The IPE Berlin at the Berlin School of Economics & Law
The Institute for International Political Economy Berlin (IPE) is concerned with the relation between the economy and political power in a globalised world, and the social implications that this raises.
The recurrence of serious financial crises, rising social inequality and a disregard for human rights indicate that conflicts involving economic and political interests have become more acute. This raises many urgent questions about the types of political and social regulation of the economy that would be desirable. In addition, since globalisation has depended on energy generated from non-renewable fossil fuels which poses a serious threat to the global climate, international political economy must be complemented by an international political ecology.
The IPE aims to promote interdisciplinary research drawing on economics, political science and sociology to deepen our understanding of these issues, and to make the results of this research available to individuals and groups who are active in political, social and economic initiatives.
News
Call for Applications MA in International Economics
The Master’s degree programme International Economics offers an in-depth exploration of international macroeconomic issues and problems, like global and regional imbalances, macroeconomic instability, inequality and ecological constraints of economic activities. This consecutive degree programme imparts a critical understanding of current debates in economics, including a number of heterodox approaches, and is seeking to adopt a pluralist perspective. The programme has a strongly international approach and aims to integrate an understanding of theoretical controversies, historical developments and contemporary policy disputes. It also contains an interdisciplinary component reflecting the importance that social and political institutions play in shaping economic developments, and offers several options for specialisation. The programme is accredited and it will equip students with the skills to pursue internationally oriented careers with government and non-government organisations, research institutes, think tanks, trade unions, international organisations and international businesses, as well as to apply for PhD programmes. Courses are taught entirely in English.
The application period for the winter term for students with a non-German Bachelor’s degree starts on 15 March and ends on 15 May, for students with a German Bachelor’s degree it starts on 15 April, and ends on 15 June. For more information please see the website: https://www.hwr-berlin.de/en/study/degree-programmes/detail/23-international-economics/
Call for Applications MA in Political Economy of European Integration
The Master in Political Economy of European Integration offers an extraordinary, interdisciplinary Master programme, combining critical research in political sciences and sociology, law, and heterodox macroeconomics. The programme covers different dimensions of European integration such as environment, sustainability and energy, labour and social reproduction, as well as money and trade, and offers several options for specialisation. The courses deal with the current polycrises of our world and the role of Europe and the European integration process herein, providing pluralist theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence on pressing issues like rising social inequalities, geopolitical and economic imbalances, or socio-ecological transformation processes due to climate change.
The programme is accredited and enables students to participate professionally in the processes of European integration and to pursue international careers with European institutions and with governments as well as business organisations, trade unions, non-governmental organisations and institutions of policy formulation and research (not only) in the member states of the EU. Courses are taught entirely in English. Although it is a full-time program, a part-time option is available which prolongs the duration of the program accordingly.
The application period for the winter term for students with a non-German Bachelor’s degree starts on 15 March and ends on 15 May, for students with a German Bachelor’s degree it starts on 15 April, and ends on 15 June.: https://www.hwr-berlin.de/en/study/degree-programmes/detail/30-political-economy-of-european-integration/
Events
- 05/2025 Workshop IPE-YSI: The redefinition of trade partners: Global Value Chains, Innovation and Structural Change
- 04/2025 Arab Trade Unions: Between Democratic Deficiency and the Need for Reform – What are the lessons to be learned for the international trade union movement?
- 01/2025 Green Policies and Politics in the EU and Latin American Regional Organizations
IPE Working Papers
- Ignacio Silva Neira, Carlos Rodríguez, Jennifer Pédussel Wu: Microeconomic dynamics of FDI and local innovation: A firm level estimation of Chilean firms. Working Paper 252/2025
- Petra Dünhaupt, Helena Gräf, Valeria Jiménez, Benjamin Jungmann: Industrial Policy Space in Emerging Economies: The Case of Chile’s Lithium Industry and the Energy and Raw Materials Chapter in the EU-Chile Free Trade Agreement. Working Paper, 251/2025
- Cara Dabrowski: A Kaleckian approach to the financialization–distribution–inflation nexus: Germany and Austria in comparative perspective. Working Paper, 250/2025
- Jonathan Sidenros: Housing in the EU: The EUas a Commodifying Force. Working Paper, 249/2025
- Pia Kauer: A New Deal for the Climate? Lessons from the Inflation Reduction Act. Working Paper, 248/2025
- Guilherme Haluska, Ricardo Summa, Franklin Serrano: The bridge to stagnation: government expenditure cap, reforms and the fall in the business investment share in Brazil (2015-2022). Working Paper, 247/2025
Books
- Ulrich Brand, Markus Wissen: Kapitalismus am Limit – Öko-imperiale Spannungen, umkämpfte Krisenpolitik und solidarische Perspektiven. oekom, 2024.
- Mwilima, Harrison Kalunga: The European Union and Regional Integration in East Africa: Collective and Individual State Priorities Compared. Routledge, 2023.
- Michael Heine, Hansjörg Herr: Inflation – Lehren für heute aus Krisen von gestern, Marburg: Metropolis-Verlag, 2023
- Betzelt, Sigrid; Bode, Ingo; Parschick, Sarina; Albert, Andreas: Organisierte Zerrissenheit. Emotionsregimes und Interaktionsarbeit in Pflege und Weiterbildung. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag (Open Access), 2023.
- Eckhard Hein: Macroeconomics after Kalecki and Keynes: Post-Keynesian Foundations, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2023.
Current Research Projects
- Industrial Policy Space in Emerging Economies – The Case of Chile and the Energy Raw Materials Chapter in the EU-Chile Free Trade Agreement
- Value Chain Restructuring, Growth Regimes and Economic and Social Resilience
- PRoKita - Plural Role Conflicts and Collective Consciousness in Organised Childcare
- Growth Regime Working Group (GRWG)
- Digitalization of Value Chains in the Retail Sector
- Crisis and Socio-ecological Transformation