Western Illinois University Economics Professor Tom Sadler is the author of the upcoming book “Pandemic Economics,” which analyzes the pandemic from an economics perspective, addressing economic shutdown, recession and recovery.

The book, which will be published by Routledge in early 2021, analyzes specific outcomes, including health care, inequality, energy, the environment and the international economy.

Western Illinois University Economics Professor Tom Sadler

“The topic piqued my interest because economists have not published widely on pandemics, until now,” said Sadler. “Because the shock to economic activity was so severe, economists have now begun an extensive research agenda to analyze all economic aspects of the pandemic, including employment and macroeconomic effects, impacts on business and households, and long-term outcomes. I thought a book would capture the evolving state of economics research on the pandemic.”

Sadler also developed a new course on pandemic economics, which he is teaching this semester, and the book serves as course content.

“One of the main findings I report on in the book is when governments implement lockdowns and shutter the economy, it is important for governments to maintain comprehensive systems of income support for individuals and businesses,” Sadler said.

The coronavirus pandemic and wreaked havoc on the labor market. The United States is still recovering. Moving forward, the extent to which the economy regains its favorable pre-pandemic economic position depends on how well the country controls the virus, vaccinates a majority of the population and creates jobs,” he added.

Sadler has taught economics for 30 years and has been a member of the WIU Economics faculty since 2005. In addition to pandemic economics, he teaches about environmental economics, energy economics, globalization, among other topics. He is also the author of “Energy Economics: Science, Policy and Economic Applications” and co-editor of “Local Food Networks and Activism in the Heartland.”

For more information on his book, “Pandemic Economics,” Sadler can be reached directly at TR-Sadler@wiu.edu.

For more information on WIU’s Economics program, visit wiu.edu/econ.

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Sean Leary is an author, director, artist, musician, producer and entrepreneur who has been writing professionally since debuting at age 11 in the pages of the Comics Buyers Guide. An honors graduate of the University of Southern California masters program, he has written over 50 books including the best-sellers The Arimathean, Every Number is Lucky to Someone and We Are All Characters.