Summer School 2023
Climate, Finance, Inequality:
Pluralist Solutions to Economic Crises
27.08. – 02.09.2023 // Grand Hotel Chandolin (Wallis)
We are back! After a successful first edition, we are organizing another summer school for all people interested in learning more about pluralist economics. The aim is to introduce different schools of thought within the topics of climate, finance and inequality, opening up new perspectives in economic thinking, and outlining solutions to economic crises.
This summer school is designed to appeal to all people from all disciplines, no matter the prior knowledge of (heterodox) economics. The goal is to spark or expand critical thinking generally and with regards to neoclassical economics and the ensuing economic policies. All essential concepts will be worked out in adequate formats embedded into our summer school. Speakers and peers will bring you an in-depth perspective into their research. You will be given the space to create your own ideas and projects moving forward.
Shared meals and relaxed evenings with movies or bonfires will leave much space for making friends and connecting with like-minded participants. This might be the perfect setting to expand and strengthen the network for plural economics within Switzerland and beyond.
We have deliberately chosen not to have a fixed fee, because participation should not depend on financial capacity. Depending on your financial situation, you can pay 210 CHF, 420 CHF or 820 CHF. Please check the registration form for more information.
Schedule for the week
In the schedule below you can find five kinds of slots. There will be inputs and discussions on the focus topics climate, finance and inequality (blue), basics on pluralism (yellow), workshops by participants (red), projects (orange) and last but not least there is recreational time (green).
Through the focus topics of climate, finance and inequality (blue) we aim at bringing different kinds of perspectives to the students. For example, in climate we want to explore how we can make the socio-ecological transformation a reality or what it means to have a good life within planetary boundaries through the lens of Buen Vivir. In finance, we seek to discuss different perspectives on inflation or the financialisation of our economic system. In inequality there will be discussions on feminist degrowth or the impact of central bank policies on inequality. These are just a few specific topics among others.
The basics on pluralism (yellow) equip participants with the tools and background knowledge on pluralism within economics. There is a beginners and advanced level. The content of the beginners level “Basics 1” is the same as last year’s “Basics”. The histories and disciplinary boundaries of economics (Tuesday); its theories and methods (Wednesday); and the relationship of economics to society, politics, and the role of current student movements (Thursday). The advanced level “Basics 2” will focus on the history and limits of empiricism (Tuesday); of equilibrium models (Wednesday); and on individual and collective responses to the status-quo (Thursday).
In the red slots participants are given the space to hold their own workshops alone or in groups. Topics can be within the areas of climate, finance and inequality or other topics which present other views than what is taught in mainstream economics. Preferably your workshop is designed as participative as possible and contains refreshing hands-on elements as the schedule of the summer school is rather dense (email us for more information).
The orange slots for projects are reserved to develop own projects and to plan how to move forward with them after the summer school. As an orientation, on Monday morning an introduction will be given on what kinds of tools and methods can be used to develop projects and how the projects can develop real impact.
During the recreational time (green) yoga, meditation or hiking opportunities will be offered. Or you can spend the time on your own or however you feel like.
The first item on the agenda will be dinner on Sunday evening. In a relaxed atmosphere you will be able to get to know other participants and enjoy the evening views on the Alps. Despite this ambitious schedule, there will be lots of room for discussions and games.
Speakers
Marc Lavoie
Marc is a Professor Emeritus at both the University of Paris 13 and the University of Ottawa and one of the most cited scholars in the field. He recently published the revised version of his influential book “Post-Keynesian Economics – New Foundations” which won the EAEPE Myrdal Prize (now the Joan Robinson Prize), covering a wide variety of Topics, including inflation theory, as well as linking post-Keynesian economics to ecological economics. With his extensive background, Marc will speak and provide his insights on the topic of inflation from a post-Keynesian perspective at this years Summer School.
Irmi Seidl
Irmi is an economist and titular professor at the University of Zurich. She heads the Economics and Social Sciences Research Unit at the ‘Eidgenössischen Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft’ (WSL). She also teaches regularly at the University of Zurich and at ETH Zurich. She is a growth-critical ecological economist interested in the fields of conservation and biodiversity, land use, renewable energy, and economic growth. She is, among other things, co-editor of the journal GAIA, elected member of the ‘Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung’, and jury member of the Kapp Research Award for Ecological Economics.
Florian Rommel
Florian is responsible for the “new economics education” program
of the Money Museum (Zürich) in cooperation with the University of
Social Design (HfGG-Koblenz). In addition, he is doing his doctorate on
Pluralist Economics at the chair of Bertram Schefold at Goethe
University (Frankfurt am Main). During his B.A. in Philosophy &
Economics he co-founded the Plural Economics working group in 2012
(University of Bayreuth). From 2013 to 2023 he was involved in setting
up the Cusanus University of Applied Sciences (now, HfGG Koblenz) where
he finished his master in economic and social design.
Joris Tieleman
Joris works on the Economy Studies workshops, lesson plans for high school economics education and a new framework for professional business education. Together with Sam, he wrote the report Thinking like an economist? (2018) and the book Economy Studies (2021). Previously, he conducted PhD research in Accra (Ghana) for the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam. He also worked as a staff research journalist for the Volkskrant, and co-founded the Dutch branch of Rethinking Economics.
Many more to be announced
…
Location
This year we are going to the Grand Hotel in Chandolin.
If the journey from the bus station to the house (550m) poses any difficulties, please contact us at summerschoolch@rethinkeconomics.org