We're taught to think of economics as an objective truth. But what if economics isn't neutral at all? What if it's a story shaped by power and by a history that has been carefully edited? A story that celebrates innovation and progress while quietly erasing extraction, exploitation, and the violence behind how wealth became concentrated geographically.

In this episode of Art of Citizenry Podcast, Manpreet Kaur Kalra speaks with economist Carolina Alves about colonialism, capitalism, development economics, and the Eurocentric foundations that continue to shape global economic policy today.

Together, they unpack how mainstream economics often separates markets from history, obscuring the role colonial extraction, slavery, and unequal trade played in building modern wealth. From informal labor markets to communal economic models rooted in reciprocity, this conversation challenges the idea that Eurocentric economic systems represent a universal path toward prosperity.

📌 Note: Due to some audio quality challenges during the recording, we’ve included transcript excerpts to help listeners follow the conversation and engage with the ideas discussed in the episode — visit: artofcitizenry.com/podcast/decolonizing-economics

We explore:

"Decolonizing economics is about something more foundational than representation. It’s about repositioning the vantage point entirely.” – Carolina Alves

Carolina Alves is Associate Professor in Economics at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) at University College London, and a Fellow in Economics at Girton College, University of Cambridge. 

Read: “Decolonizing Economics: An Introduction” by Devika Dutt, Carolina Alves, Surbhi Kesar, and Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven, 

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