Financialization and Development Policy

Since the 1980s, an increase in the importance of financial market players and products in the global economy can be observed. Under the buzzword "financialization", a broad field of research has now developed that examines the causes, dynamics and effects on different areas of society. Not least the North Atlantic financial crisis has shown how volatile and crisis-prone these dynamics are and how far-reaching the social consequences of such crises can be.

The trend toward financialization is also effective in the area of development policy, although it has been comparatively less well researched. Particularly since the 2010s, an increasing intertwining of financial markets and development policy programs can be observed. Our research on financial markets and development policy analyzes (1) how current development programs, institutions and discourses are driving a deepening of financial markets and related logics worldwide and (2) what effects this has on the respective countries and regions in the global South, especially for marginalized population groups.

In particular, our research examines the link between financialization and the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs). In this context, we focus primarily on the following areas:

Our research on financialization and development policy is situated in current debates in international political economy (IPE) and seeks to fill research gaps on the (neo-)colonial dimensions of these processes.

If you have any questions, please contact

Dr. Frauke Banse(frauke.banse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de)

Anil Shah(shah[at]uni-kassel[dot]de)