Political Economy of Natural Resources and Environmental Change

The Political Economy of Natural Resources and Environmental Change Summer School will explore the relationship between natural resources and governance, conflict, labour, and technological change and examine the historical evolution of institutions to manage their use. In isolation, each perspective yields an incomplete picture, yet rapid environmental change makes a fuller understanding of these issues urgent. Thus, this summer school aspires to bring together complementary perspectives in an interdisciplinary forum.

Recent scholarship has underscored how political and institutional contexts shape the access to and control over natural resources. At the same time, attention has turned to the role of conflict and coercion in enabling extraction, particularly in colonial and wartime contexts. Studies of energy transitions and common-pool resources further highlight the feedback between resource regimes and socio-environmental change. These issues continue to inform contemporary debates about environmental justice, inequality, and sustainability. In this summer school, we will explore and discuss the political economy of natural resources across time and space. 

The program includes two and a half days of academic sessions, as well as two hands-on workshops, focusing on natural language processing and science communication.

We explicitly welcome contributions that engage with diverse geographies and periods. 

Submission | 500 word abstract

Deadline | 28th February, 2026

Mail | econhist.tuebingen@gmail.com

Funding is available for a limited number of participants. 

Keynotes will be given by:​

Prof. Ann M. Carlos | University of Colorado

Ass. Prof. Stefania Galli | University of Gothenburg

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Methodological workshop will be given by:​

Dr. Louis Henderson | London School of Economics

Dr. Sarah Ferber | FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Organizers

Thomas Benfey

Sarah Ferber​

Louis Henderson

Moritz Kaiser​

Urvi Khaitan