Nikhil Damodaran

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Lecturer
Department of Economics
University of Melbourne
nikhil.damodaran@unimelb.edu.au

I am a macroeconomist. I completed my Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 2018. My interests are open economy macroeconomic models with fiscal policy. My current research uses these policies to examine within country business cycle movements and its outcomes on aggregate business cycles.

I enjoy teaching courses in macroeconomics and international economics. Additionally, my research explores innovative pedagogical approaches in economics, aiming to develop content that not only imparts valuable skills but also resonates deeply with students, fostering their intellectual growth and curiosity.

Research

Pedagogy

Hooray for Bollywood: using Hindi language films to teach economics.
Geerling, W., Arya, E., Damodaran, N., & Thomas, N. (2024).
International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 15(1), 54–68.

ChatGPT has aced the test of understanding in college economics: Now what?
Geerling, W., Mateer, G. D., Wooten, J., & Damodaran, N. (2023).
The American Economist, 68(2), 233–245.

Macroeconomics

Consumer payment choice and the heterogeneous impact of India’s demonetization.
Bajaj, A., & Damodaran, N. (2022).
Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 137, 104329.

Work in Progress

Fiscal Policy and Transmission: The Case of India's States

Teaching

Teaching statement

Courses

  • Money, Banking and Finance (Uni Mel) - S1 2023, S01 2024
  • Introductory Macroeconomics (Uni Mel) - S2 2023

General Writing

A little bit of theory for everyone, check out my substack, Jan 2023.

The Need for public in public policy, The Indian Express, 23 March 2021.

Inflation tax and the Burden of Public Debt, The New Indian Express, 18 March 2021

Who pays for the wall? Farm Protests and the Budget, Indian Express, 17 February 2021.

Why is the government pushing farm laws despite so much protest?, The Pioneer, 11 February 2021

On Domestic currency denominated local government bonds, with (Shraavan Varma and Aarjav Nair), The New Indian Express, 7 February 2021

On the need for unconventional monetary policy to help local governments, Indian Express, 24 April 2020

Macroeconomic effects of the reverse migration due to COVID lockdown in India, Indian Express, 12 April 2020