September 8, 2013).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), 12th International Conference of The Middle East Economic Association (MEEA), "The Arab Uprising –Did Ibn Khaldun See it Coming?," Middle East Economics Association, Speyer, Germany. (March 18, 2013).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Post-ASSA Annual International Conference of the Middle East Economic Association (MEEA), "The Arab World’s Democratic Consolidation Perspectives – An Assessment," Middle East Economic Association (MEEA), San Diego. (January 7, 2013).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Hariharan, G. (Presenter & Author), Sixth Southeastern Development Economics Workshop, "The Growth Potential from Financial Inclusion," Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Americas Center and the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, Georgia State University. (December 7, 2012).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), The First International Development Conference of Syria 2010, Emerging Role of Civil Society in Development, "Social Market Economy – The German Experience," Syria Trust for Development, Damascus, Syria. (January 24, 2010).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), The First International Development Conference of Syria 2010, Emerging Role of Civil Society in Development, "Will Syria's Social Market Reforms Wither in Droughts?," Syria Trust for Development, Damascus, Syria. (January 23, 2010).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Salman, L. (Author Only), At the Crossroads - Pathways of Renewable and Nuclear Energy in North Africa, "Economic and Political Dimensions of Renewable and Nuclear Energies in North Africa," LSE-Alcoa Foundation Program and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, London School of Economics, London (London School of Economics). (October 16, 2009).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Makdisi, S. (Author Only), 2009 Allied Social Science Association Meeting, "Trapped by Consociationalism – The Case of Lebanon," Middle Eastern Economics Association, San Francisco, USA. (January 4, 2009).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Neaime, S. (Author Only), 2009 Allied Social Science Association Meeting, "The Role of FDI for Economic Development in the MENA Region," Middle Eastern Economics Association, San Francisco, USA. (January 3, 2009).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Makdisi, S. (Author Only), The Sixth Institute for International Development Studies (IIDS) Conference, "Precarious Democracy: The Case of Lebanon," Institute for International Development Studies and University of Technology, Mauritius, Quatres Bornes, Mauritius. (July 15, 2008).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Nasr, J. (Author Only), 13th Annual Meeting of the Economic Research Forum, "A Political Economy Approach to Exchange Rate Misalignments in the Middle East," Economic Research Forum, Kuwait City, Kuwait. (December 17, 2006).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Sahliyeh, E. (Author Only), Second World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies, "Do Conventional Autocracy Theories Apply to the Middle East?," The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, Amman, Jordan. (June 11, 2006).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Nasr, J. (Presenter & Author), The 8th International Conference on the Economics and Finance of the Middle East and North Africa, "Does Overvaluation in the MENA Region Compensate for Poor Socioeconomic and Political Fundamentals?," Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon. (May 22, 2006).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), South Western Economics Association (SWEA) Conference, "Externalities, Redistribution, Political Regime and Economic Development," South Western Economics Association, San Antonio, TX. (April 13, 2006).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Public Choice Society, "Political Regime, Economic Structure, and Political-Economic Empowerment," Public Choice Society, New Orleans, LA. (March 30, 2006).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Arab Planning Institute International Conference on New Approaches to the Design of Development Policies, "Resource Curse Spillovers in the Middle East," Arab Planning Institute, Beirut, Lebanon. (March 20, 2006).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Business and Economics Society International, "Determinants of Investment Climates," Business and Economics Society International, Flagstaff, AZ. (July 22, 2005).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Business and Economics Society International, "Inequality and Democratization," Global Business and Economics Society, Flagstaff, AZ. (July 22, 2005).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), 7th International Conference on the Economics and Finance of the Middle East and North Africa, "Determinants of the Investment Climate in the MENA Region," Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon. (May 30, 2005).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), 2005 Annual Meeting of the Public Choice Society, "The Effects of Social and Political Conflict on the Provision of Public Capital and Economic Growth," Public Choice Society, New Orleans, LA. (March 10, 2005).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Business and Economics Society International, "Did Import-Substituting Developing Countries Abuse Dependence Theory?," Business and Economics Society International, Island of Rhodes, Greece. (July 19, 2004).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Business and Economics Society International, "Fragile Democratization – Please Handle With Care!," Business and Economics Society International, Island of Rhodes, Greece. (July 19, 2004).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), Annual Meeting of the Business and Economics Society International, "Why Do Politicians in Developed Nations Prefer Foreign Trade Policy to Income Redistribution to Counteract Rising Income Inequality from Globalization?," Business and Economics Society International, San Francisco, CA. (July 22, 2000).

Marktanner, M. (Author Only), Weinstein, B. (Presenter & Author), 38th European Congress of the Regional Science Association, "The Importance of Structural Change to Europe’s Commitment to the Kyoto Treaty –Risks and Opportunities from a Political-Economic Point of View," Regional Science Association, Vienna, Austria. (August 21, 1998).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), 3rd Conference of the Latin American Law and Economics Association, "How long does Constitutional Law Survive in Developing Countries?," Latin American Law and Economics Association, Caracas, Venezuela. (June 16, 1997).

Marktanner, M. (Presenter & Author), 5th Convention of the East Asian Economic Association, "Is there a limit in Transition from Plan to Market?," East Asian Economic Association, Bangkok, Thailand. (October 25, 1996).

Teaching
Kennesaw State University
Department of Economics, Finance and Quantitative Analysis

ECON 1000 and ECON 1000 Online, Contemporary Economic Issues

Material list ECON 1000

ECON 1100, Global Economics

Material list ECON 1100, Global Economics

ECON 2100, Principles of Microeconomics

Material list ECON 2100, Principles of Microeconomics

ECON 2200 and ECON 2200 Online, Principles of Macroeconomics

Material list ECON 2200 and ECON 2200 Online, Principles of Macroeconomics

ECON 2300, Business Statistics

Material list ECON 2300, Business Statistics

ECON 3300 and ECON 3300 Online, Applied Statistical and Optimization Models

Material list ECON 3300 and ECON 3300 Online, Applied Statistical and Optimization Models

ECON 4310, Economic Development in Global Perspective

Material list ECON 4310, Economic Development in Global Perspective

ECON 4400, Economic Modeling – Guatemala

Material list ECON 4400, Economic Modeling – Guatemala

ECON 4550, The Economics of Strategy

Material list ECON 4550, The Economics of Strategy

ECON 8010, Resource Allocation and Optimization Strategies

Material list ECON 8010, Resource Allocation and Optimization Strategies

ECON 8610, International Business Perspectives

Material list ECON 8610, International Business Perspectives

FIN 4400, Economic Modeling

Material list FIN 4400, Economic Modeling
PhD Program in International Conflict Management

INCM 9005, Economics of Conflict

Material list INCM 9005, Economics of Conflict

INCM 9102, Quantitative Methods

Material list INCM 9102, Quantitative Methods

INCM 9210, Advanced Quantitative Methods

Material list INCM 9210, Advanced Quantitative Methods

INCM 9530, Microeconomic Theory for Conflict Analysis

Material list INCM 9530, Microeconomic Theory for Conflict Analysis

INCM 9530, Macroeconomic Theory for Conflict Analysis

Material list INCM 9530, Macroeconomic Theory for Conflict Analysis

INCM 9530, Econometrics for Conflict Analysis

Material list INCM 9530, Econometrics for Conflict Analysis

INCM 9550, Socioeconomic Impact Simulation and Visualization

Material list INCM 9550, Socioeconomic Impact Simulation and Visualization

INCM 9550, Social Market Economics

Material list INCM 9550, Social Market Economics

INCM 9550, Advanced Applied Data Analysis

Material list INCM 9550, Advanced Applied Data Analysis
Other

CM 7400, Conflict Management Research Methods

Material list CM 7400, Conflict Management Research Methods

INCM Boot Camp 2014 (with Dr. Jennifer Priestley)

Material list INCM Boot Camp 2014 (with Dr. Jennifer Priestley)
American University of Beirut
Graduate Level

Price Theory

Material list Price Theory

The Econometrics of Financial Markets

Material list The Econometrics of Financial Markets
Undergraduate Level

Introductory Microeconomic Theory

Material list Introductory Microeconomic Theory

Industrial Organization and Public Policy

Material list ...

Economic Policy for Developing Countries

Material list ...

Development Economics I (Micro)

Material list ...

Development Economics II (Macro)

Material list ...

The Economics of the Middle East

Material list ...

Applied Econometrics

Material list ...

The Economics of Food Security

Material list ...
Visiting Lectures at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
Graduate Level

The Economics of Food Security

Material list ...

International Economics

Material list ...
ONPS International Summer School
Undergraduate Level

Principles of Microeconomics

Material list ...

Intermediate Microeconomics

Material list ...

Public Economics

Material list ...

Money and Banking

Material list ...
How I became an Economist

My passion for Economics was not love at first sight.

I received my undergraduate degree in Germany where university studies were free, but highly selective. During my first days I sat in huge lecture halls with more than seven hundred students, many of them standing in the hallway or sitting on the floor for lack of seats. And I was terrified. One of my professors told the class not to worry, upper-level classes will be much smaller after roughly 50 percent of all students within the first two semester will be “sieved out.” Indeed, the second semester was known as the sieving-out semester, and the sieving-out course -- with a failure rate of above 50% -- was Microeconomic Theory.

I was afraid of failing Microeconomic Theory and of disappointing my parents, friends, and, most importantly, myself. I studied in Bayreuth, a city some 200 miles away from my hometown Stuttgart. I still remember the day when my father went with me to Bayreuth to help me move into my student apartment. When he told me good-bye, he said: “Marcus, I am leaving you now with many freedoms. You make new friends, visit new places, and attend student parties. And then he continued, saying, “Marcus, all of this is fine with me. Just remember one thing: I am paying for everything, so please do not forget to study.”

Microeconomics was suddenly more than an academic challenge; it became the ultimate test for proving myself as a young person who can handle his freedom with responsibility.

I was still an undergraduate student when the Berlin Wall fell, and the Soviet Union collapsed. Exactly 200 years after the French Revolution, I found myself in the middle of another revolution of similar dimensions and history in the making. Quickly it became clear that the German unification and the transformation process in Central and Eastern Europe require a lot of economic expertise and that economics is a real-world science, not just some ivory tower vanity fair. Moreover, until 1989, there was only the field of Comparative Economics, now there was the new field of Transformation Economics, and I wanted to be part of it.

When I graduated from the University of Bayreuth, I was offered a doctoral research position at the University of Ilmenau, which is in the former German Democratic Republic of Germany. There, I witnessed the transformation process and the social hardship associated with it first-hand. Most of the people in Ilmenau worked in a glass-making factory that employed several thousand people directly and indirectly. After the factory was privatized, the number of employed shrank to a couple of hundred. I realized that what makes economic sense does not necessarily pass the political selection test in a democracy. I eventually wrote my doctoral thesis about the political limits and challenges of the economic transformation process.

My fascination for the interaction of economic and political dynamics has shaped my research interest ever since, and soon it was not only limited to countries in transition.

Teaching Statement
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I am passionate about economics and feel thankful for the opportunity to work as a professor. For me, being able to work with students is a privilege and responsibility.

Being passionate about a certain subject is probably the most important factor of effective teaching. When I was a student, my favorite professor gave the worst lectures, seemed never prepared, was constantly all over the place, made mistakes on the board, but when he did so, could laugh about himself.

I also had another teacher who was the exact opposite. He gave perfect lectures, never made a mistake on the board, prepared useful handouts, and organized the entire semester with Swiss clockwork precision.

Yet my favorite teacher was the one I described first, and the explanation is simple: I learned more from him. His passion more than compensated for all his didactical deficiencies. The first teacher made me want to understand and learn more, the second teacher made me want to get done with the subject and forget about it.

No, my teaching philosophy is not to emulate the first teacher.

Passion is surely a necessary condition for teaching effectiveness, but not sufficient. My favorite professor probably could have won over many more students’ hearts and minds, if he had been not only passionate, but well organized as well.

I accordingly take class preparation very seriously. In practice this means that I write all my lecture notes and problem sets myself. Beginning with the pandemic, I also started to make videos in which I go over the lectures and problem sets.

Making those videos has proven to be a useful exercise to organize my lectures. In addition, I realized that certain topics which require the use of software (such as Excel for statistics) can be more effectively taught when students see a video that they can pause.

I generally design my classes such that conceptual and applied passages are balanced. Especially in economics and statistics, students become more quickly interested into a specific concept, if, for example, I visit in class the World Bank Development Indicator Database, download real world data, and link theory to real world applicability.

Another important aspect in my field is problem solving as an important vehicle of learning. I often reserve some time for students to work as a group on a problem set and then present their solution on the board to the class.

In sum, I strive to use my passion to motivate students. By connecting theory and practice, I try to illustrate the relevance of the material. With problem solving, I hope to stimulate group work and inclusiveness. Lastly, by employing online technology, I aim to provide flexibility and alternative learning formats.

Research Statement
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I am mainly interested in the following question:

“Which economic policies promote peaceful socioeconomic development?”

In my research I am explicitly or implicitly guided by social market economic thought. The concept of the social market economy developed in Germany in the 1930s amidst great political turmoil. In Germany and Europe, socialism was on the rise in response to the social problems created by 19th century capitalism. After World War II, fascism emerged as an alternative to both capitalism and socialism. Beginning with the 1930s, a group of German economists began to develop the concept of the Social Market Economy as a response to all fascism, socialism, and laissez-faire capitalism. The concept of the Social Market Economy eventually guided Germany’s post World War II recovery, and ultimately shaped Europe’s economic constitution.

In Social Market Economics, the idea of the human being is characterized by both self-interest and social responsibility. This distinguishes Social Market Economics from laissez-faire capitalism and socialism, whose philosophies rest on assumptions regarding the idea of a human being that are characterized exclusively by self-interest and social responsibility, respectively.

The focus of Social Market Economics is on principles of economic policy. These principles, in turn, are closely related to the field of Economic Humanism and the School of Freiburg with its concept of “Ordoliberalism.” In essence, “Ordoliberalism” is a set of state-constituting, state-political, market-organizational, and market-failure correcting principles, which ideally guide economic policy to assure that the freedom in the market drives equitable social development.

In my research I typically identify a certain socioeconomic challenge and examine it in the context of deviations from Social Market Economic principles. I have written on the relationship between food insecurity and political instability, showing how insufficient social safety nets and non-market conform social policies (such as price ceilings for food items) contribute to political instability. Another research focus has been the question why so many foreign fighters join the so-called Islamic State. Again, we find that insufficient social safety nets, specifically that passive labor market programs promote expat jihadism more than active ones. My academic research is mostly data driven.

While it is important to write for an academic audience, and certainly is necessary to stay current, I believe it is equally important to make research available to non-academic audiences and public policy. In addition to my academic research, I also have conducted contracted research projects for the World Food Program, the United Nations Economic and Social Division for Western Asia, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.