# Edo Omerčević > Researching Monetary & Islamic Economics ## Posts - [Participating in the Peer Review of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Statistical System](https://edoomercevic.com/contributing-to-the-peer-review-of-bosnia-and-herzegovinas-statistical-system/): My reflections from the Peer Review of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s official statistical system and the role of reliable statistics in research, evidence-based policymaking, and institutional development. - [Mid-Term Evaluations in Development Planning: From Formal Requirement to Better Public Policy](https://edoomercevic.com/mid-term-evaluations-in-development-planning-from-formal-requirement-to-better-public-policy/): I participated at a regional development planning meeting in Livno and Split, discussing how mid-term evaluations can move beyond formal compliance and become practical instruments for stronger public policies, institutional accountability, and better public services in Bosnia and Herzegovina. - [Realization of the 12th Islam and Liberty Conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina](https://edoomercevic.com/islam-and-liberty-conference-bosnia-european-muslim-perspective/): The 12th Islam and Liberty Conference, held for the first time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, brought a distinctly European Muslim perspective to longstanding debates on liberty, institutions, and coexistence. With a majority of speakers of European origin, the roundtable highlighted the contribution of Bosnian and Albanian scholars to discussions on freedom within both Islamic and European intellectual traditions. - [Taking On a New Responsibility for Evaluation in Bosnia and Herzegovina](https://edoomercevic.com/taking-on-a-new-responsibility-for-evaluation-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina/): After being asked to assume the role of President of the Evaluation Society in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I reflect on why I accepted the responsibility, the colleagues who stand beside me, and the priorities that will guide our work in the years ahead. - [The Islam and Liberty Index 2024: Measuring Freedom Across the Muslim World](https://edoomercevic.com/the-islam-and-liberty-index-2024-measuring-freedom-across-the-muslim-world/): When people hear “freedom index,” they rarely think of the Muslim world. Yet behind the headlines, a quieter transformation is taking place. The Islam and Liberty Index (ILN Index)—developed by the Islam & Liberty Network (ILN)—offers a new way to measure what freedom actually looks like in Muslim-majority countries. Not just economic opportunity, but also religious and political liberty. The 2024 report, presented at the 11th Islam and Liberty Conference in Istanbul, reveals both surprising leaders and persistent gaps. A ILN Lens on Freedom Unlike conventional indices that mix liberty with development indicators like GDP or schooling, the ILN Index […] - [Freedom and Governance in the Muslim World: Why Progress Depends on Both](https://edoomercevic.com/freedom-and-governance-in-the-muslim-world-why-progress-depends-on-both/): For decades, debates about the Muslim world have circled the same question: Why do so many Islamic countries struggle with freedom and governance? In 2022, on the tenth anniversary of the Islam & Liberty Network (ILN), I set out to find an evidence-based answer. The goal was not another academic index—it was to build a mirror for the Muslim world: a tool that shows where we stand on liberty, leadership, and accountability, and how we compare to others. The result was the OIC Freedom and Governance Report—the foundation of what would later evolve into the Islam & Liberty Index. Why […] - [When Prices Rise and Jobs Disappear: Bosnia’s Hidden Inflation Trap](https://edoomercevic.com/when-prices-rise-and-jobs-disappear-bosnias-hidden-inflation-trap/): Economists often teach a neat trade-off: a bit more inflation can buy you more jobs. It is called the Phillips curve. But when Dr. Nuroğlu and I turned to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the story changed. What we found in the data challenged one of the most established “rules” in economics. Contrary to expectations Between April 2008 and June 2012 the data show that inflation rose along with unemployment — not the opposite. In plain terms: prices climbed, but employers did not hire. That is the opposite of what the textbook Phillips curve predicts.  Wages That Matter — Real, Not Nominal […] - [When “Good Money” Meets the Law: Why Better Currencies Struggle to Be Born](https://edoomercevic.com/when-good-money-meets-the-law-why-better-currencies-struggle-to-be-born/): Every few years, someone proposes a new kind of money — gold-backed, community-based, or digital — claiming it could fix what is broken in our financial system. Yet national currencies always seem to win. Why? Is it because laws forbid alternatives, or because power does? That is the question explored in my paper Introducing Good Money: Legal Tender Problem or Question of Structured Approach? published in DANUBE: Law and Economics Review. The Myth of the Legal Barrier Critics of national currencies often point fingers at “legal tender laws,” claiming they force people to accept state-issued money and block innovation. But […] - [When Money Grows Faster Than the Earth: Rethinking Finance for a Sustainable Future](https://edoomercevic.com/when-money-grows-faster-than-the-earth-rethinking-finance-for-a-sustainable-future/): Imagine a world where every dollar in circulation must be repaid—with interest.Now imagine that same world trying to live sustainably. That contradiction lies at the heart of Monetary Systems, Sustainable Growth and Inclusive Economic Development, a paper I presented in Kuala Lumpur. It explores how the very design of our money—not just our industries or habits—pushes societies toward overconsumption, debt, and inequality. The Growth Paradox Modern economies treat growth like oxygen—without it, governments panic, markets stumble, and politicians lose their jobs. But there is a catch: most of this “growth” is driven not by real production, but by money itself […] - [Can Money Be Free? Rethinking Interest, Gold, and the Future of Islamic Finance](https://edoomercevic.com/can-money-be-free-rethinking-interest-gold-and-the-future-of-islamic-finance/): Interest has been condemned in religion, critiqued in economics, and blamed for inequality and crises. Yet it refuses to die. Why? In this chapter, Gesell’s Concept of Free-Money: Eliminating Interest through Information-Money, my co-author Prof. Ahamed Kameel Mydin Meera and I revisit a century-old idea from the German economist Silvio Gesell—and test how it might align with Islamic principles. What we found challenges not only modern banking but the very way we think about what “money” should be. Why Interest Exists Interest, in theory, rewards savers for postponing consumption. But Gesell turned that story upside down. He argued that interest […] ## Pages - [Home](https://edoomercevic.com/): Exploring Money, Banking, and Islamic Economics and sharing insights and research reflections from my academic and professional journey. hello I’m Edo Omerčević. Here, I share my work and reflections as I pursue my research journey. I am an Assistant Professor of Economics at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) and Director of the Center for Public Policies and Economic Analyses (CPA) —the first free-market think tank in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Read my full cv June 13th , 2016 I earned my Ph.D. in 2016 and have taught in Bosnia, Malaysia, Qatar, and Kuwait. Beyond academia, I bring experience as a banker, […] - [Contact](https://edoomercevic.com/contact/): Contact Me If you wish to contact me, please visit my LinkedIn profile and send a message there.  CONTACT ME VIA linkedin FIND ME ON X (Twitter) Ready to work with me? If You’re Ready to Step into a Bigger Picture of Success, Let’s Talk. Accumsan et quis venenatis amet, vitae ut neque tristique eget tellus amet ipsum tellus pretium varius sed elit in tempor nam adipiscing egestas eget. Enim vestibulum amet Sed senectus ultrices urna Tellus gravida vulputate orci Vel vestibulum tempus tristique Ultricies nulla tristique Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLastEmail *Subject *Comment […] - [About](https://edoomercevic.com/about/): About Me I’m Edo Omerčević. Academic Background International University of Sarajevo Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Economics, 2016 International Islamic University Malaysia MEC, Economics, 2009 International Islamic University Malaysia BEcon, Economics, 2006 Research interest: Monetary Economics, Islamic Economics, Public Economics & Policy. Teaching Snapshot Postgraduate level Applied Econometrics Undergraduate level Econometrics, Public Economics, Principles of Microeconomics, Intermediary Microeconomics, Money and Banking, Global Economy, Economy and Social Issues, Financial accounting, Managerial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Principles of International Business. Think Tank Leadership Founder and Director of Center for Public Policies and Economic Analyses, the first free market think tank in Bosnia and Herzegovina, […] ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/edoomercevic.com/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)