Call for participants for young scholars workshop: Feminist approaches to macroeconomic policy in East Africa

Deadline: 7 February

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

This initiative marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between IDEAs and the Department of Economics and Development Studies, University of Nairobi, aimed at advancing feminist and heterodox economic thinking within African academic and policy spaces. The collaboration responds to the deepening economic crises across the continent, characterised by rising debt, inequality, and austerity, which expose the limits of mainstream economic models. Feminist economics challenges conventional assumptions by highlighting the gendered structures of economies, the centrality of unpaid care work, and the ways in which social reproduction underpins economic production. Heterodox economics, in turn, critiques the neoclassical focus on equilibrium and efficiency, emphasising the importance of power relations, institutions, and historical context in shaping economic outcomes. Together, these approaches offer vital tools for reimagining macroeconomic and trade policies that are equitable, inclusive, and responsive to the realities of African economies

To launch this partnership, a public panel discussion will be held at the University of Nairobi to announce the collaboration and engage a broad audience in conversation on the theme, “Why Feminist Economics Matter to Africa’s Economic Future.” The panel will explore key questions such as: What does feminist economics reveal about the current African economic situation? With a focus on the implications of the debt crisis on the economy, the event will feature prominent economists, feminist scholars, and policymakers, and will serve as a platform to spark dialogue and visibility around alternative economic frameworks.

Following the panel, a three-day intensive training workshop will be conducted for master’s and PhD students. The training will focus on feminist macroeconomics, approaches, trade and gender, and the African debt crisis. It will unpack how macroeconomic and trade policies can be analysed through feminist and heterodox lenses, to connect theoretical concepts with African realities. Through this capacity-building process, participants will gain analytical tools and frameworks to critique dominant economic narratives and develop gender-aware, context-sensitive alternatives.

The event is expected to strengthen collaboration between the University of Nairobi and feminist economic networks, enhance participants’ understanding and application of feminist and heterodox economic principles, and amplify the visibility of these frameworks within public and policy discourse. In the long term, this partnership aims to serve as a foundation for future research collaborations, publications, and curriculum development that advance pluralist economics in the continent.

Objectives

• Introduce feminist macroeconomics as a theoretical framework and its main proposals
• Introduce students to macroeconomic frameworks rooted in Political Economy and useful to understand African realities from a critical perspective

Themes

The broad theme of the workshop will be feminist macroeconomics, and the following topics will be explored:

• Pillars of feminist economics
• Fiscal and monetary policy
• Social reproduction and care
• Trade and gender

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Currently a master’s, PhD, or postdoctoral student
• From an economics, a development studies, or a closely related discipline
• National of an East African country
• Ability to travel to the workshop in March in Nairobi, Kenya