https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8140-0115I work at Queen's University Belfast, where I am a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Queen's Management School and a Research Associate at the university's Centre for Economic History.
I combine economics and history to better understand the performance of firms, industries, economies and societies. Specifically, my expertise is thinking through the short, medium and long term consequences of policy decisions, given the lessons from history.
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
I combine economics and history to better understand the performance of firms, industries, economies and societies. Specifically, my expertise is thinking through the short, medium and long term consequences of policy decisions, given the lessons from history.
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
News
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.
Historical Precedent
Covid-19 has historical precedent: Influenza-18. I have recently been doing some science communication work about the lessons to learn from this parallel.
We Buy Any Gold
I have a working paper circulating on Dutch monetary policymaking during the interwar period (co-authored with Philip Fliers). We explore policy formation, implementation and impact:
Blogtastic
I maintain an occasional blog with news about activities relating to my pedagogical project on economic history. You can find it here.
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.
- Death, Demography and the Denominator: Age-Adjusted Influenza-18 Mortality in Ireland (Medrxiv preprint)
Historical Precedent
Covid-19 has historical precedent: Influenza-18. I have recently been doing some science communication work about the lessons to learn from this 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.
- I was interviewed about the 1918 flu pandemic by the stand-up comedian Tiernan Douieb on his Partly Political Podcast.
- I had a conversation about the Spanish flu on Cornelius Christian's YouTube channel.
- I was interviewed as part of a BBC Radio 4 In Business programme on the economic impact of historical pandemics.
- I feature on a 3-part BBC Radio 4 documentary called Pandemic 1918.
- I have written a policy brief about the Spanish flu for the Economics Observatory.
- I was interviewed for The Conversation's Anthill podcast about economic recovery from the Spanish flu and WW1.
We Buy Any Gold
I have a working paper circulating on Dutch monetary policymaking during the interwar period (co-authored with Philip Fliers). We explore policy formation, implementation and impact:
- Going Dutch: The Management of Monetary Policy in the Netherlands during the Interwar Gold Standard (QUCEH Working Paper No. 19-03)
Blogtastic
I maintain an occasional blog with news about activities relating to my pedagogical project on economic history. You can find it here.