jens van t'klooster

The politics of economics is a research network exploring how economics impacts the world. The seminar series brings different perspectives together to discuss tensions and contestations of economic knowledge in the context of policy, expertise and political movements. In this session Jens van t'Klooster (KU Leuve) will be speaking about 'The EU's technocratic crisis management' in conversation with Raf Danna (Cambridge). In this rapidly changing context, how are economists’ positions as experts changing? Will the COVID-19 pandemic upend economic orthodoxy? How does the lockdown affect politics and existing inequalities within the economics profession? How are these changes affecting the way economics engages public debate? How are they affecting the practice of economic policy? Due to the lockdown, we are moving our seminars online for the coming term, and changing the format of our research network. In a series of webinars, we will explore the ways in which the politics of economics is changing as well as how it is reshaping our world. In each episode scholars will have an informal discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis. We will invite them to share their thoughts both on the basis of their expertise and from the perspective of their current location. We will host one-hour webinars consisting of a conversation with one of our moderators followed by questions from our online audience. This is not about presenting research results but rather sharing our latest thoughts and asking scholars whose expertise we trust to help us think through these strange times.