University Winners of The 8th Way to Think Like a 21st Century Economist!

Back in January, Rethinking Economics and Doughnut Economics got together and launched a competition based on the ‘seven ways to think like a 21st century economist’ set out in Kate Raworth’s book Doughnut Economics. The challenge that we threw down was this:

We’ve been amazed and delighted to receive over 250 entries across three categories – schools, university students, and everyone else – covering a very wide range of themes. And we have been sent a brilliant array of ideas, perspectives, formats and presentations – from text, drawings, audio, and video, to animations, cartoons, prezis, and more.

In other words, we’ve been bowled over by the response. So here’s a very big thank you to everyone who has entered and shared their ideas so generously and creatively. Yesterday we announced our amazing winners in the School Student category, check them out here. Today we are delighted to announce the winners of the University Students category.

We want to thank and congratulate every single university student who entered the competition – we were really impressed and inspired by the conviction inherent in the ideas you submitted, and the brilliant ways you shared them. We hope that every one of you will keep on rethinking economics to help make it fit for the century ahead.

As for our winners – here’s goes, with a big drum roll……!

UNIVERSITY – FIRST PLACE: ‘Legal Right for Nature’ by James Legg-Bagg

Our judges say:

Excellent explanation on how economies are ’embedded’ in legal structures. We must reinvent what the legal rights are of nature and eco-systems – Mariana Mazzucato

We will need to reserve large swathes of the planet for the wild world in future, and this is a step in that direction – Steve Keen

A critical transformation is seeing moral rights for nature, legal rights would be an important first step – Eric Beinhocker

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Three runners up (in alphabetical order)

RUNNER-UP: Imaginaries: the 8th Way of Thinking like a 21st Century Economist, by Sam Earle

Read the entry here.

Our judges say:

This is powerfully argued and a very distinctive and invaluable 8th way to think to add to the set – Kate Raworth

Intellectually rigorous and with an impressive vision. Congratulations! – Ross Cathcart

RUNNER-UP: Rise of The Machines: Work Must Not Determine One’s Value and Self-Worth by Max Klymenko

Our judges say:

Robots may take our jobs but do not have to take our lives! Great point. And good explanation of why this will need new policies to help work be dignified (and we should never stop fighting for that) but also not be the way we define ourselves. Interesting to hear how you might think about UBI in this context – Mariana Mazzucato 

This entry shows an astute awareness that labour would cease being a defining feature of existence in a good future society, and demonstrates the need to think differently about labour today – Steve Keen

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RUNNER-UP: Be Positive About the Future, by Conor Lawrenson

Read the entry here

Our judges say:

Inspiring example of how mission oriented, outcomes-based thinking, can transform economies to achieve concrete social goals – Mariana Mazzucato

Agree entirely with the point about “agnostic about growth”, this needs to be complemented with being positive about the future – we can still have progress in a sustainable world – Eric Beinhocker

What an important and inspiring argument to make, with a very compelling example of it in action in Cape Town. We do indeed need this way of thinking – Kate Raworth

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So congratulations to all our University winners – now let’s get to work turning these ideas into reality.

Tomorrow (Thursday 6th June) we’ll be announcing the winners of the Everyone Else category.

On Friday 7th June we’ll be turning this competition into a unique collaboration, so keep a look out for a brilliant celebration of all of the ideas submitted…

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