About
Benjamin Braun is an assistant professor in political economy. He teaches courses on the financial system and on the political economy of decarbonization. His research interests include the role of finance in capitalism, central banking, and green statecraft.
Before joining the LSE, Benjamin was a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne. He is a fellow at the Hertie School, an associate at the LSE’s Centre for Economic Transition Expertise (CETEx), and a policy fellow at Dezernat Zukunft. He is principal investigator of the DFG-funded research project ‘Central banking in hard times’, located at the Hertie School, and co-PI of the Hewlett-funded project ‘New generators of inequality: Asset managers and private equity’, based at Brown University. Benjamin serves as an associate editor for Competition & Change. During the academic year 2026-27, he will be a visiting professor at the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where he will be leading the annual theme ‘Emerging forces in global political economy.’ You can find more information on Benjamin’s research and publications on Google Scholar and on his personal website. His Bluesky handle is @benbraun.bsky.social.
Discover more about Benjamin's research in his talk on What is financial hegemony, and how does it end?, delivered as part of the LSE Research Showcase series in November 2025.
Expertise
- Political economy
- Central banking
- Green transition
Research
Grants
1. ‘Central banking in hard times: Knowledge, legitimacy, and politics’ (KNOWLEGPO), German Research Founda- tion (DFG). Duration: 2023-2026. Amount: €370,875.
2. ‘Joint program on the new generators of inequality: Asset managers and private equity’, with Mark Blyth (Brown University), Hewlett Foundation. Duration: 2024-2027. Amount: $250,000.
Engagement and impact
Member of the ‘International Commission of High-Level Experts on Workplace Democracy’. Established by the Spanish Ministry of Labor, convened by Isabelle Ferreras. February 2025 – January 2026.