Faculty Profile: Isabella Weber

Currently the Research Leader for China of the Asican Political Economy Program at PERI and an Assistant Professor of Economics in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Isabella Weber has gained worldwide attention for her work combining economic theory, economic history, and the study of China. She has earned two Ph.D.s, one from the University of Cambridge in Development Studies and another from The New School for Social Research in Economics. She also holds an M.Phil. and M.A. in Economics from the New School of Social Research, a B.A. from Free University Berlin, and has studied Chinese at Peking University.

Professor Weber's research and insight has gained international attention over the past year, especially in her home country of Germany. In late 2021, Weber authored an op-ed for The Guardian, explaining how price caps could alleviate Germany's economic crisis. The suggestion sharply divided economic experts, leading to a highly-critical tweet from Nobel laureate Paul Krugman, an economist and columnist for The New York Times. While economists continued to criticise her work, Germany made the decision to implement Professor Weber's suggested energy price cap measures as a means to slow inflation. Her work with the German government has resulted in recognition from a number of publications, including being named a "Top 40 Under 40" by Capital, a Bloomberg 50 "Ones to Watch" by Bloomberg Businessweek, and one of Germany's "100 Women of the Year" by FOCUS.

Her most recent book, How China Escaped Shock Therapy: The Market Reform Debate, explores the evolution and policy-decisions that have shaped the economy of China. The book was awarded the 2021 Joan Robinson Prize by the European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy and the 2022 Best Book in Interdisciplinary Studies Award of the International Studies Association. 

Learn more about Professor Weber, visit her directory profile.