When: Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PMWhere: Montagu Lecture Theatre, Graduate Centre, Mile End
Book now
As we look ahead to the next election, Dr Nick O'Donovan, Vicky Pryce and Lord Wood will discuss the 'Knowledge Economy' and discuss alternative 'growth stories' for the UK
How can developed democracies achieve strong and sustained economic growth?
Since the early 1990s, successive UK governments have offered very similar answers to this question. Their economic strategies have emphasised social investment in education and research, coupled with pro-market reforms, to foster high-productivity 'knowledge work' in industries such as computing and life sciences.
In this seminar, Dr Nick O'Donovan (Head of Policy at the Future Economies Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University) will present his recent book, Pursuing the Knowledge Economy. We will document how this vision of growth became received wisdom in economic policy circles and explore how it has endured throughout multiple crises and a decade-long economic slump.
We will be joined by Vicky Pryce (former Head of the Government Economic Service) and Lord Wood of Anfield (Special Adviser to Gordon Brown at the Treasury and Number 10). Together our panel will discuss whether today's political leaders are finally willing to break free of the Knowledge Economy narrative and ask what alternative 'growth stories' they might tell in its place.
This event will be held in the Montagu Lecture Theatre in the Graduate Centre, which is number 18 on this map of QMUL's Mile End campus. It is open to all and will be followed by a reception to which all are welcome.