Previous Events

Since 2012, the Festival of Economics has hosted almost 200 events featuring renowned speakers in economics, politics, media and academia including Mark Carney, Gordon Brown, Stephanie Flanders, Tim Harford, Rory Cellan-Jones, Diane Coyle, Mariana Mazzucato, Robert J. Shiller, Linda Yueh, Thomas Piketty, Robert Peston, Faisal Islam, Vicky Pryce and many, many more.

Tim Harford: Cautionary Tales (Live Podcast Recording, 2025)

Waterstones, The Galleries, Bristol
In his hit podcast Cautionary Tales, Tim Harford brings stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and … Info & Tickets

Closing the Productivity Gap – Regional Insights for the West of England

City Hall, College Green, Bristol
As part of the Festival of Economics you are invited to a Brunel Centre and Futures West Policy Session on their latest polic… Info & Tickets

Navigating the future of trade and tariffs – The Marshall Paley Lecture

Pugsley Lecture Theatre, Queens Building, University of Bristol
In the second annual Marshall Paley lecture, Dr Swati Dhingra member of the Band of England’s Monetary Policy Committee joins… Info & Tickets

Hargreaves Lansdown Business Breakfast—Personal finance: Responsibility and resilience

Hargreaves Lansdown
The landscape of personal finance is changing. In its new strategy, the Financial Conduct Authority changed its goal from pre… Info & Tickets

Bank of England Citizens’ Panel (2025)

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
A one-off live event that offers the opportunity to meet Bank of England staff and share views on the economy and how it is a… Info & Tickets

Housing, land and the British Economy: The British Academy Lecture with John Muellbauer

Arts Complex, Woodland Road, University Of Bristol
Dealing with the UK’s housing crisis is at the top of the new government’s agenda and is of great national economic and socia… Info & Tickets

Do we still need artists in a generative AI world?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
As generative AI technologies continue to evolve, the role of artists and creative professionals is under scrutiny. This sess… Info & Tickets

What is the future for UK migration?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Public discourse around migration to the UK has grown increasingly polarised. Recent shifts in migration policies reflect ong… Info & Tickets

How can Britain rebuild opportunity for working-class men?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Across the UK, working-class boys and men face some persistent barriers to educational achievement and economic opportunity. … Info & Tickets

Aid or Defence: Has Something Got to Give?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
This session will explore the competing priorities of national defence and international aid in today’s geopolitical landscap… Info & Tickets

Divided we stand?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
What explains the growing ideological polarisation in many Western societies? What are the consequences, and how can we build… Info & Tickets

How can we end the doom and gloom?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Britain has faced a barrage of bad economic news—from shocks to policy mistakes—over the past 20 years. Today, confidence in … Info & Tickets

Inequalities – the Marshall Paley Lecture

The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
In this inaugural event, Sarah Smith OBE, Professor of Economics at the University of Bristol, introduces Professor Sir Richa… Info & Tickets

Global Britain: What is our role in the world?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
In a world of shifting alliances and emerging global powers, where does the UK fit in? Our expert panel tackles pressing ques… Info & Tickets

Beyond fair play: What would a fair society look like?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
In a time when social inequality and justice are at the forefront of public discourse, our panel examines a vision for achiev… Info & Tickets

Trading nation: How can we get Britain exporting again?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Does the UK’s future economic growth rely on exports? And if it does, what can we export to boost the country’s economy? Our … Info & Tickets

This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Will Hutton discusses his book, This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain , with Irina Anghel (Bloomberg). The book highli… Info & Tickets

Tim Harford: Cautionary Tales (Live Podcast Recording, 2024)

The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
Tim Harford returns to the Festival of Economics with a third live recording of his popular podcast, Cautionary Tales. We tel… Info & Tickets

The first 100 days: Has the new government got its priorities right for kick-starting Britain?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
The first 100 days of the new UK government serves as a barometer for Starmer’s economic and public policy aims. Our panel of… Info & Tickets

The kids aren’t alright: Tackling a legacy of child poverty, bad diets and poor health

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
The next generation faces a unique set of health and social challenges. Our expert panel considers the pressing issues affect… Info & Tickets

Great Britain? How We Get Our Future Back; and Growth: A Reckoning

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Daniel Susskind, of King’s College London, and newly elected Labour MP for Swansea West and former Chief Executive of the Res… Info & Tickets

Legacies of Empire: What Britain needs to do

The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
The British Empire has left an indelible mark on the UK economy. From the accumulation of wealth, through colonial trade, to … Info & Tickets

(Not) Moving on up: How can we increase social mobility?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
The notion of social mobility has been a cornerstone of UK policy for decades. Despite this, we have been witnessing a signif… Info & Tickets

How can we build a sustainable planet?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Our expert panel discusses the intersection of economic growth and sustainability – in the context of escalating environmenta… Info & Tickets

Under-performing: How can we boost Britain’s low productivity?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
UK productivity has been sluggish since the 2007-09 financial crisis. Our expert panel debates the causes of the UK’s product… Info & Tickets

The Tyranny of Nostalgia: Half a Century of British Economic Decline

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
An ‘in conversation’ with Bethan Staton ( Financial Times ) and Russell Jones as Jones introduces his book The Tyranny of Nos… Info & Tickets

Bank of England Citizens’ Panel (2024)

City Academy, Bristol
A one-off live event that offers the opportunity to meet Bank of England staff and share views on the economy and how it is a… Info & Tickets

LIVE PODCAST RECORDING Money Clinic with Claer Barrett

Great Hall, Bristol Grammar School
A live recording of the Money Clinic Podcast , where Claer Barrett and guests Susannah Streeter (Hargreaves Lansdown) and Sar… Info & Tickets

How Do We Build a Future Where Everyone Has a Home?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
With soaring housing costs and an enduring cost-of-living crisis, securing a home – whether buying or renting – is a signific… Info & Tickets

What is the Future for Generation Alpha?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
While every generation has its challenges, Generation Alpha (those born between 2010 and 2025) has endured the effects of the… Info & Tickets

Talking Economics: Brunel’s Vision for 2050

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
The ‘rest of HS2’ being cancelled has resurfaced questions about the UK’s infrastructure and public transport connectivity. O… Info & Tickets

How the Battle for Minerals Will Shape Our Future with Ed Conway

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
The battle for sand, iron, salt, oil, copper and lithium will dictate the balance of global power in the coming century. Ed C… Info & Tickets

Hargreaves Lansdown Breakfast Session

Hargreaves Lansdown
A breakfast session, hosted by Hargreaves Lansdown Bristol Team, focusing on financial resilience and what it means for the U… Info & Tickets

The Social Cost of a Failing Childcare System

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
As the nation’s childcare needs evolve, so too do the pressures facing nurseries, playgroups, childminders and other childcar… Info & Tickets

Oligarchs: Are They Dominating Our World?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Today, more than twenty oligarchs serve as heads of state or government in countries such as Russia, South Africa, Lebanon, a… Info & Tickets

What are the UK’s Long-Term Health and Care Needs?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
As our nation’s demographics change and we are home to an increasingly ageing population, how will our needs for health and s… Info & Tickets

Britain and the Aftermath of Empire with Kojo Koram

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Kojo Koram discusses his book Uncommon Wealth: Britain and the Aftermath of Empire , which uncovers the scandal of Britain’s … Info & Tickets

Tim Harford: Cautionary Tales (Live Podcast Recording, 2023)

St George’s Bristol
We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these cautionary tales are for the educa… Info & Tickets

What is the Future of Food in the UK?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
With changing diets, new farming technologies and the increasing impacts of climate change, this is a pivotal time to be work… Info & Tickets

Talking Economics: What Next for Central Banks? with Jagjit Chadha and Huw Pill (2023)

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
In the third installment of our series on ‘What’s Next for Central Banks?’, Jagjit Chadha (Director, National Institute of Ec… Info & Tickets

Talking Economics: Food Supply and Inflation

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
We’re all seeing the price of our weekly shop escalate beyond recognition, and hearing endless chatter about the cost-of-livi… Info & Tickets

Making Economics Easily Digestible with Ha-Joon Chang

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
To explore economic theory, Ha-Joon Chang (SOAS University of London) uses the histories behind various food items from aroun… Info & Tickets

Bank of England Citizens’ Panel 2023

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
A one-off live event that offers the opportunity to let the Bank of England know how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting y… Info & Tickets

Tim Harford: Cautionary Tales (Live Podcast Recording, 2022)

Great Eastern Hall, SS Great Britain
We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these cautionary tales are for the educa… Info & Tickets

Discover Economics School’s Challenge

Bristol Cathedral School
A special event for students (aimed at those in years 11 and 12), in which they hear from Bank of England economists, Rupa Pa… Info & Tickets

Talking Economics: What Next for Central Banks? with Jagjit Chadha and Huw Pill (2022)

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Jagjit Chadha (Director, National Institute of Economic and Social Research) and Huw Pill (Chief Economist, Bank of England) … Info & Tickets

Britain’s decisive decade

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
The UK is on the brink of a decade of huge economic change – from Covid-19 recovery to exiting the EU and transitioning towar… Info & Tickets

Cryptocurrencies and the future of money

Arnolfini
From Bitcoin to Ethereum and Litecoin to Tether, there are now over 4,000 cryptocurrencies in circulation. In economic theory… Info & Tickets

Big data: What is the future of number crunching?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Data collection worldwide is rising at an unprecedented rate and almost every industry depends on how information is stored, … Info & Tickets

Boom and Bust: A global history of financial bubbles

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Diane Coyle (Bennett Institute, University of Cambridge) chats to authors John Turner and Will Quinn (both Queen’s University… Info & Tickets

British Academy Lecture: Wage controversies

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
The British Academy lecture is given by Stephen Machin (London School of Economics), who delves whether wages broken, if labo… Info & Tickets

Big Tech under control: Regulating the tech giants

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Covid-19 accelerated the transition to a new age of digital progress, creating opportunities for the widespread and rapid ado… Info & Tickets

Reflections on economics with Andy Haldane and Diane Coyle

Great Eastern Hall, SS Great Britain
A year on from leaving the Bank of England, after more than 30 years there, Andy Haldane returns to the Festival to reflect o… Info & Tickets

Cost pressures: Generational pains

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
A decade of cuts and freezes to social services, a dysfunctional housing market with seemingly insurmountable barriers to own… Info & Tickets

Growth for good

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
In conversation with Andrew Kelly (Bristol Ideas), Alessio Terzi (Directorate?General for Economic and Financial Affairs, Eur… Info & Tickets

Talking Economics: Geopolitics and the global economy

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
Against a backdrop of war in Europe and increased concerns for Taiwan’s sovereignty, experts address the impacts of global po… Info & Tickets

Prices and wages: What’s going on?

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
With prices predicted to rise across the board for the remainder of the year, what can the relationship between wages and gro… Info & Tickets

Bank of England Citizens’ Panel

Cinema 1, Watershed, 1 Canon’s Rd
A one-off live event that offers the opportunity to let the Bank of England know how the cost-of-living squeeze is affecting … Info & Tickets

What Is the Wider Impact of a Resurgent China and an America in Decline?

We The Curious
Meredith Crowley, George Magnus and Linda Yueh discuss the uncertain outlook for the world’s two largest economies. Wil… Info & Tickets

What Are the Economics of Household Labour?

We The Curious
Our panellists discuss how work in the home might best be assessed in terms of its economic value. Household labour has… Info & Tickets

Rory Cellan-Jones

We The Curious
Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC’s technology correspondent, weaves the story of the smartphone era with his own personal experien… Info & Tickets

How Should We Deal With the Debt Hangover?

We The Curious
Our panellists explore how the economy might recover from one of the after-effects of the pandemic – increased debt. Co… Info & Tickets

Talking Economics: The Ongoing Toll

We The Curious
Isabel Hardman, The Spectator Stuart McIntyre, University of Strathclyde Fabien Postel-Vinay, UCL Carol Propper, Imperia… Info & Tickets

What Are the Economics of Reparation?

We The Curious
Our panellists discuss what reparations for the descendants of enslaved people should be, and the importance and role of… Info & Tickets

What Have We Learned From the Pandemic and Global Recession?

We The Curious
Grant Fitzner discusses the economic lessons to be learnt from the extraordinary events of the past two years, sharing h… Info & Tickets

What Should Economics Be?

We The Curious
Diane Coyle asks how economics needs to change to keep pace with the twenty-first century and the digital economy. Digi… Info & Tickets

What Is the Reality of Brexit?

We The Curious
Swati Dhingra (LSE), Karen Jackson(Westminster Business School) and Alejandro Graziano (Nottingham) with The Economist’s… Info & Tickets

Bank of England Citizens’ Panel (2021)

We The Curious
A one-off live event that offers the opportunity to let the Bank of England know how the cost-of-living crisis is affect… Info & Tickets

How Can We Recognise and Adapt to Disruption?

We The Curious
Will Page, Spotify’s former chief economist, shares the lessons he’s learned on how to recognise and adapt to disruption… Info & Tickets

Ask an Economist

We The Curious
Dawn Holland, Stewart Lansley, Helen Simpson and Richard Davies. Our panel discusses economics stories in the news and t… Info & Tickets

Discover Economics: Generation-COVID

Online
Panellists: Ellen Greaves, Rupal Patel, Peter Spittal and Richard Davies. Info & Tickets

John Kay and Mervyn King, Radical Uncertainty

Online
Uncertainty pervades the big decisions we all make in our lives. How much should we pay into our pensions each month? Sh… Info & Tickets

Responding, Recovering and Rebuilding from Covid in Bristol and the West of England

Online
At the start of 2020, Bristol and the West of England was often described as a diverse, thriving and dynamic city region… Info & Tickets

Break the Spell of Financialisation

Online
You are invited to take part in a ritual to break the spell of financialisation on transaction data. Most transactions … Info & Tickets

Levelling Up the Left Behind, Myth or Possibility?

Online
For decades, successive governments have avoided explicit industrial goals, wary of Britain’s poor performance in the 19… Info & Tickets

Ha-Joon Chang, What Next After Globalisation?

Online
Globalisation is being questioned like never before in 2020 – trade and the security of supply chains have become a fron… Info & Tickets

Linda Scott, The Double X Economy: The Epic Potential of Empowering Women

Online
Modern slavery is 71% female. Eighty per cent of the earth’s farmable surface is owned by men. UK women lose £140 billio… Info & Tickets

Ground Zero – How to Revive the Arts World when Crowds Are Banned

Online
Outside the NHS and social care sectors, the arts have been ground zero for COVID-19, part of the economy in which group… Info & Tickets

Talking Politics – Live

Online
Coronavirus! Climate! Brexit! Trump! Politics has never been more unpredictable, more alarming or more interesting. Talk… Info & Tickets

Shriti Vadera in conversation with Diane Coyle

Online
It has been a turbulent year, and 2021 promises just as much economic uncertainty. Economics Festival Co-Director Diane… Info & Tickets

Ask an Economist, Covid-19

Online
The economic impacts of the coronavirus as still being felt and they are still being understood. This event gives you th… Info & Tickets

Extreme Economies – from Despair to Hope, Richard Davies with Anne Case

Online
What does survival in the world’s most extreme economies – from refugee camps, to disaster zones to failed post-industri… Info & Tickets

Tim Harford

Online
When was the last time you read a grand statement, accompanied by a large number, and wondered whether it could really b… Info & Tickets

Is Big Government Back?

Online
Lockdown showed that the government can massively intervene in the economy, and it will continue to have to provide larg… Info & Tickets

Lionel Barber

Online
Lionel Barber was the Editor of the Financial Times from 2005 until January 2020 and is widely credited with transformin… Info & Tickets

Decolonising Economics, What does it mean and how is it done?

Online
In recent times, economics has been seriously challenged about its Eurocentric nature and colonial roots. In this event,… Info & Tickets

Why Diversifying and Decolonising Economics Matters to Everyone

Online
The lack of diversity in terms of gender and race in economics has received increased attention in recent years, but eve… Info & Tickets

Building Bristol Back Better, Principles in Practice

Online
How can the local economy be tilted towards a more sustainable, fairer and inclusive model? The local and regional econ… Info & Tickets

Brexit, Farming and the Food Supply Chain

Online
When lockdown began in March, it wasn’t just toilet paper that we couldn’t buy. Essential day to day foods, from flour t… Info & Tickets

Ask an Economist, Bank of England Monetary Policy Report

Online
The Bank of England has been at the heart of the official response to the impact of Covid-19 on the UK economy. Malindi … Info & Tickets

Opening Event, Robert Chote in conversation with Richard Davies

Online
To open this year’s festival, Robert Chote is in conversation with Richard Davies, professor of Public Understanding of … Info & Tickets

Why Are So Many Places Becoming ‘Left Behind’?

We The Curious
Well-paid, skilled jobs are increasingly concentrated in big cities. What is driving this economic polarisation, is it u… Info & Tickets

The Economics of Social Care

We The Curious
How to pay for social care in an ageing population is a fraught economic and political challenge. In a society where wea… Info & Tickets

Ask an Economist: Office for National Statistics

We The Curious
Find out more about collecting, analysing and disseminating statistics about the UK’s economy, society and population…. Info & Tickets

Ask an Economist: Economics – What Is It Good For?

We The Curious
Economists from the University of Bristol will discuss the use – and usefulness – of economics and how it can help to br… Info & Tickets

Discover Economics

We The Curious
An opportunity to learn about economics and where an economics degree might take you with a programme of interactive ses… Info & Tickets

100 Years After Keynes: the Future of Capitalism

We The Curious
Keynes’ economics laid the foundation for a version of capitalism combining the merits of both markets and government in… Info & Tickets

Keynote: Carl Frey – The Technology Trap

We The Curious
How can the history of technological revolutions help us better understand economic and political polarisation in the ag… Info & Tickets

Talking Politics: Podcast Recording

We The Curious
Corbyn! Trump! Brexit! Politics has never been more unpredictable or more interesting. Talking Politics is the podcast t… Info & Tickets

Ask an Economist: The Environment

We The Curious
What is the ‘green economy’, how did it come about and does it work? Should we have economic growth in a time of climate… Info & Tickets

Big Digital

We The Curious
The Silicon Valley tech titans have gone from heroes to zeroes – although we can’t put our iPhones down, we feel like we… Info & Tickets

Deborah Hargreaves: Pay Inequality and the Future of Capitalism

We The Curious
Wages for the majority have been stagnant for decades, but a lucky few have enjoyed a pay bonanza. Deborah Hargreaves ex… Info & Tickets

Bank of England Breakfast Briefing

The Foundation, Triodos Bank Bristol
An opportunity to share your views on the local economy and how it relates to your business, with Bank of England agents… Info & Tickets

Fact and Fiction in Economics: The Role of Media and Social Media

We The Curious
Most people get their economics from the media, and increasingly from social media, where technical debates become highl… Info & Tickets

Keynote: Danielle Walker Palmour – Can We Build an Inclusive Economy?

We The Curious
Commentators agree that the current economic system in the UK does not serve everyone well. In addition, the context of … Info & Tickets

Genoeconomics: Can Genetics and Economics Learn From Each Other?

We The Curious
What have we learnt about the relationship between social outcomes – such as education and income – and genetics? The la… Info & Tickets

Ask an Economist: Living Wage

We The Curious
Jo Michell (Associate Professor in Economics at UWE Bristol) leads an informal session on the topic of the living wage a… Info & Tickets

Can Employee-Owned Businesses Save Our Economy?

We The Curious
The employee-owned business sector in the UK is growing. Discover more about this model with a panel of representatives … Info & Tickets

George Magnus: Is China in Jeopardy?

We The Curious
George Magnus considers the threats to China’s continued economic rise. What are the possible outcomes of conflicts over… Info & Tickets

Keynote: Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England

We The Curious
We are delighted that this year’s festival begins with a keynote from the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney. … Info & Tickets

Forecasts: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

We The Curious
Economic forecasting has never had a stellar reputation – and it seems to be getting worse. Yet it seems impossible to d… Info & Tickets

What Are Women Worth?

We The Curious
Women are less valued than men in the economy – earning less, promoted less and in economics. What will it take to close… Info & Tickets

Trains, Planes, Automobiles – and Buses

We The Curious
Almost everyone has to travel – and almost every means of public transport seems expensive, crowded and inadequate. What… Info & Tickets

The Rise of the City

We The Curious
City and metro mayors are increasingly high-profile and urbanisation is rising. By 2050 the majority of citizens will li… Info & Tickets

Andy Haldane: Central Banks, Past, Present and Future

We The Curious
The chief economist at the Bank of England in conversation with Festival of Economics director Diane Coyle…. Info & Tickets

Schools Event: Discover Economics

We The Curious
A free event for year 11 and 12 students to discover more about economics through a series of interactive, educational s… Info & Tickets

Does Economics Care About the Future?

We The Curious
Keynes famously said we’re all dead in the long run. We face major intergenerational problems, a housing crisis, automat… Info & Tickets

Rain Newton-Smith: Growth in the Time of Brexit

We The Curious
Brexit provides many challenges to future economic growth, but it’s argued that there are many opportunities, too. Rain … Info & Tickets

Linda Yueh: The Great Economists

We The Curious
What can the ideas of history’s greatest economists tell us about the most important issues of our time? In the light of… Info & Tickets

Higher Education: Decline and Fall?

We The Curious
Universities boost economic growth and graduates can earn a high salary premium – but higher education policy is in a me… Info & Tickets

Paul Tucker: Unelected Power

We The Curious
Central bankers have emerged from the financial crisis as the third great pillar of unelected power alongside the judici… Info & Tickets

Richard Wilkinson: The Inner Level

We The Curious
How does inequality affect us individually? Can it alter how we think, feel and behave? Should we accept that inequality… Info & Tickets

Glen Weyl: Radical Markets

Waterstones, The Galleries, Bristol
Glen Weyl reveals bold new ways to organise markets for the good of everyone, showing how the force of genuinely open, f… Info & Tickets

Will the Fourth Industrial Revolution Bypass the Home of the First?

We The Curious
Manufacturing is poised for what is often called the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a range of new technologies such as A… Info & Tickets

The End of the NHS? Not With a Bang but a Whimper

We The Curious
The NHS is under ever-greater financial pressure, and this year has brought the strongest warnings yet that the service … Info & Tickets

Robots and Gigs

We The Curious
Most robots are not cute humanoids but machines automating production lines. Even Greggs’ pasties are made by industrial… Info & Tickets

Trade, Trump and Brexit

We The Curious
The growth of trade in the decades after 1945 was the driving force for increasing prosperity in the post-war era. But m… Info & Tickets

Jean Tirole: Economics for the Common Good

We The Curious
The winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Economics, Jean Tirole from the Toulouse School of Economics, will discuss his new… Info & Tickets

Statistics, Lies and Truth in the Post-fact World

We The Curious
One of the features of the fake news era is the use and abuse of statistics. Although political campaigns have always pr… Info & Tickets

The Future of Money

We The Curious
Money is fundamental to the economy; it is also intensely political, social and technological. Government policies can c… Info & Tickets

Eric Beinhocker: Prosperity, the Future of Capitalism and What this Means for our Politics

We The Curious
There’s huge debate now about prosperity and the future of capitalism, following the crash and slow recovery. Eric Beinh… Info & Tickets

Debate: Would Policymaker Use of Complexity Analysis Make Economics More Relevant to the Real World?

We The Curious
Is standard economic forecasting and analysis fit for purpose? Or should economists be adopting methods from complex sys… Info & Tickets

Who Owns Britain?

We The Curious
A lot of attention has been paid to the distribution of income, but what about Britain’s far more unequally spread wealt… Info & Tickets

Keynote Address: Stephanie Flanders

We The Curious
Where is the global economy heading and how can we make it work better for people? The former BBC Economics Editor Steph… Info & Tickets

Gordon Brown: A Life in Politics

The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
The former Prime Minister and our longest-serving Chancellor reflects candidly on an extraordinary career…. Info & Tickets

Michael Lewis on Kahneman and Tversky

The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
Author of Flash Boys, The Big Short and Moneyball on the friendship that created the field of behavioural economics…. Info & Tickets

Family is Destiny: Are We at the End of Social Mobility and Did It Exist at All?

At-Bristol
Is the era of social mobility and meritocracy over – assuming it was ever real? With Old Etonians commanding top acting … Info & Tickets

Why Crime Pays: The Economics of Organised Crime

At-Bristol
Chair: Tom Gash Nadia Campaniello (University of Essex) Mirko Draca (University of Warwick) David Skarbek (King’s Colleg… Info & Tickets

Is Innovation Really Good For Us?

At-Bristol
Innovation is the economic buzzword of the moment but is it all it’s cracked up to be? Productivity is flat-lining every… Info & Tickets

We’re All Doomed (Again): What Could Go Wrong in the Global Economy?

At-Bristol
As 2008 fades into history, the global economy still looks frail. Monetary policy is still ‘unconventional’. China keeps… Info & Tickets

Tim Harford: The Merits of Messiness

At-Bristol
Tim Harford explores the benefits of having messiness in our lives: why it’s important, why we resist it and why we shou… Info & Tickets

People, Politics and Policy: Improving the Economic Policy Process

At-Bristol
How can economic policies be made more effective in a world where populism rules and ‘evidence-based’ policy is out of f… Info & Tickets

Should the Government Aim to Make Us Happy?

At-Bristol
Should government policy focus on our happiness rather than economic growth and incomes? Some economists think so, argui… Info & Tickets

Keynote Address: Dani Rodrik

At-Bristol
In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, economics seems anything but a science. Dani Rodrik, Professor of Inter… Info & Tickets

Basic Income: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

At-Bristol
Chair: Jonathan Derbyshire Torsten Bell (Resolution Foundation) Louise Haagh (University of York) Anthony Painter (RSA) … Info & Tickets

Mariana Mazzucato: Rethinking Capitalism

At-Bristol
Western capitalism is in crisis. For decades investment has been falling, living standards have stagnated or declined, a… Info & Tickets

Immigration and Future Prosperity

At-Bristol
Immigration was one of the doorstep issues of the election campaign: both the Conservatives and Labour, as well as UKIP,… Info & Tickets

The Growth of Inequality and Reviving Social Mobility

At-Bristol
Inequality has dominated economic and political debate following the publication of Thomas Piketty’s book Capital in the… Info & Tickets

Honey, I Shrank the State: Is There a Future for the Public Sector?

At-Bristol
With the new government committed to continuing to reduce government spending, the size of the state in the UK is planne… Info & Tickets

The European End-Game: What Does the Future Hold for the EU?

At-Bristol
With the eurozone crisis in Greece, question marks hanging over the UK’s EU membership, and concerns about the changing … Info & Tickets

Robert J Shiller: The Economics of Manipulation and Deception

At-Bristol
Nobel Prize winner Robert J Shiller argues that markets, inherently filled with tricks and traps, harm as well as help u… Info & Tickets

Swimming with Sharks: My Journey into the World of the Bankers: An interview with Joris Luyendijk

At-Bristol
If you could peer inside a megabank what would you see? Speaking with over 200 City insiders, Joris Luyendijk set out to… Info & Tickets

The No-Growth Economy: Is it the Only Way to Save the Planet?

At-Bristol
With key international talks in Paris coming up at the end of the year, what kind of agreement would be needed to actual… Info & Tickets

The Future British Economy in an Uncertain World: An interview with Vince Cable

At-Bristol
Vince Cable, Business Secretary in the 2010-2015 government, provides an inside view of the coalition and a unique persp… Info & Tickets

What Will Make the Housing Market Work?

At-Bristol
No sooner does the British economy start to recover than there’s a housing market boom, threatening economic stability a… Info & Tickets

Economics of Crime and Punishment

At-Bristol
We usually think of policing and punishment in terms of justice, or broader social trends, but economics provides an inv… Info & Tickets

Will the Robots Eat All the Jobs?

At-Bristol
Recent research predicts that about a third of UK jobs are at high risk of automation in coming decades. Is this to be w… Info & Tickets

Beyond Quantitative Easing

At-Bristol
Six years on from the height of the financial crisis in Autumn 2008, the question of how monetary policy can move away f… Info & Tickets

Adair Turner in conversation with Robert Peston

At-Bristol
Adair Turner is one of our most distinguished experts on economic and financial policy, having held positions ranging fr… Info & Tickets

Can economics make us eat better: Schools Challenge

At-Bristol
This event gives sixth-form students an opportunity to learn about economic and behavioural economic thinking on healthy… Info & Tickets

Obesity in the UK: Gluttony or Sloth?

At-Bristol
People are getting fatter. Weight gain is a result of consuming too many calories (gluttony) relative to energy burned i… Info & Tickets

Should the Economy be More Local?

At-Bristol
There is renewed focus on the role of cities in improving economic performance overall, and also on the importance of lo… Info & Tickets

How to Speak Money

At-Bristol
The language of economic elites can be complex, jargon- filled and completely baffling. But if we don’t know what they’r… Info & Tickets

The State of the City – Bristol 2014: The Mayor’s Annual Address and Debate

The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
The second annual Mayor’s lecture sees Mayor George Ferguson talking about the past year of delivery and the current sta… Info & Tickets

Launch of Perspectives series – Diane Coyle

At-Bristol
All are invited to stay on after the previous event for the launch of a new series of short, opinionated books on econom… Info & Tickets

Every Planet Has a North

At-Bristol
There are two economies in the UK, London and the rest. Yet despite the fact that the division stands out in any objecti… Info & Tickets

The Problem of the Banks

At-Bristol
Five years on from the Great Financial Crisis, the question of how to prevent another widespread banking meltdown has no… Info & Tickets

Inequality – Why Does It Matter?

At-Bristol
Recent decades have brought a big increase in inequality, not just in the UK but in other countries too. Many people ins… Info & Tickets

Reforming Public Services

At-Bristol
There is greater pressure than ever for public services to become more efficient as budgets are cut, and more responsive… Info & Tickets

The New World Economy

At-Bristol
The idea that the world’s centre of economic gravity is moving to the BRIC nations – Brazil, China, India and Russia – a… Info & Tickets

Pop-up Economics

At-Bristol
Tim Harford is senior columnist for the Financial Times, author of many books, the latest being The Undercover Economist… Info & Tickets

The World Economy After the Crash

At-Bristol
What is the state of the world economy five years after the crash? Daniel Franklin, editor of the annual Economist publi… Info & Tickets

The State of Economic Recovery in the uK

At-Bristol
Over the past six months ‘recession’ has given way to ‘recovery’. With many economic figures showing signs of improvemen… Info & Tickets

Intergenerational Economics and the ‘Jilted Generation’

At-Bristol
Some say the baby boomers have bankrupted the youth of Britain. That ever-spiralling house prices put home ownership onl… Info & Tickets

The State of the City – Bristol 2013: the mayor’s Annual Address and Debate

The Great Hall, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol
The first of an annual series in which Bristol City Mayor George Ferguson looks back on an historic first year in office… Info & Tickets

Economics in Crisis

At-Bristol
This session turns the spotlight on the subject of economics itself. Economists will try to debate honestly the weakness… Info & Tickets

What Next for Britain’s Economy?

At-Bristol
There is a fierce debate between advocates of a government stimulus for the economy and those who say the longer-term co… Info & Tickets

People, Places and Poverty (with Joseph Rowntree Foundation)

At-Bristol
The panel will discuss how an individual person’s characteristics (skills, experience, family background) and their soci… Info & Tickets

The Future of Capitalism

At-Bristol
The panel will debate the nature of the economic system itself. Does the crisis reveal fundamental flaws in capitalist e… Info & Tickets