My research interests lie at the intersection of political economy and economic sociology, and focus on the relationship between states and markets. I use interdisciplinary tools and frameworks to understand the role of social and political institutions in shaping economic outcomes.
My current work is animated by a fundamental tension around the legitimacy of business actors in contemporary market society. Business actors play a central role in modern capitalist economies, yet they have historically occupied tenuous positions in society. These arise from the question of whether their activities are narrowly beneficial, enriching only themselves, their family and kin or whether they generate broad-based economic gains that facilitate societal advancement.
This question of legitimacy persists across different institutional and organizational manifestations of market actors across varying historical periods. Whether as ‘traditional’ merchants, traders, and moneylenders or as ‘modern’ bankers, venture capitalists, technologists, or captains of industry, these actors are often simultaneously revered and reviled: admired for their ability to generate economic activity while disparaged for the inequalities that their business practices are believed to create.
Research Projects
A brief summary of my published writing is available here.
For additional information on my current research projects and collaborations please see the work of my research group, the Political Economy Lab.
JASON JACKSON 