Economic History Advisory Board Events
2025-26
The history of UK debt
Panel event with Olivier Accominotti, Norma Cohen and Martin Slater
Wednesday 26 November 2025, 6.30pm. Wolfson Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building. In-person only
Public debt is once again at the forefront of the economic and political debate. Following the shocks of the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, public indebtedness has risen sharply across advanced economies. With the end of the era of ultra-low interest rates, the cost of servicing these debts has become ever more pressing. In the UK, borrowing costs have increased, and the return of the “bond vigilantes” is putting government finances under sharper scrutiny.
At the same time, governments face unprecedented demands on public spending in the decades ahead - from financing the green energy transition to responding to rising geopolitical tensions and higher defence budgets. How will they meet these needs? Who will buy their bonds? And how can fiscal sustainability be achieved while preserving political and social stability?
This panel event explores what economic history can teach us about the future of government finance. Drawing on long-run perspectives on UK public debt, our speakers will reflect on past developments and policies to shed light on today’s challenges.
For more information, visit the event page.
2023-24
Any happy returns: structural changes & super cycles in markets
Peter C. Oppenheimer, Chief Global Equity Strategist, Goldman Sachs
Tuesday 30 January 2024 6.30-8.00pm
In his new book, which forms the basis of this event, Oppenheimer discusses how structural changes in macroeconomic drivers, geopolitics, government policy and social attitudes all combine to drive secular super cycles that help to explain investor returns. He focuses on what he calls the Post-Modern cycle, what it's likely to look like, how it will unfold and what investors should focus on.
For more information, including a link to a recording of the event, visit the event page:
The Economic Government of the World
Martin Daunton, Gresham College
Thursday 26th October 2023, 6.30pm. Old Theatre, Old Building and online
In his latest book, which forms the basis of this lecture, Martin Daunton pulls back the curtain on the institutions and individuals who have created and managed the economy over the last ninety years, revealing how and why one economic order breaks down and another is built.
More information, including a link to the recording is available here.
2022-23
Urban Resilience
Edward Glaeser, Harvard University
5 June 2023, 6.00pm. In-person
COVID-19 and the associated rise of remote work has shocked many of the world's cities. But cities have been through far worse in the past argues Professor Glaeser, world expert on the economics of cities.
More information, including a link to the recording is available .
Slouching Towards Utopia - book launch
Brad DeLong, UC Berkeley
10 October 2022, 6.00pm. Online.
DeLong's new book tells the story of the major economic and technological shifts of the twentieth century in a bold and ambitious grand narrative.
More information, including a link to the recording is available .
2021-22
Pandemic Public Finance: How historic is it?
2 November 2021, 6.00pm. Online
This panel discussion with Professor Graciela L Kaminsky, Professor Carmen M. Reinhart, and Professor Thomas J Sargent, chaired by Professor Olivier Accominotti, will examine the fiscal challenges brought about by the pandemic.
If you missed it, a recording is available on the event page:
2020-21
Migration: Past lessons, today's challenges, future issues
17 March 2021, 5.00pm. Online.
Can evidence from episodes of historical and contemporary migration inform current policy debates and help identify new areas of interest for the future?
This online panel comprised Professor Chris Minns (LSE) and Alex Nowrasteh (Cato Institute) and was moderated by Dr Peter Cirenza
If you missed it, a recording is available on the event page:
Reflections on Bearmarkets
Simon Brewer (Morgan Stanley)
2 December 2020, 12 noon
Alum Simon Brewer talked about the important cyclical and structural bear markets in asset classes, ranging from equities to commodities and currencies. He also examined the historic parallels, pointing to the predictability of human behaviour when confronted with the polarities of fear and greed.
Full details are on this page:
Absent Management in Banking: How Banks Fail And Cause Financial Crisis
Presenter: Christian Dinesen (Dinesen Associates)Moderator: Dr Olivier AccominottiChair: Dr Natacha Postel Vinay
28 October 2020, 5.00pm
In this public online event, Christian Dinesen was in discussion with Dr Olivier Accominotti about his recent book, 'Absent Management in Banking', which explores the history of management in banking and its impact on global financial crises.
In case you missed it, a recording is available on the event page: