Our work on Economy
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Collapse: an introduction

A colleague recently reminded me that to know our future, we must first understand our past, so I’ll start with the Earth system, out of which we evolved. This astonishing collection of matter and energy self-assembled into the wondrous place we inhabit today. Generally, things that self-assemble into interdependent systems, evolve in response to each…
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Festival of Politics 2025: In Conversation with Professor Danny Dorling

Watch Deputy Presiding Officer Liam McArthur MSP in conversation with Danny Dorling, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Oxford and the UK’s best-known social geographer. In his latest book, The Next Crisis, What We Think About the Future, Professor Dorling uses the most up-to-date research to redraw our assumptions about where our greatest threats come from and solutions that…
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Scotland’s Housing and Net Zero Conference

22 April 2024 Scotland aims to achieve ‘net zero’ by 2045, but the Scottish Government announced, in April, that the interim 2030 target is unreachable highlighting the significant challenges ahead. By bringing together MSPs and stakeholders from academia, private, public and third sectors, the conference provided a platform to discuss and strategise on the necessary…
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Scotland’s Land: One resource, many uses

This event in October 2023 explored how we can use our land to underpin food security, maintain sustainable communities, & meet climate & biodiversity targets
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Alternative approaches to economic development in Scotland

This blog by David Waite, Richard Crisp and Anne Green reflects on different ideas of economic change and where they’ve come from.
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AI and Education: A free-market future?

With AI growing in importance throughout our lives, this blog explores a free-market future for education and schools. It accompanies our event report: “AI and Education with the Goodison Group”
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A Fair and Sustainable Scotland: How fair is fair?

This panel discussion in October 2023 explored how fair Scotland is as a country. Complete equality of outcome is impossible – so what does success look like?
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Tackling 21st Century Inequality

What can be done to tackle the giants of 21st century poverty? This seminar in August 2023 with the David Hume Institute and Professor Danny Dorling explored whether Scotland is providing some answers.
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Scotland’s poverty problem

If all political parties in Scotland are committed to tackling poverty, why has more progress not been made? This Festival of Politics debate in August 2023 explored Scotland’s poverty problem.
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It’s the economy, stupid

Post-pandemic and in a cost-of-living crisis, how can new economic ideas help us shape the future? This Festival of Politics debate in August 2023 explored how our economy could and should work.
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Economic Transformation: Making a good living?

With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate emergency and rising inequality, this seminar in June 2023 explored business purpose and making a good living.
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Artificial Intelligence and Skills

Blog in May 2023 by Robbie Scarff on Artificial Intelligence and Skills: what impact will AI have on what it means to be a worker?
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Economic Transformation: A Just Transition?

With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate and ecological emergency, rising inequality and an ageing population, this seminar in April 2023 explored the idea of a just transition.
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Economic Transformation: A Wellbeing Economy?

With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate and ecological emergency, rising inequality and an ageing population, this seminar in February 2023 explored the idea of a wellbeing economy
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Frameworks and Forecasts: Taxation in Scotland

Event in November 2022 with the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee on taxation in Scotland.
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Why Scotland needs radical tax reform

Blog by Alison Payne of Reform Scotland on Scotland’s tax system and the report “Taxing Times: Why Scotland needs new, more and better taxes”.
