Lecture by Dr Kenneth Castillo-Hidalgo (Politecnico di Milano) – 19 January

Dr Kenneth Castillo-Hidalgo is a faculty member at Politecnico di Milano. His main research interests lie in regional economics, with an emphasis on knowledge, innovation, and natural resources. He also conducts research on the territorial and distributional consequences of market concentration, industrial organization, and evolutionary economics.

During the seminar organized by the Spatial Warsaw research center, Dr Kenneth Castillo-Hidalgo will present a study titled „Mines, fields, or classrooms: Effects of primary sector activities agglomeration on local human capital accumulation”. The abstract of the presentation is provided below.

We cordially invite you to attend on 19 January at 17:00 in Room B111 or to join the meeting remotely. Those interested in attending online are kindly asked to contact Dr Kateryna Zabarina at: w#NEqVs2!8%-voc$~YdG+6.]#[c$+~SI]{aSyv\xYx-?I95%u.

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How does spatial concentration of mining and non-mining primary activities affect the distribution of human capital? By using individual-level data from Chile, we find that mining concentration is associated with a lower probability of higher education during copper price booms, while non-mining activities exert more persistent negative effects. Spatial econometric models suggest spillovers emerging for non-mining activities, but not for mining. Findings reveal heterogeneous effects of primary sector activities and underscore the need for place-based policies promoting diversification, attracting specialized labor, and fostering knowledge-intensive clusters as key strategies to mitigate resource-related constraints on human capital and support long-term regional development.