The Robert L. Heilbroner Center for Capitalism Studies
The Robert L. Heilbroner Center for Capitalism Studies is a hub for interdisciplinary scholarship and applied research on issues relating to contemporary forms of capitalism.
The Center promotes collaborative work between academic disciplines and exchanges between scholars and practitioners. We support public events, working groups, graduate and undergraduate courses, and student and faculty research. We also sponsor annual Visiting Professorships for scholars outside The New School community. The Center seeks to develop a common language through which the forms and processes of capitalism can be understood, analyzed, reformulated, and reformed โ with rigor, with precision, and in a manner that is accessible to the broadest possible audience.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: HEILBRONER CENTER DISSERTATION & THESIS FELLOWSHIPS
The Heilbroner Center for Capitalism Studies invites masterโs and doctoral students at The New School to apply for $3,000 Dissertation and Thesis Fellowships for the 2026โ2027 academic year. These fellowships support research and writing on projects that engage capitalism as an analytical concept and as an object of social, political, or historical inquiry.
๐ Application deadline: May 1, 2026
Full details on eligibility and application requirements can be found under the Join Us tab.
UPDATE FROM OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM: TOWARDS A NEW DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL ECONOMY CONVENING IN MONTREAL, CANADA
Between April 17 and April 19, we convened the contributors to our ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ข ๐๐ฆ๐ธ ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ค๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ค ๐๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ project in Montrรฉal, Canada. The initiative – supported by the Open Society Foundations – brings together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to rethink the relationship between capitalism and democracy in the twenty-first century.
The project is organized around three interconnected areas: theory, policy, and the policy process. It examines the conceptual foundations of political economy and the relationship between markets, states, and democracy; develops concrete policy proposals to address challenges such as inequality, industrial policy, financialization, and the climate transition; and studies how new ideas actually move into the policy arena through institutions, governments, think tanks, and transnational networks.
The Montrรฉal convening gave contributors the opportunity to present draft papers, exchange across these streams, and refine the broader research agenda. One of the most productive aspects of the discussions was the interaction between theory and practice: theoretical frameworks informed policy proposals, while real-world policy experiences helped sharpen the questions theory needs to address. More to come as the project continues to develop…
INTRODUCING THE HEILBRONER CENTER FOR CAPITALISM STUDIES 2026
Widespread interest in the future of capitalism and its implications for democracy and global politics have brought an exciting group of scholars to the Heilbroner Center for Capitalism Studies, from senior scholars to graduate student fellows and research assistants.
To learn more about the scholars featured here, we invite you toย explore the โPeopleโ tab or the pages dedicated to our various “Research Projects“, where you will find short bios highlighting their backgrounds, research interests, and current work.
We are proud of the community we are creating and pleased to introduce you to the expansive world of capitalism studies based at The New School. It is going to be an exciting and productive year at the Heilbroner Center.
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Launch of Two New Research Programs
The Heilbroner Center for Capitalism Studies is launching two major research initiatives for the 2025โ26 academic year:
- Towards a New Democratic Political Economy (see webpage)
- U.S.โChinaโIndia Economic Relations (see webpage)
These programs reflect our commitment to advancing critical scholarship on the structures and dynamics of capitalism in a rapidly changing global context. Each initiative will convene faculty, graduate students, and international collaborators to generate new research. Full details can be found in the press releases linked below:
Research projects >>>
People
