LSE: Public lectures and events
The London School of Economics and Political Science public events podcast series is a platform for thought, ideas and lively debate where you can hear from some of the world's leading thinkers. Listen to more than 200 new episodes every year.
Shared prosperity in a fractured world
Contributor(s): Professor Dani Rodrik | Fighting climate change, saving democracy, and eradicating poverty are urgent global challenges, yet the world’s leaders continue to pursue outdated policies that focus on one while worsening the trade offs between each of them. Join us for this talk by Dani Rodrik where he will talk about his new book, Shared Prosperity in a Fractured World, in which he shows how the nations of the world can achieve all three objectives. Dani Rodrik provides a bold new vision of globalisation, one in which we accelerate the green transition to achieve a sustainable planet, shore up the middle class to restore democracy’s foundations, and hasten economic revitalisation in the developing world to put an end to poverty.
1 hour 20 mins
14 January Finished
The ins and outs of sustainable supply chains
Contributor(s): Professor Rocco Macchiavello | Join Rocco Macchiavello in his inaugural lecture as he explores the economics of sustainable supply chains. Presenting insights from over a decade of research, Professor Macchiavello will examine how companies can organise supply chains that are sustainable and resilient, creating value for stakeholders beyond the organisation's boundaries. He will draw from rigorous, data-driven, research, illustrated through concrete case studies of large companies’ sourcing strategies in export-oriented agricultural commodities and manufacturing sectors.
1 hour 17 mins
11 December 2025 Finished
Common law: a better foundation for Liberalism
Contributor(s): Professor John Hasnas | In conventional political philosophy, law is understood as consciously created rules that are a necessary mechanism for regulating the excesses of the free market. Although coercive in nature, law is seen as a necessary defence against anarchy. But is the situation that simple? In his examination of the purpose and functioning of the legal system, John Hasnas challenges this false dichotomy, presenting a new theory of liberalism that demonstrates that the common law can serve as an effective alternative to traditional politically created legislation.
1 hour 30 mins
9 December 2025 Finished
Women in economics: progress, challenges and perspectives
Contributor(s): Janet Henry, Clare Lombardelli, Professor Almudena Sevilla | Despite decades of progress, women remain underrepresented in the field of economics. This event explores the gender disparities in the discipline and what this means for economics and society. Our speakers share research on women in economics, insights from their own experiences and advice for those wanting to make a career in economics. What challenges face women economists at different stages in their careers? What progress has been made? What changes are needed now?
1 hour 23 mins
8 December 2025 Finished
Economic impacts and legacies of British rule in India
Contributor(s): Professor Bishnupriya Gupta | In her latest book An Economic History of India: Growth, income and inequalities from the Mughals to the 21st century, Bishnupriya Gupta builds a new framework for understanding the economic impacts and legacies of British Rule, which she will discuss in this public event. Using concepts and theories from economics and economic history alongside extensive new data, she charts India's transition from precolonial economy to colonial rule and evaluates its economic performance from a comparative perspective, particularly in the context of the Great Divergence between Europe and Asia. She examines India's post-independence economy and the evolution of social and economic inequality through to the turn of the twenty-first century.
1 hour 27 mins
4 December 2025 Finished