Research in the Department of Economics
Economics research
Our collaborative and innovative research at the department of economics is broad ranging and far-reaching spanning across four broad themes with several connecting sub-themes and overlapping areas of focus:
Theme 1: Development economics
- Sub-themes: Growth and inequality, labour markets, international trade and FDI, natural resources extraction, environment and climate change, immigration
Theme 2: Political economy
- Sub-themes: Income distribution, social conflict, capitalism, economic crisis, structural transformation, institutions, housing, nationalism, agrarian change
Theme 3: Financial economics
- Sub-themes: Decision making under uncertainty, risk, financialisation, contemporary finance, corporate governance, pensions, behavioural finance, banking and financial management
Theme 4: Applied economics and econometrics
- Sub-themes: Economic modelling, social market economy, entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprise economics, time series and panel data modelling and applications
The department has a track record of excellent inter-disciplinary research on the above thematic areas, and has had successful grant funding from the Institute for New Economic Thinking, International Labour Organisation, Global Challenges Research Fund and the Trust for London. It has a regular research seminar series and has hosted academic workshops and conferences on areas of economic development and economic crises as part of ongoing and completed research projects. Our researchers also work across disciplinary boundaries through the Centre for Research on Communities, Identity and Difference (CResCID) and Small Business Research Centre (SBRC) within the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. Our research is reputed for its emphasis on a pluralist approach enabling staff with both mainstream and heterodox expertise in economics to work collaboratively in a dynamic, stimulating and inclusive research environment.
Research groups and centres
Every staff member in the department is affiliated to at least one of the two following research groups:
Political Economy Research Group (PERG)
The political economy approach highlights the role of effective demand, institutions and social conflict in economic analysis and thereby builds on Austrian, Institutionalist, Keynesian and Marxist traditions.
Applied Economics Research Group (AERG)
This group aims at contributing to the understanding of a variety of economic issues key to the functioning of economies, with an emphasis on possible policy interventions. This is done both by using state-of-the-art econometric techniques and by developing insights through theoretical models.
Research degrees programme
Our doctoral (PhD) programme is intended for students who already have a postgraduate qualification, such as MA or MSc. We also offer an opportunity for MA or MSc by research, which might be used as the basis for proceeding to a doctoral programme.
The aim of our research degree programme is to offer opportunities for students to enhance their knowledge and understanding of economics and to develop their research skills - both generic research skills and also competence within the methodologies that are typical of research in economics.
Our research students are given personal supervision and advice by a team of, normally, two members of staff and may attend modules within our taught courses to support their personal development and training plans. They are expected to attend our research seminars and encouraged to contribute to them by presenting when their own research has sufficiently progressed. Seminars include the Economics Department seminar and the Faculty Research online (FARO) series.
Research students also present their own work in progress at our research students conferences.
- PhD application guidelines
- Types of research degrees
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Fees
To apply, please ensure you select the exact qualification, start date and mode of attendance which can be found here.
Economics discussion papers
Kingston University Economics Discussion Papers are reports on research in progress, authored and peer-reviewed by members, associates and visitors of the Department of Economics. The series features contributions in several areas of economics, including but not limited to mathematical and quantitative methods; international economics; macroeconomics and monetary economics, financial economics, economic development, technological change, and growth; schools of economic thought and methodology; agricultural and natural resource economics; microeconomics; labor and demographic economics; health, education, and welfare; public economics.
For comments, information or submitting your manuscript please write to Andrea Ingianni.
