JEREMY
WAKEFORD

Title of contribution:

Towards an Integral Economics (Acad)

Where & when:

Panorama

Sunday, 27th May
11:30-13:30

Project: Towards an Integral Economics

Mainstream economic theory appears to be ill-equipped to deal with the ‘polycrisis’ currently facing humanity. This paper is an exploratory attempt to develop a more comprehensive and holistic conceptual framework for the study of economics, based on the ‘integral theory’ developed by Ken Wilber. The specific aims are threefold: (1) to broaden the assumptions about human nature and motivations, based on widely accepted models of psychological and moral development; (2) to show how the dominant approach to economic theory has evolved over time through distinct worldviews, which are pointing towards the emergence of an integral perspective; (3) and to demonstrate that socioeconomic development has historically unfolded in successive waves, which could lay the foundation for visions of more sustainable future socioeconomic systems.

About Jeremy Wakeford:

Jeremy holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from Cambridge University and a PhD in Sustainable Development from Stellenbosch University, South Africa. His research interests include sustainable development, the green economy and integral economics. Jeremy is currently Senior Macroeconomist at a Swiss-based think tank focusing on inclusive growth in Africa. He is also an Extraordinary Senior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University, and previously lectured economics at the University of Cape Town.