We are delighted to share the news that Will Winecoff (Associate Professor in POLS) and Sarah Bauerle Danzman (Assistant Professor in INTL and Affiliate Faculty in POLS) were awarded a large National Science Foundation grant (~$450,000) to investigate “The Political Economy of Business-Government Connections”.
The below description is modified from their NSF abstract:
Even though pro-business institutions have been blamed for a variety of contemporary ills from financial instability, rising inequality, the slow response to climate change, and the rise of extreme politics, we know very little about the relationships between private industry and governments. Much of the existing research has focused on relatively narrow aspects of business-government interaction such as lobbying, campaign contributions and the “revolving door” between regulators and industry. This new study will collect data on the links between public officials and registered businesses around the world. An original dataset will enable scholars to better describe the extent and types of business-government linkages, and then more systematically test hypotheses about the nature and consequences of business power. The determinants and impacts of transnational business-political connections will be analyzed using complex network methodologies. This innovative data and research aim to promote transparency, good governance and democratic accountability.
The NSF grant will provide substantial support for our colleagues and Political Science graduate students to carry out cutting-edge scholarship over the next three years.
The College of Arts