National-neoliberalism. Politics, work and business in Romania
Channel: Contrasens
Date: 2023-09-27

Romania's economy is integrated into the global economy, a fact that brings about dependencies, but also enables development.  In this episode, we’re speaking with Cornel Ban, a political economist who, using this disciplinary lens, can offer an analysis of international financial issues that are otherwise highly diverse and complex to delineate within local boundaries. Examining Baia Mare and the circumstances in which some people work and live prompts a necessary discussion about the shortcomings of capitalism, institutionalized racism, and the imperative need for effective public policies. 

The theme of adaptation and the formulation of strategies to address political and climate changes are also explored in this episode. Romania's prospects remain open, but it is imperative to act swiftly and contribute to altering the current situation, not only in the labor market but also in taxation and social policies, according to our guest.


Cornel Ban is an associate professor of International Political economy at Copenhagen Business School. Prior to this he was a Reader at City University of London, assistant professor at Boston University and research fellow at Brown University in the United States. He wrote two books, two dozen articles, and book chapters on the politics of economic expertise, policy shifts in international financial institutions, and the politics of capitalist diversity in Brazil, Spain, Hungary and Romania.

This episode is part of a series based on the research project "Precarious work and peripheral housing. The socio-economic practices of the Roma in Romania in the context of industrial relations and unequal territorial development", in short PRECWORK, with the financial support of Norwegian grants and UEFISCDI from Romania. More about the project here: precwork.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/ 

Producer: Marina Mironica and Maria Martelli
Visual: Maria Martelli 
Soundtrack: KindStudios 
Bibliography: Cornel Ban, Gabor Scheiring & Mihai Vasile (2023) The political
economy of national-neoliberalism, European Politics and Society, 24:1, 96-114, DOI:10.1080/23745118.2021.1956241  
Cornel Ban (2016)  Ruling ideas: How global neoliberalism goes local. Oxford University Press

Rundown:

Min 01:16 - Why is political economy important?
Min 04:50 - Why look at Romania? 
Min 09:44 - What does a rise in nationalism and populism mean, across Europe
Min 20:00 What is the difference between doing politics as a party and populism?
Min 29:00 Zooming in on the far-right and AUR (Alliance for Unity of Romanians) 
Min 32:38  What is specific to national-neoliberalism? How does it function?
Min 37:19 How do these policies reflect in the lives of people in Baia Mare?
Min 51:34 Policy recommendations and the importance of sociological knowledge
Min 1:02:58 Bonus question: Best case and worst case scenarios for Romania’s political economy in the next 20 years accounting for the climate crisis

#politicaleconomy #nationalneoliberalism