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Activities and Outputs

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SPERI Presents Podcast on the Long Depression and Economic Theories of Crisis

On December 17th 2024 I recorded a podcast with the hosts at the Sheffield Political Economy Research InstituteLink opens in a new window, Chris SaltmarshLink opens in a new window and Dillon WamsleyLink opens in a new window, for the 'SPERI Presents...Link opens in a new window' series on the nature of capitalist crises. I was invited to talk about the Long Depression, which began in 1873 and, on some accounts, lasted until the middle of 1890s. The hosts were especially interested in asking me about how it impacted upon the changing nature of economic theory at that time, in particular how the marginalist pioneers attempted to explain it. The resulting discussion touched on how marginalism provided only a limited means for exploring why the Long Depression affected global business confidence for over two decades and why, as a consequence, the marginalists were required to look beyond the limits of their own theoretical artefacts when trying to tell people at the time why their lives were so hard.

The recording is available by clicking on this linkLink opens in a new window.

Fri 20 Dec 2024, 14:18 | Tags: Speri, podcast, University of Sheffield, crisis

Podcast Recording with Mark Pennington on False Prophets, King's College London

On November 28th 2024 I recorded a podcast for the Centre for the Study of Governance and SocietyLink opens in a new window at King's College London. The host, Professor Mark PenningtonLink opens in a new window, interviewed me about my new book, False Prophets of Economics ImperialismLink opens in a new window. The wide-ranging conversation saw Mark ask me to reflect on my inspiration for writing the book, what I considered its most important contents to be, and its implications for political economy as a subject field.

The recording is available here: Podcast - False Prophets of Economics Imperialism: a discussion with Matthew Watson - Centre for the Study of Governance & Society.


'From Values to Virtues' Podcast Series, Episode on Michael Gove's History Wars

On June 2nd 2021 I recorded a podcast on the invitation of Dr Joseph Maslen for the 'From Values to Virtues' series run out of the University of Glasgow. It was organised around the content of my British Politics article on Michael Gove's history wars and my characterisation of Gove's position as one of extreme Whig history. The discussion took Gove's time as Secretary of State for Education as a starting point for discussing the way in which the teaching of history in schools has been appropriated by the Johnson Government in its attempts to govern through culture wars.


Faculti Short Films

I was interviewed on film by Faculti for their podcast series, and I recorded three short films with them on three different elements of my project research. One film was on my British Politics article, 'Brexit, the Left Behind and the Let Down'; one was on my New Political Economy article, 'Crusoe, Friday and the Raced Market Frame of Orthodox Economics Textbooks'; and one was on my Agenda book, The Market. They are all available to view from the Faculti website. I was asked to reflect on why I had chosen to write these pieces in the first place, what their main arguments are, and what in retrospect I consider I have learnt from each of the three research processes.

Further accounts of each of these publications can be found by scrolling to the top of this 'Activities and Outputs' page.

Mon 26 Aug 2019, 15:13 | Tags: Faculti, podcast

Political Economy for the End Times Podcast: Brexit, Empire, and the 'Let Down'

I was interviewed by Jack Copley and Javi Moreno for their Political Economy for the End Times podcast series. My episode is called 'Brexit, Empire, and the 'Let Down'', and it appears on the podcast website. I was asked to reflect on the implications of Brexit for progressive political strategy in relation to European integration, and I was also asked to reflect on the way in which images of Empire have now routinely come to shape the prevailing political discourse concerning Brexit.

Fri 12 Jul 2019, 12:26 | Tags: Brexit, Political Economy for the End Times, Empire, podcast