URPE at the ASSA 2027
The Union for Radical Political Economics (URPE) will convene its annual conference in conjunction with the Allied Social Science Associations (ASSA) meeting in Washington, DC, United States. This event serves as a critical forum for economists and social scientists to engage with heterodox economic perspectives and critiques of mainstream economic theory. Participants will explore a range of topics, often focusing on issues of inequality, power, and social justice within economic systems.
Committees & topics
Why it matters
The URPE at ASSA conference is significant because it provides a platform for alternative economic analyses that often challenge conventional approaches to global economic issues. In a world grappling with persistent economic disparities and systemic crises, the insights generated at such gatherings are crucial for fostering a more nuanced understanding of complex challenges. The discussions frequently delve into the structural underpinnings of economic problems, moving beyond superficial policy fixes to address root causes.
This event is particularly relevant for those seeking to understand the diverse intellectual currents shaping economic thought today. It highlights the importance of considering multiple viewpoints, especially from critical traditions, when analyzing economic phenomena. The conference's focus on radical political economy offers a counter-narrative that can inform policy debates and academic discourse, encouraging a broader perspective on economic development and social welfare. The intersection of academic rigor and a commitment to social change makes this conference a vital space for intellectual exchange and the development of new theoretical frameworks.
How to prepare
To effectively engage with the discussions at URPE at ASSA, participants should familiarize themselves with the core tenets of radical political economy. This includes understanding critiques of neoclassical economics, theories of imperialism, and the political economy of development. Reviewing past conference themes and publications from URPE can provide valuable context.
Attendees should also consider how the topics presented relate to contemporary global challenges. For instance, understanding the historical and structural factors contributing to economic inequality, as discussed in the context of various countries, can enhance one's ability to participate meaningfully. Preparing questions that probe the practical implications of theoretical frameworks, particularly concerning policy interventions and social movements, will also be beneficial. Engaging with the conference requires an open mind and a willingness to critically examine prevailing economic paradigms.
Country perspectives
Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.
United StatesHost nation for the conference, a focal point for discussions on economic inequality and policy implications.
Role in topic
As the host country, the USA provides the backdrop for many discussions on economic policy, social inequality, and the impact of global capitalism. Its economic structure and policy decisions often serve as case studies for radical political economic analysis.
ChinaOften a subject of analysis regarding state-led development and its global economic impact.
Role in topic
The economic model of CHN, characterized by state intervention and rapid growth, frequently features in discussions about alternative development paths and the challenges to Western economic hegemony. Its role in global supply chains and international finance is also a common topic.
BrazilRepresents a significant emerging economy, often discussed in terms of dependency theory and development challenges.
Role in topic
BRA, as a major economy in South America, is often analyzed through the lens of dependency theory and its struggles with inequality, resource extraction, and integration into the global capitalist system. Its political and economic shifts provide rich material for critical economic studies.
IndiaA large developing economy, relevant for discussions on labor, globalization, and social stratification.
Role in topic
IND's vast population, complex social structures, and ongoing economic development present unique challenges and opportunities that are frequently examined within radical political economy. Topics like labor exploitation, the informal economy, and the impact of globalization are particularly pertinent.
South AfricaPost-apartheid economy, often discussed in terms of structural inequality and neo-colonialism.
Role in topic
ZAF's post-apartheid economic trajectory, marked by persistent inequality and debates over economic transformation, provides a crucial case study for understanding the legacies of colonialism and the challenges of achieving equitable development within a globalized capitalist system.
Topics & background
The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.
Radical Political Economics: Heterodox Critique in a Time of Crisis
Key players
- United States
Birthplace of URPE and center of the radical economics tradition within a discipline dominated by US-trained neoclassical orthodoxy.
United KingdomHosts major heterodox networks (CSE, post-Keynesian and Marxist scholars at SOAS, Cambridge, Leeds) shaping global radical debates.
FranceHome of the Régulation School and Piketty's inequality research program, key interlocutors for radical political economy.
- Brazil
Latin American structuralist and dependency traditions feed directly into contemporary radical analyses of the Global South.
- India
Strong heterodox economics community engaging questions of agrarian change, informal labor, and development under neoliberalism.
The Current Political-Economic Juncture
Key players
- United States
Architect of the post-neoliberal industrial-policy turn (IRA, CHIPS Act) and central node of the dollar system reshaping global finance.
- China
State-led developmental model and Belt and Road financing represent the principal challenge to US-anchored economic governance.
GermanyEurozone hegemon navigating deindustrialization, energy shock, and the unraveling of its export-led growth model.
RussiaSanctions regime triggered by the Ukraine war is a key catalyst for fragmentation of trade, energy, and payments systems.
- Brazil
Leading voice for Global South interests in BRICS+ on debt, climate finance, and reform of the international monetary system.
- India
Strategic swing state shaping the future of non-alignment, digital sovereignty, and South-South industrial competition.
Poly- and Planetary Crises
Key players
- United States
Largest historical emitter and dominant financial power; its domestic politics determine the viability of global climate cooperation.
- China
World's largest current emitter and leading producer of clean-energy technology; pivotal to any planetary mitigation pathway.
- India
Key voice for development space and equity in climate negotiations; rapidly growing energy demand makes its trajectory decisive.
- Brazil
Custodian of the Amazon and host of recent COP diplomacy; central to biodiversity and tropical-forest dimensions of planetary crisis.
- Germany
Driver of EU Green Deal and climate finance debates, while navigating an energy-security shock that has tested decarbonization commitments.
BarbadosThrough the Bridgetown Initiative, leads small-island and vulnerable-country coalition demanding reform of climate and debt finance.
Anti-Capitalist Politics in the 21st Century
Key players
- United States
Renewed labor organizing, the democratic-socialist current, and abolitionist movements make it a key laboratory of contemporary anti-capitalist politics.
- United Kingdom
Site of the Corbyn experiment and its defeat; ongoing debates over Labour, trade-union revival, and post-Brexit political economy.
- France
Strong tradition of mass strikes, the gilets jaunes, and the NUPES/NFP left-bloc experiment shape European anti-capitalist strategy.
- Brazil
PT-led government, MST land struggles, and Amazonian movements anchor a major Global South left project under elite and ecological pressure.
BoliviaMAS-era plurinational experiment and ongoing debates over extractivism vs. buen vivir inform indigenous and eco-socialist currents.
- South Africa
Post-apartheid trade-union movement, EFF, and community struggles over inequality and energy transition keep anti-capitalist politics central to public life.
Resources
News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for URPE at the ASSA 2027.
Recent reporting to ground your prep
Lessons
Bite-sized lessons to build the basics
Courses
Guided courses that go deeper on the topic
The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance