INET Deck

Economics for a world in rapid change

What is INET?

An institution built for crisis Authoritarianism, inequality, technological disruption, and climate risk are testing economies worldwide.

Many policies rely on outdated, flawed ideas.

Meeting today’s challenges requires bold new economic thinking.

INET is here to meet that challenge.

We challenge assumptions, incubate solutions, and develop economic frameworks that tackle the defining forces of our time.

INET President Robert Johnson

The INET journey INET was founded on the premise that the 2008 crisis was not only an economic crisis, but a crisis of economic thinking.

We grew into a global network of economists, social scientists, policy thinkers, and leaders producing rigorous research and game-changing ideas.

Today, we are a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with a global footprint.

We have an Advisory board of prominent thinkers, incl. Nobel Laureates

Our mission is to transform economic thinking To move beyond narrow theories of efficiency and inspire innovative economic thinking responsive for our time.

To connect research to economic history, real-world challenges, and societal concerns—sparking collaboration across disciplines and fields of practice.

To engage the public through accessible ideas and storytelling across articles, video, podcasts, social media, and media commentary.

To convene policymakers, thought leaders, and practitioners across disciplines, industries, and sectors to inform better economic policy and decision-making.

To nurture the next generation of scholars who will advance these principles and shape the future of economic thinking.

Impact

Research conferences A small selection of the conferences INET has hosted, bringing in many voices from around the world 2010, Cambridge, UK: INAUGURAL CONFERENCE. With King’s College, Cambridge University.

2016 Budapest, Hungary: INET Young Scholars Global Plenary. With Central European University.

2011, Bretton Woods: CRISIS AND RENEWAL | Financial instability.

2018, Buenos Aires, Argentina: INET Young Scholars Regional Convening.

2012, Berlin: PARADIGM LOST: RETHINKING ECONOMICS AND POLITICS | The Eurozone crisis.

With the Mercator Foundation.

2018, Harare, Zimbabwe: INET Young Scholars Regional Convening.

2013, Hong Kong: CHANGING OF THE GUARD | The emergence of Asian Economies. With Fung Global Institute.

Andrew Michael Spence— Nobel laureate at INET Conference ‘Human After All’

2019, Los Angeles, US: INET Young Scholars Regional Convening.

2019, Hanoi, Vietnam: INET Young Scholars Regional Convening.

2014, Toronto: HUMAN AFTER ALL | The economics of innovation. With the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).

2020, Virtual: INET Young Scholars Global Plenary.

2015, Paris: LIBERTÉ, EGALITÉ, FRAGILITÉ | The economics of inequality. With the OECD.

2012, Berlin: INET Young Scholars 10 year anniversary.

2016, Detroit: ECONOMICS OF RACE | Racial inequality and pathways forward.

2024, Mumbai: 1st Meeting of Young Minds with IIT Bombay.

2017, Edinburgh: REAWAKENING | The past, present, and future of the economics profession.

2025, Bangalore: Law, Economics and Policy Conference VII: Growth Strategy in the States

With each conference, INET opened up spaces outside of the conventional wisdom, and encouraged scholars to collaborate on new ideas.

Innovative Research INET has given a wide range from grants, from research centers to individual studies and events.

Thematic areas include financial stability political economy inequality private debt economics of innovation (AI and tech) global transformation antitrust

INET grantee William Lazonick, famous for his research on stock buybacks

Research ahead of the curve Our scholars identify structural risks and shifts before they appear in mainstream coverage, then supplying the data, and perspective that journalists, policymakers, and the public use to respond.

INET scholars have consistently reshaped debates: Demonstrated that demand—not just supply—shapes productivity.

Highlighted middle class collapse, low wages, and “deaths of despair.”

Influenced austerity debates, Eurozone policy, and G20 discussions.

Exposed the pharmaceutical business model Reshaped global discussions on “too big to fail” financial institutions.

Analyzed executive pay, stock buybacks, and hidden compensation practices.

Created historic banking datasets spanning 14 countries over 140 years.

Revealed how economic inequality distorts democracy.

Examined gender, bias, and the spread of ideas in the economics profession.

A Closer Look Macroeconomics INET researchers identified today’s “K-Shaped Economy” two years before the rest of the field. They also showed its importance for understanding fiscal policy, inflation and Federal Reserve behavior. INET was among the first to highlight how economic pressures, especially inflation, tariffs, and wage stagnation, shape political preferences. This critical work challenged mainstream narratives that emphasized cultural divides over economic realities. INET research shows that wage stagnation played a key role in both the 2016 and 2024 U.S. elections.

Antitrust & Platform Power INET research has contributed to renewed global focus on antitrust enforcement. Work

by Mark Glick on Facebook acquisitions and Dina Srinivasan on Google’s advertising dominance is shaping scholarly debate and informing public policy discussions, including cases pursued by state attorneys general.

Race & Economics INET has supported influential research on the intersection of race, economic inequality, and political outcomes. Scholars including Peter Temin, Trevor Logan, and William Lazonick examine structural disparities in labor markets and opportunity. Work by Thomas Ferguson and Benjamin Page analyzed how economic conditions, race, and political finance interacted in the 2016 election, with later research extending these insights internationally.

Big Pharma INET has long supported the pioneering work of William Lazonick and collaborators on the pharmaceutical industry’s “Pharma Business Model.” Their research on drug development, pricing, and corporate incentives has gained global attention, with coverage in outlets including The New York Times. Organizations such as Doctors Without Borders now use this work in advocacy and policy debates.

Inequality and “Deaths of Despair” INET researchers were early to document the economic roots of rising mortality, wage stagnation, and the collapse of stable employment. Scholars including Shannon Monnat, Lance Taylor, David Weil, Servaas Storm, and Peter Temin examined the links between inequality, the erosion of the middle class, and social breakdown. INET-supported work also contributed to the World Top Incomes Database used by researchers including Thomas Piketty.

Stock Buybacks & Corporate Governance Research by William Lazonick and colleagues on executive pay, stock buybacks, and corporate governance has reshaped global debate on corporate behavior. Their work revealed that stock-based compensation has long been underreported in corporate disclosures. These findings have been widely covered in outlets such as The Atlantic and have informed policy discussions about corporate accountability.

Climate Change INET has supported economic research on climate change since 2012. A major INETfunded study led by Lance Taylor, published in Nature Climate Change, examined the challenge of reducing energy demand in developing economies dependent on industrialization. INET research also explores the transformation of the global auto industry and the feasibility of green growth, while scholars such as Servaas Storm critique conventional macroeconomic models used to assess climate risk.

Innovation, Growth & Society INET launched the Center for Innovation, Growth and Society in 2018 to rethink the economics of transformative technologies. The center convenes economists, technologists, legal scholars, and civic leaders to examine how “deep technologies” reshape markets, work, and democracy. Convenings have featured leaders such as Sam Altman, Tristan Harris, Jaron Lanier, and Jack Dorsey to debate platform power, antitrust, digital governance, and the future of democratic institutions.

AI, Machine Learning & Political Outcomes INET research examines how money, politics, and emerging technologies shape democratic outcomes. Scholars including Thomas Ferguson and Jie Chen are using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze election dynamics and campaign finance while highlighting the limits of algorithmic approaches to complex political systems. This work has influenced debates on campaign finance reform and transparency and is widely cited by organizations such as the AFL-CIO and media outlets including Financial Times, Bloomberg, and The New York Times. INET is currently launching a six-part web series, AI and the Future of the American Worker, written by cultural theorist and INET analyst Lynn Parramore.

Economic History & Comparative Development INET has advanced global research on economic history and social change, supporting institutions such as the Paris School of Economics and the World Top Incomes Database. INET’s Cambridge University Press book series brings together leading scholars examining power, inequality, and historical change across regions including Africa, Asia, and Europe, offering new perspectives on the roots of contemporary economic challenges.

INET empowers young scholars to embody the principles of new economic thinking in their work and career.

Using INET’s custom built platform, they collaborate on research projects year-round.

The result is a growing library of papers, strong partnerships with institutions around the world, a support system for those who are forging new paths, and an increasingly influential alumni base.

Emerging scholars

Nurturing the next generation

Co-president of Initiatives for Policy Dialogue, former Minister of Economy of Argentina

Today, the INET’s community of young scholars has 25,000+ members in 120 countries, taking the mission forward.

Global reach With strategic partnerships across continents, INET has developed a network that is equipped to address the most complex, international challenges.

Meeting of Young Minds at IIT Bombay

Today’s opportunity

We are living through a moment unlike any in history.

AI, automation, biotechnology, and digital platforms are reshaping work, power, and society at unprecedented speed.

These forces can be an opportunity to transform our economy. Or they can concentrate wealth, deepen inequality, and weaken the freedoms and institutions that sustain thriving societies.

INET President Robert Johnson

When the Central Bank promises to create credit and support the finanical sector it stops an immediate rupture and crisis. But at the same time it may be creating the mother of all moral hazard as banks come to believe that a bad investment will be bailed out and a good one will make massive returns. With no downside the risk taking by the financial sector will create a bubble.

In addition the protection offered to large and famous banks will likely cause the investors in the community to concentrate their investments in the large banks that are being protected and harm the competitive balance in favor of large banks to the detriment of smaller banks that are intimately aware of the priorities of credit allocation in their local communities.

INET was built for this.

Our network of leaders, researchers, and innovators are uniquely well-positioned to leverage this moment for deep structural transformation.

The structure is in place, and we are committed to lead the paradigm shift that is required for our global society to emerge from this stronger.

Will you join us?

Our senior scholars are leading the change.

These thinkers address structural challenges at the core: Healthcare, Public Health, and Pharma: William Lazonick (corporate governance and innovation), Oner Tulum (pharmaceutical research), Eileen Appelbaum (labor economics), Philip Alvelda (DARPA alum and biotech entrepreneur) Macroeconomics, Financial Stability, and Corporate Governance: Thomas Ferguson, Matt Hopkins, Servaas Storm, Perry Mehrling, Steve Fazzari, Mario Seccareccia Climate & Sustainability: Michael Grubb (energy economics and climate policy), Servaas Storm & Tom Ferguson (integrating climate and macroeconomic analysis) Antitrust & Competition Policy: Mark Glick, Maurice Stucke, Hal Singer (shaping antitrust enforcement and policy reform) AI, Civil-Military Fusion, Cybersecurity: Pia Malaney, Philip Alvelda, Cecilia Rikap, James Kurth (exploring technology’s societal impact and ethical governance) Political Economy, Regulation, Money & Politics: Paul Jorgensen, Thomas Ferguson (examining how economic inequality and technology shape political systems) Education & Workforce Development: Thomas Ferguson, Servaas Storm (rethinking workforce training and education policy in the age of rapid automation) What will you add? Your voice is needed.

Our young scholars are ready to follow Their self-organized projects span the globe each year:

The world is waiting.

Partner with us

Focus areas for 2026 Join us forces with us to address today’s most complex economic challenges.

Your perspective and guidance are welcome.

Macroeconomics: K shaped economies challenged by inflation, AI, and now war, with prospects of heavy job loss by AI, and shakeout in that field; public debt issues, esp. size of interest rate payments and its interrelations of defense policy Capital markets and financial stability: Stock buybacks; crypto and monetary policy issues, regulation of the financial system Tech: Antitrust and the ever increasing role of big LLMs and platforms, media concentration, social media and effects on humans, including political manipulation Affordability: climate and power issues, including regulation of utilities and power issues; wages and distribution, costs of continuing financialization Pharma and health: We continue on pharma pricing, how organizational impulses to extract wealth over continuing investment; drugs the world can afford, not just rich countries Regulation and reform: Domination of the system by political money, increasing role of executive discretion in regulatory policies, revolving doors, organization of elections and voting to protect democratic norms.

Take a seat at the table Partner with us to develop your own research cluster on a pressing economic challenge. Bring your concerns, voices, and network.

Watch it blossom with the help of our research team. Inspire young scholars to take it further, and let the ideas spread around the globe.

Opportunity INET welcomes blended giving.

Donors may direct part of their gift to a specific project or research area, while another portion supports the institutional capacity that makes this work possible.

INET welcomes unrestricted giving.

We welcome unrestricted gifts that support our institutional mission.

Contact: Sunanda Nair Bidkar Chief of Strategy & Operations snb@ineteconomics.org Heske van Doornen Director of Operations (People & Platform) hvd@ineteconomics.org

The time for courageous thought leadership is now.

Join us to build a brighter future.

And watch the world follow suit.

Thank you.