Arch Ritter is a Professor in the Department of Economics and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. He was Chair of the Department of Economics from July 2001 to June 2004.

He is a graduate of Queen’s University (BA), the University of Western Ontario (MA), and the University of Texas at Austin, where his doctorate was in Economics and Latin American Studies. Dr. Ritter has worked as Senior Economist in the Ministry of Planning and National Development, Government of Kenya, (1985 – 1988); Senior Economist (Executive Interchange), Economic Policy and Analysis Sector, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Government of Canada (1979 – 1980); an economist at the Instituto Latinoamericano para Planificación Económico y Social, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Santiago, Chile, (1973 – 1974); and as a Research Associate, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 1979. He was also the initiator and co-ordinator on the Canadian side of the Economics Component, Carleton University - University of Havana Agreement, 1994-2002, Supporting Cuba’s Management of its Transformation: Enhancing the Universities’ Contribution.

Dr. Ritter’s major areas of research have included issues of development in Latin America, with emphasis on Cuba and Chile, development issues in an African context with an emphasis on Kenya and Tanzania, and international dimensions of development.