Rethinking the economy: ideas, power and the choices shaping our world

Join us for this interdisciplinary academic panel exploring how the global economy is shaped and who it really works for.

Drawing on ideas highlighted in recent SOAS Rethinks Economics videos featuring Professor Ha-Joon Chang, this session will explore the view that economics is not a fixed or purely technical discipline, but one shaped by ideas, institutions, power and political choices. Historically rooted in moral philosophy and social thought, economics continues to raise fundamental questions about who creates wealth, how value is defined, and whether markets reflect natural forces or systems designed by people.

What we will explore

• How economic systems are shaped by rules, institutions and political decisions, and why markets are never neutral or purely “free”
• Who benefits from the current economic system, and how historical and structural inequalities continue to shape global outcomes
• How policy decisions, legal frameworks and governance structures influence economic development, regulation and accountability
• How dominant economic models are formed, taught and communicated and why questioning their assumptions matters
• What traditional economic models miss about how people actually think and act, and how lived realities shape economic systems
• Challenging the idea that “there is no alternative”, and exploring different approaches to organising economies in more inclusive and sustainable ways

Who will be speakeing

• Professor Ha-Joon Chang: Research Professor of Economics
• Professor Christopher Cramer: Professor of the Political Economy of Development and Co-Director of the Development Leadership Dialogue Institute
• Dr Marcus Gilroy-Ware: Senior Lecturer in Creative Digital Media
• Professor Shirin Rai: Research Professor of Politics and International Relations and a Fellow of the British Academy
• Professor Naomi Hossain: Global Research Professor and Director of the SOAS Development for Transformation Centre
• Dr Nuhu Yidana: Lecturer in International Commercial and Economic Law 

Why join this session

This session offers a unique opportunity to explore one of the most important global topics from multiple perspectives, and to hear directly from SOAS academics whose work spans development, politics, law and critical economic thinking.

You’ll gain insight into how we teach and research at SOAS, bringing together different disciplines to question assumptions, understand complexity, and explore alternative ways of thinking about the world and have the opportunity to ask your questions live during the Q&A. 

This event is part of our SOAS student webinar series, designed to provide you with all the essential information about being a SOAS student in London. Join us to explore topics such as how to apply, secure funding, find accommodation, and enjoy student life once you arrive.