Benefits of city living will be subject of April 26 lecture

Edward Glaeser, author of the recent book “Triumph of the City” (Penguin Press HC, 2011), will be the guest speaker at the Andrew F. Smith Lecture in International Economics and Development at the Maxwell School on April 26. The lecture will ask, “Do Big Cities Make Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier and Happier?”

The lecture will take place from 4-5:30 p.m. at 220 Eggers Hall on Thursday, April 26. A book signing and reception in Strasser Commons will follow the lecture.

Glaeser is an internationally renowned scholar specializing in urban economics, economic development and political economy. He is the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where he has taught for 20 years. Glaeser is also director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government and director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Glaeser has published more than 125 academic journal articles and book chapters, and has written or edited 10 books. “Triumph of the City” presents cities as the healthiest, richest and most environmentally friendly places to live.

In addition to publishing books and journal articles, Glaeser has served as co-editor of the Quarterly Journal of Economics and is currently a co-editor of the Journal of Urban Economics. From 2008 to 2011, he contributed to the New York Times Economix blog.