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; government policy formulation and implementation; 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; government policy formulation and implementation; pedagogical reform
News
Blogtastic
I maintain an occasional blog with news about activities relating to my pedagogical project on economic history. You can find it here.
Demography and Influenza-18
Eoin McLaughlin and I have a new 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:
I maintain an occasional blog with news about activities relating to my pedagogical project on economic history. You can find it here.
Demography and Influenza-18
Eoin McLaughlin and I have a new working paper on the demographic impact of the Spanish flu in Ireland.
- Death, Demography and the Denominator: New Influenza-18 Mortality Estimates for Ireland (QUCEH Working Paper 20-04; 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.
- I wrote an op-ed for The Conversation (with Eoin McLaughlin) 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 Economics in Quarantine YouTube channel.
- I was interviewed as part of a BBC Radio 4 In Business programme on the economic impact of historical pandemics.
- I also feature on a 3-part BBC Radio 4 documentary called Pandemic 1918.
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)