Join us on Zoom!
Will Austerity Persist? Challenging 50 Years of Elite-Centered Government
Dr. Jon Shefner, University of Tennessee
Shefner’s new book, Why Austerity Persists, traces the 45-year history of austerity policies and how they became the go-to policy for a host of economic problems in countries worldwide. This presentation considers critical questions such as: Why has austerity persisted as a policy, despite evidence that it often does not work? How have austerity policies evolved over recent decades, and who are the powerful people and institutions imposing them across the globe? Most importantly, what steps can be taken to challenge the powerful interests now calling for renewed austerity measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
This event is co-sponsored by the World History Center, the Global Studies Center, and the Department of Sociology.