This PhD project investigates the evolving relationship between debt, economic growth, and inequality in the context of financialised capitalism, particularly in the aftermath of the 2008 Great Financial Crisis. Recent structural shifts, such as the move from private-sector lending to sovereign bonds and the rise of non-bank financial institutions, have placed portfolio managers and sovereign debt at the heart of global finance. These changes have significant implications for economic growth, social inequality, and the ability of states to address challenges like climate change and demographic shifts.

The project welcomes candidates who wish to explore these dynamics using a critical political economy approach, drawing on heterodox traditions from Smith, Ricardo, and Marx to Veblen, Keynes, Hayek, Kalecki, and Minsky. Theoretical and methodological pluralism is encouraged, with opportunities to integrate qualitative and quantitative methods and to combine economic analysis with insights from anthropology, geography, history, or sociology. The successful candidate will join the History and Political Economy of Business and Finance (HYPE) cluster and the Open University Business School, benefiting from a vibrant interdisciplinary research community.

The position is available for campus-based study only and is supervised by Professor Dimitris Sotiropoulos (Department of Accounting and Finance) and Professor Susan Newman (Department of Economics). While the post does not specify funding details, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge debates on financialisation, sovereign debt, and inequality in both the Global North and South. Applicants should have a strong background in economics, political economy, finance, or related fields, and be committed to critical, interdisciplinary research.