Big Ideas Workshop: The Debate over Neoliberalism and Race in America

ICLE’s invitation-only Big Ideas Workshop series brings together early- and mid-career scholars to discuss important ideas in law & economics.

Most people believe that neoliberalism, as an economic and political ideology, isn’t inherently racist, but are willing to concede that it can have racially discriminatory outcomes, depending on how it is implemented and the broader social context in which it operates. At its core, neoliberalism simply emphasizes free-market capitalism, deregulation, privatization, and individualism. While these principles do not explicitly target or favor any racial group, the policies associated with neoliberalism have often exacerbated existing inequalities, including racial disparities. Increasingly, however, scholars have begun to argue that discriminatory outcomes are a fixed part of the neoliberalism agenda and that neoliberalism is complicit in sustaining racial injustice by focusing on market solutions rather than addressing systemic inequalities.

This workshop introduced the works of some of these critics and the source material they rely upon, and addressed the broader history of neoliberalism and its relationship to race in America.

This is ICLE’s fifth year of Big Ideas Workshops. Prior workshops have looked at topics including the foundational work of Armen Alchian and Ben Klein, the law and economics of utility regulation, and the evolution of the understanding of the Theory of the Firm. These meetings are designed to be collaborative, informative, and fun.

For more information, contact [email protected].

April 11, 2025
12pm to 4pm ET