The University of California, Berkeley has announced a five-year, $10 million grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to launch a research center focused on the interplay of markets and government.

The Berkeley Economy and Society Initiative (BESI) will be part of the UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science and supported by the university’s Social Science Matrix, a research institute that facilitates cross-disciplinary projects. Plans for the initiative include engaging scholars in the fields of political science and economics as well as sociology, geography, law, public policy, and history, with research aligned around capitalism and democracy, environment and climate, technology, and inequality. In addition, the university will provide training to develop interdisciplinary skills throughout the social sciences, from the undergraduate level through graduate programs to postdoctoral fellowships and faculty mentorship.

“Political economy can generate insights that are critical for addressing a wide range of global challenges,” said inaugural BESI director John Gross. “UC Berkeley has an exceptional faculty working in the field of political economy, and there is great enthusiasm for building a vibrant interdisciplinary program. We are excited to strengthen these programs on campus and forge cross-institutional collaborations both in the United States and abroad.”

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