Interdisciplinary Research Themes

The leadership team maintains close connections to other University initiatives and fully aligns with their work. These include the Centre for Public Policy, the Glasgow Centre for International Development, the Glasgow Labour and Employment Network, and the College of Social Sciences Research Office.

The leadership team is committed to early career leadership, democratic decision-making, and long-term flexibility to ensure inclusivity and support of a wide range of colleagues across the College. Our thematic structure is designed to foster both inclusion across the College and democratic decision-making on research activities, with College members, determining activities along with the relevant IRT lead. We enthusiastically welcome proposals (formal and informal) for new PEFF related activities and are eager to co-sponsor relevant events.

The current leadership team represents the diversity of disciplines with relevant insights into the functioning of states and markets, including Politics and International Relations, Economic and Social History, Political Economy, and Law.

Dr Sean Vanatta

PEFF Seminar Lead.

Lecturer in U.S. Economic & Social History in the School of Social and Political Sciences. He researches and writes about the political economy of modern U.S. finance, especially the ways that stakeholders in the financial system use law and democratic institutions to structure financial markets. Please contact Sean for questions about our research seminars.

Dr Mingzhe Zhu

PEFF Seminar Lead.

Lecturer in Just Transition in the School of Law. He is a legal theorist and historian who’s research explores the connections between political authority, science and nature in the Anthropocene. Please contact Mingzhe for questions about our research seminars.

Dr Franziska Paul

PEFF Network Lead.

Lecturer in Political Economy at the Adam Smith Business School. Her research explores issues of ownership and transformation (social, economic, and ecological), with a specific interest in processes of democratisation and de-privatisation. She is involved with the Public Futures database and is an Associate on the Public Banking Project hosted at McMaster University. Please contact Franziska for enquiries about joining PEFF outside of Glasgow or co-organising external events.

Dr Maha Rafi Atal

PEFF Impact Lead

Adam Smith Lecturer in Political Economy in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Her research focuses on the origins and effects of corporate power. Her current book project, examines corporate social responsibility as a system of company rule, tracing its history from colonial trading corporations to contemporary multinationals. Please contact Maha for policy, knowledge exchange and impact queries.

Prof Bernhard Reinsberg

PEFF ECR Lead

Professor of International Political Economy and Development in the School of Social and Political Sciences. His research examines the policies and politics of international organizations. In his current project, funded by UK Research & Innovation, he examines how funding structures affect the effectiveness of international organizations. Please contact Bernhard for enquiries about PGR and ECR development opportunities.

Our Theme Objectives

Create a sustained, self-aware community of researchers committed to addressing big, enduring questions about the relationship between the economy, society, and public institutions.

Promote the policy engagement skills of our IRT participants.

Develop policy-facing outputs on issues such as the role of corporate regulation and public ownership in the climate transition.