Economics for the People
Challenging Capitalism in Troubled Times and Building Collective Futures

A four-day Summer Institute of workshops, discussions and community building

In the face of authoritarian governance, violent suppression of free speech, unlawful deportations, unceasing climate change, increasingly unaffordable basic goods and services, and imperial wars, social movements around the world are coming together to rise up against fascism to collectively build just and democratic futures.

The Center for Popular Economics' summer institute is designed to address the movement’s economics knowledge gaps and counter the conservative myths at the heart of mainstream economics. It provides intensive training in the economics and economic history knowledge needed to advance visions and strategies for change. 

The curriculum will cover the basics of radical economics, providing a material analysis of capitalism, racism and patriarchy. We will also discuss the logic behind progressive reforms and post-capitalist experiments. And we will educate each other about the history of social movements and debate different strategies of resisting and moving beyond capitalism. 

More about the CPE Summer Institute

A group of radical political economists organized the Center for Popular Economics in 1978 as a forum for the exchange of ideas and for building a movement for social and economic justice. The Center's first Summer Institute for Popular Economics was held in 1979 and was accompanied by a series of carefully-targeted workshops attended by activists from organized labor and a range of other causes. In various workshops during its first decade of operation, the CPE explored the impact of racism, sexism, Reaganomics, Capitalism, class structure, patriarchy, militarism, globalization, and Socialism.

Today, the Summer Institute consists of four days of participatory classroom sessions facilitated by CPE staff economists. Classes hold on average 15-20 participants and are designed using pedagogical methods that break down the teacher-student divide. CPE’s pedagogical approach to economics involves everyone in co-producing the learning experience, inviting participants to connect the concepts discussed to their practical experience and build new knowledge together. In addition to the classroom sessions, there will be evening programming and opportunities for building community throughout the week. 

The CPE curriculum covers the following topics:

• The history of global capitalism and nature of capitalist exploitation

• The economics of racism and patriarchy

• Colonialism, imperialism, and international economic relations

• Economic debates on climate change

• Progressive and radical approaches to fiscal and monetary policy

• The movements against class, race and gender-based oppression

• Alternative economic systems in theory and practice 

The intensive and cumulative nature of the classroom sessions allows participants to delve deeply into the material, build community, and learn from one another’s knowledge and experience. Participants have described these sessions as “inspiring, intense, stimulating, and comprehensive."

Please note that the summer institute is not set up to support folks who prefer a traditional lecture format, who are looking for a PhD seminar on advanced Marxian theory or who are looking to attend an academic conference. 

Costs and Logistics

The cost of tuition includes daily breakfast, lunch, and (optionally) dorm housing and free parking at Hampshire College. Thanks to CPE’s grant funding, we are able to offer the Summer Institute on a sliding cost scale. This means that if you are unable to pay the regular ticket price, you can pay us however much works for you up to the minimum ticket price.  

Here is the sliding scale of ticket options:

• $470 (ticket price with overnight accommodation from June 24th-28th)

• $220 (ticket price without overnight accommodation)

• $75 (minimum ticket price)

The CPE summer institute should be financially accessible to all who wish to attend. If even the $75 minimum price is a barrier to your participation, please send us an email and we will try to find a solution. If you can afford more than the regular ticket price, we gratefully use the additional money to fund the participation of other qualified candidates.

We are working hard to secure a few external scholarships funding ticket and transport costs. If you'd like to be considered for a scholarship, please indicate so in the sign-up form.