I combine economics and history to better understand the performance of firms, industries, economies and societies. Topics I have studied include: the causes and consequences of banking crises; culture, religion and the design of cooperative organisations; famines, pandemics and sample selection; patents, invention and the process of innovation; and the formulation and development of monetary policy.
I lead a teaching and learning project which aims to re-insert the study of economic history into the economics curriculum. My book, An Economist's Guide to Economic History (co-edited with Matthias Blum), is available in paperback or eBook.
Expertise: economic history; financial history; business history; banking crises; health crises; patents and innovation; economic policymaking process; pedagogical reform
Outreach
Historical Lessons for Ukraine I have written an op-ed together with Eoin McLaughlin and Matthias Blum on the lessons from past experiences of famine (including in Ukraine) for policymakers today. It is published in The Conversation. We wrote a follow-up piece for RTÉ Brainstorm focusing on the growing food security crisis.
Policy Lessons from Ireland's Past A series of policy briefings published by the Economics Observatory explore policy lessons from Ireland's past. They were commissioned to coincide with Northern Ireland's centenary.
Why Economic History? I was interviewed about my views on the purpose of economic history for economists by Seán Kenny for his Economic History Podcast. You can listen to the interview here.
Demography and Influenza-18 Eoin McLaughlin and I have a pre-print working paper on the demographic impact of the Spanish flu in Ireland.
The underlying data (constructed with the help of Kyle Richmond) is deposited at the UK Data Service, and described in a short data note. Historical Precedent Covid-19 has precedent: Influenza-18. I have recently been doing some science communication work about the lessons to learn from this historical parallel.
Eoin McLaughlin and I wrote an op-ed for The Conversation which draws economic lessons from the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic for policymakers today.