The FINANCIAL — The celebrated economist Thomas Piketty has been appointed as Centennial Professor at LSE’s new International Inequalities Institute (III). He will collaborate on research and teach postgraduate students on a part-time basis.
Professor Piketty has a long standing link to LSE, having been a PhD student here, and having recently taken part in the III’s first conference – Inequality in the 21st Century which included him debating with Tony Atkinson, Wendy Carlin, John Hills, David Soskice, and other leading social scientists, according to LSE.
Professor Piketty’s ground-breaking book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, has been of global significance in shaping debates about inequality across the globe.
He commented: “I am thrilled by my appointment to work in LSE’s new International Inequalities Institute. Rising inequalities is one of the great challenges of our time, which we desperately need to address. We have a unique opportunity at LSE to create a truly dynamic and exciting inter-disciplinary centre which will make a real difference to our understanding of the causes and consequences of inequality”.
Mike Savage, Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the III, said: “Thomas Piketty has revolutionised our understanding of inequality through demonstrating how fundamental historical shifts towards escalating capital accumulation disproportionately enhance those who are already wealthy. His appointment as Centennial Professor at LSE’s International Inequalities Institute will involve him in teaching Master Classes for our inter-disciplinary PhD students working on ‘escalating inequalities’ topics, as well as students on our new MSc in Inequalities and Social Science. This is a fantastic opportunity to establish the III and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him.”
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