NaDiRa Lecture Series 2022
Hidden systemic racism in economic theory
When? June 2, 2022, 6 p.m.
Where? Livestream at https://youtu.be/9Ci-mmnjkpE
The NaDiRa Lecture Series 2022 will be opened with a spotlight on ethical and methodological challenges in racism research in the field of economics with a lecture by Prof. Dr. John Komlos.
Speakers
- Lecture: Prof. em. John Komlos, Ph.D. (emeritus from LMU)
- Comment: Prof. Dr. Stefan Ouma (University of Bayreuth)
- Facilitator: Dr. Sekou Keita (IAB)
Hidden systemic racism in economic theory
Mainstream economic theory is replete with assumptions that feed into structural or systemic racism, because it supports an economic system that severely disadvantages people at the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum, which in the U.S. includes a disproportionate number of Hispanics, indigenous people, and descendants of slaves. The talk discusses 15 such assumptions that are generally trivialized, including the crucial role information costs which play a big role in decision making. In turn, costly information implies that its acquisition by poor people requires a greater share of their income, making it more difficult for them to make well-informed decisions.
