phd topics in political economy

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• Political Economy

This field examines the reciprocal relationships between politics and markets, both within and among countries, using a variety of analytical tools, including those of economics. Its concerns include interactions among economic and political development; cooperation and conflict among nations, groups, and individuals; the distribution of material resources and political power; the effects of political actors and institutions on economic outcomes; the causes and consequences of technological and structural change, growth, and globalization; and regulation.

First Field

Course requirements.

• POLSCI 745 Core in Political Economy
• ECON 601 Microeconomics
• POLSCI 747S Seminar on Political Economy: Macro Level OR an approved macroeconomics course
• 2 field course in political science

Preliminary examination

All students must complete a preliminary examination at the end of their second year which consists of a second year paper and an oral defense. The second year paper must be submitted to the student’s preliminary exam committee and the DGS by May 1 st and the oral examination must be completed by May 15 th . Students should speak with the field chair and their primary advisor(s) well in advance of these deadlines to ensure a shared understanding of what is expected.

Second Field

• ECON 601 Microeconomics OR POLSCI 747S Seminar on Political Economy: Macro Level OR an approved macroeconomics course
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PhD in Political Economy & Government

In this section.

• Degree Requirements
• Current Students
• Dissertations & Job Placements
• Faculty & Research

Beginning in Fall 2022, the PhD in Political Economy and Government (PEG) will no longer be admitting students.  Students may apply to the PhD program in Public Policy (PPOL) , or consider the PhD Programs in the Economics Department or the PhD Program in Government . 

The PEG program will continue with the outlined course requirements for students who matriculated in Fall 2021. HKS will continue to fully fund and support all current PEG students until they have completed the program and graduated. However, going forward, prospective students will no longer be able to apply to or be admitted to the PEG program.

As of Fall 2021, prospective students interested in focusing on an economics or political science perspective of political economy are encouraged to apply to the PhD programs offered by the Department of Economics and the Department of Government at the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or the newly created PhD program in Public Policy (PPOL) tracks: Economics and Politics and Institutions (Political Science) . 

History of the PhD in Political Economy and Government

Dating to the 1930s, the PhD Program in Political Economy and Government (PEG) was initiated with the objective of fostering research at the intersection of Economics and Political Science. A collaborative program between Harvard Kennedy School, the Department of Economics, and the Department of Government, PEG emphasized positive—as opposed to normative—political economy. The PEG program combines rigorous training in economics, formal theory, and quantitative empirical methods with a substantive focus on the interaction between economic and political institutions and processes. Students combine coursework from the Department of Economics  and the Department of Government for an interdisciplinary program of study.

Students and faculty members in the PEG program share an intellectual interest in the impact of politics on economic processes and outcomes, and the reciprocal influence of economic conditions on political life. It covers research areas as diverse as international economic relations, financial economics, political development, political and economic institutions, institutional transition and reform, the economic importance of culture, economic performance, environmental resource policies, and social policy.

Doctoral Program Admissions

Phd student life.