Building a Sustainable Political Economy: SPERI Research & Policy

This book examines the rise of exclusionary neoliberalism by assessing how far-right populist actors impact economic policy change. Drawing on the case of the Austrian Freedom Party, the book illustrates how neoliberalism emerged as a far-right political project in Austria. Tracing the Freedom Party´s ideational history, the book describes the making of the exclusionary neoliberal state through its establishment in the 1980s, its implementation in the early 2000s and how exclusionary neoliberalism was sustained after the Great Financial Crisis of 2008. The book thereby provides important insights on how domestic politics respond to challenges imposed by globalization and international market integration, and explains the less obvious ways in which exclusionary nationalist ideas can be deeply entangled with neoliberalism. The book will appeal to all those interested in far-right populism and its interrelation with political economy.  

Since the creation of the Department for International Development, the purpose of UK development policy and aid has changed significantly. This book provides a comprehensive evaluation of these changes, their causes, and their implications. It argues that UK development aid as an act of solidarity, economic justice, or redistribution, which has always been undermined by donor interest and colonialism, has been abolished. The authors present a new framework for understanding the UK’s current approach to development policy and aid, the ‘nationalisation’ of aid, which prioritises narrow domestic commercial and political interests at the expense of sustainable development and the UK’s international reputation. Based on new quantitative and qualitative data, the book offers a nuanced and comprehensive exploration of the UK's approach to aid and development, contributing to broader discussions on the evolving nature of development assistance and its implications. With a combination of rigorous research methods and insightful analysis, it not only advances scholarly understanding within the fields of Politics, International Relations, Development Studies, and International Political Economy, but also provides practical guidance for policymakers and practitioners seeking to navigate the complexities of contemporary development assistance.