From February 20 to 22, 2025, the Chair of Political Economy hosted its annual international conference on "The Political Economy of Democracy and Dictatorship" (PEDD) for the eighth time. The objective of the conference was to promote research and academic discourse on different political regimes and economic changes. Over 80 scientists from around the world gathered in Münster to present and discuss their current research. The conference program, selected through a submission and peer-review process, covered a broad range of contemporary political and economic debates. The paper selection was carried out by the Paper Selection Committee (see below). This committee consists of seven senior and junior researchers who serve as scientific directors of the conference.

A total of 66 presentations were held, addressing a range of topics. These included institutions and their growth, the current threats to democracies, the different types of politicians and their political behavior, the political consequences of disasters, ethnic conflicts and the long-term consequences of violence and oppression. In a similar vein to previous years, the University of Bicocca in Milan hosted a "Special Session on the Political Economy of Europe." This session focused on the intricacies of European governance and the multifaceted economic and political dynamics that shape the continent.

Notable highlights of the program included keynote lectures delivered by Nancy Qian (Northwestern University, USA) and Raphaël Franck (University of Stuttgart, Germany). On the first day of the conference, Prof. Qian presented a discussion on the topic of "The Economic and Political Determinants of National Identity: Evidence from Taiwan". On the second day of the conference, Prof. Franck addressed “Peaceful and Violent Origins of Voting Rights. A Political Economy Analysis of the Great Reform Act of 1832“.

At this year's conference, the PEDD Young Scholar Award was granted for the fourth time. This award recognizes outstanding research by leading young scholars below the age of 35. The Paper Selection Committee fulfilled the role of the jury, evaluating all eligible submissions. The award was bestowed upon Matthias Weigand of Havard University, USA, in recognition of his exemplary contributions. His paper, entitled "Crisis, State Capacity, and the Making of Autocracy: A Design-based Analysis of the Thirty Years’ War" focuses on the rise of capable autocracies in response to the Thirty Years' War. Using planned troop movements from secret military communications, it analyzes how local wartime pressures encouraged the growth of fiscal and military capacity while parliaments were weakened. It also shows how the coordination of military logistics increasingly shifted to the executive branch. The findings suggest a dynamic trade-off in the concentration of executive power in times of crisis.

We would like to express our gratitude to all those who were instrumental in making this year's PEDD conference a success, particularly the participants for their invaluable contributions. In light of the numerous ongoing political crises worldwide, the significance of research and discourse on political and economic matters is underscored. We are grateful to have provided a forum for researchers from around the globe to exchange ideas and stimulate further research. We eagerly anticipate the next edition, scheduled for 2026.

Date and Location
February 20 to 22, 2025
University of Münster, Germany
 

Paper Selection Committee
- Giacomo De Luca, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy
- Alfa Farah, Diponegoro University, Indonesia
- Klaus Gründler, University of Kassel, Germany
- Helena Helfer, University of Münster, Germany
- Kim Leonie Kellermann, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
- Martin Paldam, University of Aarhaus, Denmark
- Vassilis Sarantides, Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece