Welcome to YPE
York Political Economy, or YPE, is a long-term initiative whose purpose is to bring together teaching, research and discussion of political economy at York University. The initiative is housed at the Department of Political Science, one of the world’s leading centres for the study of heterodox and radical political economy. We also draw on various resources from across the University, as well as on many national and global links.

Why Political Economy?
The twentieth century showed us that modern capitalism is about power as much as it is about production; that well-being and markets cannot be understood separately from the state; that race, ethnicity and gender feature on the factory floor and in the office as well as in the polity; that the local, national and global are increasingly inseparable; that the struggle for freedom and democracy is intertwined with the distribution of income and the organization of finance. Rigid disciplinary boundaries – between the “sphere” of politics and the “sphere” of economics, as well as between other disciplines such as anthropology, sociology and environmental studies – create a fractured view of society. Political Economy rejects these fractures by trying to understand the social process as a whole. This is what we do at YPE.

Students and Faculty
Although our graduate programme does not have an official “field” in political economy, graduate students can choose from nearly 40 courses and seminars dealing with various aspects of political economy. Beginning in 2003/4, the Department’s new undergraduate curriculum includes a theme dedicated specifically to “Political Economy and Political Power,” with over 50 courses for undergraduate students to select from. There are more that 20 faculty currently affiliated with YPE.

Research and Publications
Over the years, York professors and students have written many books, articles and dissertations on political economy. They have also spoken in numerous conferences, public gatherings and media interviews. Many of these publications and presentations are now uploaded on the YPE Archive, and more will be coming. Feel free to search, read and download. To get the bigger picture on research projects and funding, visit our research pages.

Discussion
YPE holds regular conferences and workshops, including individual speaking engagements, one-day events, and full-scale international gatherings. We also have a virtual political economy forum, which you are invited to join and participate in.

More
Visit our resources section – it lists relevant journals and newspapers, data and statistics, and it has links to other political economy organizations and institutions.