Book

Decolonizing Economics

We’re excited that our book is out in the world! You can order it here and find some more info below.

The blurb:

Decolonization has long been debated across the social sciences, but the economics discipline has so far avoided such critical engagement. This book provides a much-needed intervention.

Dutt, Alves, Kesar, and Kvangraven uncover the deeply Eurocentric foundations that shape how economists study the world today. These have rendered the discipline ill-equipped to tackle critical questions, such as structural racism, uneven development, the climate crisis, labour relations, and how structural power shapes economic outcomes. Decolonizing economics entails challenging the norms of neutrality and objectivity that economists claim to speak from, while fostering alternative ways of understanding the economy that take seriously structural power relations and contemporary processes of economic development. Readers will come to understand the political stakes of decolonization and the wide range of scholarship that already exists that can help us grasp economics from non-Eurocentric perspectives. Through such scholarship, we can gain an enriched understanding of capitalism and its relationship to exploitation, colonialism, and racialization.

Endorsements:

  • “A timely and long-awaited book produced by a brilliant quartet of leading economists.” Ndongo Samba Sylla, International Development Economics Associates and coauthor of Africa’s Last Colonial Currency
  • “In this highly intelligent and rigorous book, the authors critically examine the Eurocentric nature of mainstream economics and discuss how the discipline can be ‘decolonized’ from its conceptual foundation so that it serves all humanity, rather than the interests of rich countries and a small group of global elites. It is a timely and courageous book that will fundamentally change the way we see the world.” Ha-Joon Chang, SOAS University of London, and author of Economics: The User’s Guide and Edible Economics

Reviews of the book:

Upcoming events/launches:

  • University of Sussex, February 18th, 2026
  • Association for Heterodox Economics webinar, February, 2026

Past events/launches:

Recognitions:

If you’re keen to write a review, let us know and we can ask Polity to send you a reviewer’s copy.