Political Economy

This section deals with the interplay between economics and politics. In other words, it addresses the issues how political or economic actors and institutions influence and shape political or economic processes, institutions or regimes. This section invites papers from sub-fields of political economy with either regional or global focus. Topics for the panels in this section include, but are not limited to, political economy of energy, development of welfare state, economic consequences of political institutions, and regional or global trade regimes. The section welcomes theoretically grounded empirical papers utilizing both quantitative or qualitative methodologies as well as purely theoretical or methodological contributions. The three panels proposed by the section chair focus on three distinct and salient themes in the sphere of political economy: first, challenges to the welfare state in Europe and beyond, second, the emergence of regional trade regimes, and third, the relationship between the political institutions and the economic performance.