Frank R. Gunter

Teaching

Professor Gunter has received five major - including the 2020 College of Business Teaching Excellence Award - and multiple minor awards for excellence in teaching. At Lehigh University, he teaches the principles of economics, economic development, the political economy of Iraq, and the political economy of the MENA. Professor Gunter also teaches executive education courses at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Research

Professor Gunter primarily focuses on economic development in conflict and post-conflict states. Based on two years in Iraq as an economic advisor, he wrote The Political-Economy of Iraq: Restoring Balance in a Post-Conflict Society, published by Edward Elgar Publishing (Second Edition, October 2021). This book attempts to provide an integrated view of Iraq’s post-2003 political economy and the first edition was selected as a book of the year by Choice Magazine. The Arabic version of the first edition, translated by Mohamed al Hamdi Ph.D., was published by Oma Publishing, Nassriyah, Iraq. Professor Gunter is the lead author of a series of Iraq Britain Business Council Reports: “Two Cheers for Iraq: Exchange Rate Challenges”, “Seaports and Airports of Iraq: Rules Versus Infrastructure”, “Privatization of State-Owned Enterprises”, “Corruption Worse Than ISIS: Causes and Cures for Iraqi Corruption”, and “Iraq 2020: Country at the Crossroads”. These reports were published in English and Arabic and briefed to the Iraqi government. Other research interests include the economics of entrepreneurship, conflict, and corruption. Professor Gunter's research perspective is pragmatic and most of his work combines quantitative and qualitative analysis.  

Consulting

Professor Gunter was a consultant for the International Republic Institute and taught workshops on social science research methods to university graduates in Baghdad, Iraq. He was a senior civilian economics advisor for the Multi-National Corps at Camp Victory, Iraq (July 2008 – July 2009) where he was responsible for briefing the commanding generals of the multi-national Corps/Force on Iraqi economic development issues including the impact of corruption, oil prices, state-owned enterprises, and budget decisions. Previously, Professor Gunter was assigned for seven months (November 2005 – June 2006) as military chief of the Economics Section, Strategic Effects, for a Multi-National Force in Baghdad, Iraq with similar responsibilities. 

Service

Professor Gunter is a past chairperson of the Lehigh Faculty Senate. He previously served as Chairperson of the Senate and Chairperson of the University Educational Policy and Faculty Compensation Committees.

Other Activities

Professor Gunter is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Colonel, he was mobilized after 9/11 to command a 6,000 Marine and sailor desert warfare combined arms training exercise (CAX 7/8-02). He later served as president of the Marine Reserve Mobilization Delay, Deferment, and Exemption Board; deputy director of the Tsunami Coalition Coordination Center in Thailand; and deputy commander of a group providing administrative support to coalition partners in Iraq.

Research Interests

• Political economy of Iraq 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Corruption 
• Chinese capital flight 
• Economic development during conflict

• 2017 Convocation Address

Works in Progress

• An Economist Comments on the Impending World Collapse
• Entrepreneurship in Conflict and Post-Conflict MENA States
• Ethical Convergence in Undergraduate Education

Iraq

• "Is Iraq Business Ready?" Iraq Britain Business Council, November 2024.
  • Arabic Version [PDF]
  • English Version [PDF]
• "Two Cheers for Iraq: Exchange Rate Challenges" Iraq Britain Business Council, June 2024.
  • Arabic Version [PDF]
  • English Version [PDF]
• "Seaports and Airports of Iraq: Rules Versus Infrastructure" Iraq Britain Business Council, June 2023.
  • Arabic Version [PDF]
  • English Version [PDF]
• "Privatization of Iraq's State-Owned Enterprises" Iraq Britain Business Council, May 2022.
  • Arabic Version [PDF]
  • English Version [PDF]
• "Setting the Scene for a Better Private Sector: Causes and Cures of Corruption in Iraq" Business Landscape, January 2022.
• "Corruption Worse Than ISIS: Causes and Cures Cures for Iraqi Corruption", 2021.
  • Arabic Version [PDF]
  • English Version [PDF]
• "Iraq 2020: Country at the Crossroads” Iraq Britain Business Council, May 2020.
  • Arabic Version [PDF]
  • English Version [PDF]
• "Iraq: Asking the Right Questions About Civil Disorder" Foreign Policy Research Institute, January 2020.
• "Draining Iraq's Swamp" The Hill, October 18, 2019.
• “Rebuilding Iraq’s Public Works Infrastructure Following the Defeat of ISIS” Foreign Policy Research Institute Monograph, November 2018.
• "Immunizing Iraq Against al Qaeda 3.0" Orbis: FPRI's Journal of World Affairs, Summer 2018, Volume 62, Number 3.
• The Political Economy of Iraq: Restoring Balance in a Post-Conflict Society, 2013, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing.
  • Updated Iraq figures and tables (18 January 2018)
• "Iraq's Flawed Anti-Corruption Strategy" IraqInContext, December 20, 2017.
• "What Iraq Must Do to Prevent Another Generation of Terrorists" The Morning Call, July 11, 2017.
• "Comments on Iraq: Where Do We Go From Here?" Foreign Policy Research Institute, June 2, 2017.
• "Once Fooled in Iraq" US News and World Report, July 27, 2016.
• "Oil Slump Leaves Iraq With 'Army' of Unemployed Youth" World Politics Review, March 17, 2016.
• "Iraq's Perfect Storm" The Pasewan, January 30, 2016.
• "Wither and Die" U.S. News and World Report, July 9, 2015
• "ISIL Revenues: Grow or Die" Foreign Policy Research Institute, June 2015.
• "ISIS and Oil: Iraq's Perfect Storm" Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Note, January 9, 2015.
• "The ISIL Invasion of Iraq: Economic Winners and Losers" Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Note, July 22, 2014.
• "Draining the Swamp in Iraq", Foreign Policy Research Institute, March 28, 2014.
• “The Future of Iraq’s Political Economy,” Iraq Oil Report, September 24, 2013.
• “Exploring the Structural Problems with Iraq’s Economy,” Musings on Iraq, September 16, 2013.
• “Politics and Economics of Iraq,” Interview on Geopolitics with Granieri, Foreign Policy Research Institute, April 9, 2013.
• “Entrepreneurship in Iraq,” Interview in The Atlantic, March 1, 2011.
• "Iraq's Shaky Economy Poses Threat to Future," National Public Radio, December 9, 2009.
• "Liberate Iraq's Economy," New York Times, November 16, 2009.
• "Microfinance during Conflict: Iraq, 2003-2007" in Moving Beyond Storytelling: Emerging Research in Microfinance. Andrea Wuerth and Todd A. Watkins (eds). Elsevier Press, 2009.
• "Economic Development During Conflict: The Petraeus-Crocker Congressional Testimony" Strategic Insights, Vol. VI, Issue 6, December, 2007.

Peoples Republic of China

• "Why China Lost About $3.8 Trillion To Capital Flight In The Last Decade" Forbes Asia, February 22, 2017.
• “Corruption, Costs, and Family: Chinese Capital Flight, 1984-2014” China Economic Review, Vol. 43, 2017, pp. 105-177.
• "On the Record: Gunter on China," Lehigh University News Article, January 19, 2011.
• "Capital Flight from China: 1984-2001," China Economic Review, Vol. 15, 2004, pp. 63-85.
• “The Relationship between Foreign Direct Investment and Capital Flight in China (1984-1999)” with Haizhen Yang, (Published in Chinese) China Economic Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 3, 2002, pp. 715-722.
• "Capital Flight from the People's Republic of China: 1984-1994," China Economic Review Vol. 7, No. 1, 1996.

Colombia

• "Market Reform and the Limitations of Monetary Policy: the Case of Colombia" with Carolyn Stumph, Ensayos Sobre Politica Economica, No. 38, March 2001.
• "Absolute Stability and Comparative Deterioration: Has Apertura Gone Too Far or Not Far Enough?" in Colombia: An Opening Economy? Colleen Callahan and Frank R. Gunter (eds.) Stamford, Connecticut: JAI Press, 1999, pp. 343-353.
• Colombia: An Opening Economy? Colleen Callahan and Frank R. Gunter (Eds.) Stamford, Connecticut: JAI Press, 1999.
• "Apertura Economica," in Fabio Giambiagi (ed.) Colombia: Informe Socioeconomico Departamento de Desarrollo Economico Y Social, Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, Abril, 1994, pp. 32-38.
• The Colombian Economy: Issues of Trade and Development Alvin Cohen and Frank R. Gunter (Eds.) Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1992.
• "Colombian Capital Flight: 1982-1990," In Alvin Cohen and Frank R. Gunter (Eds.) The Colombian Economy: Issues of Trade and Development, Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1992.
• "Colombian Capital Flight: Issues of Policy and the Drug Trade," Testimony on the Impact of Capital Flight on Latin American Debt before the Subcommittee on Deficits, Debt Management and International Debt of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, First Session, Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office, June 12, 1991, pp. 18-25, 37-42.
• "Colombian Capital Flight," Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs Vol. 33, No. 1, Spring, 1991, pp. 123-147.

Corruption, Capital Flight and Country Risk

• "Two myths hinder the global fight against corruption," The Christian Science Monitor, May 6, 2010.
• "Capital Flight" International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd edition, William A. Darity, Jr. (ed.) Detroit: Macmillan Reference, 2008.
• “Corruption," in Encyclopedia of Social Problems, Vol. 1, Vincent N. Parrillo (ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2008.
• "The Miracle of the Latvian Lat: Its Fragile Foundation" with Nicholas W. W. Balabkins, in Jürgen G. Backhaus and Günter Krause (eds.) On Political Economy of Transformation: Country Studies, Marburg: Metropolis Verlag, 1997.
• "Country Risk," In Peter Newman, Murray Milgate and John Eatwell (Eds.) The New Palgrave Dictionary of Money and Finance, New York: Stockton Press, 1992, pp. 506-509.
• "Thomas Jefferson on the Repudiation of Public Debt," Constitutional Political Economy Vol. 2, No. 3, Fall, 1991, pp. 283-301.

Economic Education

• "Simple Model of Entrepreneurship for Principles of Economic Courses" Journal of Economic Education, Vol. 43, No. 4, 2012, pp. 1-11. (For a longer version of this article, appropriate as a handout in a principles course, click here.

Social Justice

• TEDx Talk: "Everything That Rises Must Converge - Not," May 2017
• “Is Social Justice Just? Four Economists on Social Justice” Institute for Jewish Christian Understanding of Muhlenberg College, September 9, 2016

In the Media

• “The Electoral College is not Democratic - nor should it be” The Hill, May 23, 2020.
• "Bernie Sanders, Frank Sinatra, and income inequality" The Hill, July 26, 2019.
• "China's 'Great Leap Forward' a hard lesson for Green New Deal advocates" The Hill, February 14, 2019.
• "Why does Trump hate Russia?" The Hill, February 7, 2018.
• "Clinton and Trump want to beggar thy neighbor...and you" The Hill, March 16, 2016.
• "Justice Scalia, Atheists and Mass Murder" American Thinker, February 17, 2016.
• "Why University Faculty Should Attend Graduation", The Morning Call, May 26, 2015.
• "Simplifying U.S. tax code could benefit everyone," The Morning Call, November 8, 2010.
• "Will popular vote work? Not by a landslide," pennlive.com, August 22, 2010.