The lack of diversity in terms of gender and race in economics has received increased attention in recent years, but events following the death of African American George Floyd have caused economists to further reflect and rethink how they study long-simmering, systemic racial inequities. Economics is now having its #BlackLivesMatter moment as the discipline has been challenged about its Eurocentric nature. As well as considering the benefits of increasing racial and ethnic diversity for the economics profession, economists are also asking how economic theories explain today’s racial economic inequalities – and the extent to which colonialism is to blame? How does economics understand the links between racial inequalities and systemic racism?

The panel includes Keston Perry (UWE Bristol), Imran Rasul (University College London), Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe (WISER) and chaired by Romesh Vaitilingam.

In our ninth Festival of Economics, co-programmed by Diane Coyle and Richard Davies, economists and experts from around the world debate with each other – and their audiences – some of the key economic questions of our time.