Workshop: Neoliberalism, fraud and moral economy

The speakers will address two main issues: the empirical relationship between neoliberalism on the one hand, and fraudulent practices on the other; and the moral economy of those practices.

Many countries that have undergone neoliberal reforms and transformations have experienced a significant and rising level of fraudulent practices in their economies. Debates are taking place around the world about the moral characteristics of and moral change in neoliberalised societies, as well as the apparent connection between neoliberalism, moral change and economic fraud.

This workshop explores these dynamics and discussions. It establishes an interdisciplinary, collaborative investigation into these themes by bringing together key scholars in the field, with disciplinary backgrounds in political science, political economy, criminology, sociology, law, geography, anthropology, development studies, and African studies. The regional expertise of the participating scholars covers Western and Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America.

The speakers will address two main issues: the empirical relationship between neoliberalism on the one hand, and fraudulent practices on the other; and the moral economy of those practices.

Workshop programme:

• Jörg Wiegratz (Leeds) and David Whyte (Liverpool): Neoliberalism, fraud and moral economy
• Matthew Watson (Warwick): The Expulsion of the Moral Economy Tradition from Economics Proper: ‘Economy’ as a Set of Practices versus ‘Economy’ as a Logic of Order
• Andrew Sayer (Lancaster): Moral Economy, Unearned Income, Neoliberalism and Legalized Corruption
• Chris Swader (Moscow): The Functionality of Moral Flexibility for Capitalism
• John Christensen (Tax Justice Network): They Do Do Evil: Tax Professionals, Tax Havens and the Attack on Civilised Society
• Grietje Baars (London/City): Capital, corporate citizenship and legitimacy: The ideological force of 'corporate crime' in international law
• Steve Tombs (Milton Keynes/OU): Framing the Crisis: moral critique and the renewal of ‘business as usual’
• Matías Dewey (Cologne): Producing Moral Ambiguity: State and Sweatshops after Neoliberalism in Argentina
• Gerhard Anders (Edinburgh): Corruption Scandals and ‘Bad Politics’ in Neoliberal Malawi
• Jose Maria Munoz (Edinburgh): Neoliberal Reforms and Fraud in Cameroon's Financial Services Sector
• Erik Bähre (Leiden): From Corruption to moralities of redistribution: Insurances for the poor in South Africa
• Paul Jones/Michael Mair (Liverpool): Anti-Political Economy as a Particular Kind of Moral Economy: Supermarkets, Government and the Corruption of Politics
• David Whyte (Liverpool): The moral economy of institutional corruption in Britain
• Chloé Buire (Durham) Making plans in the unplanned city: the urban mechanisms to political domination (in absentia)

This workshop is being organised by Jörg Wiegratz (Leeds) and David Whyte (Liverpool).

Supported by the University of Leeds, School of Politics and International Studies(POLIS), Centre for African Studies (LUCAS) and Leeds University Business School (LUBS).

The event is by invitation only. For inquiries please contact Jörg Wiegratz.