New Research in Political Economy Summer School a great success

At the end of June 2022 CAGE invited 23 emerging researchers in the field of political economy to share their PhD work in progress at the annual CAGE Summer School on the University of Warwick campus.

This year's event entitled New Research in Political Economy drew presenting students from 15 universities across 7 countries.

The topics presented on were heterogeneous in nature as befits the field of political economy. Presenters discussed and received feedback on research projects as diverse as: the political economy of coal plant upgrades in the US, women’s representation in campaign finance and does exposure to others reduce prejudice?

An innovation for the 2022 Summer School was the institution of panels and talks by industry figures. The CAGE Summer School 2022’s conveners Prof. Mirko Draca (Director of CAGE) and Prof. Noam Yuchtman (LSE) invited an impressive roster of speakers from the world of quality journalism who are fighting to make their industry financially sustainable.

This included Frances Cairncross (Chair of the Cairncross Review into sustainable journalism in the UK), Tom Wainwright (Tech and Media Editor of The Economist), Eliot Higgins (founder of Bellingcat) and Mary Hui (Quartz) a journalist covering geopolitics and business.

Attendees also heard from pathbreaking researchers in the field of political economy through a programme of morning lectures delivered by Prof. Julia Cagé (SciencesPo Paris), Prof. Monica Martinez-Bravo (CEMFI), Dr. Chris Roth (Cologne) and Dr. David Yang (Harvard). A keynote was delivered on the final afternoon by Prof. Leonardo Bursztyn (Chicago).

Alongside the academic components to the Summer School participants also had less structured opportunities to socialise with one and other and informally discuss their work. This included a barbeque on the first evening, and a final night private dinner, as well as a walk to nearby Kenilworth and dinner in a historic pub overlooking the remains of the town’s famous castle.

After two years of COVID related disruption participants really felt that they benefited from a largely in person Summer School and the chance to meet their peers, established academic colleagues and inspiring industry figures face-to-face.

In addition to receiving funding from the UKRI ESRC through CAGE, the Summer School was also supported by QAPEC (Quantitative and Analytical Political Economy research Centre).