Publications

Journal Articles

'The Women’s Faces of Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: The First Generation of Cepalinas (1960s-80s)’, Journal of Global History (2025): 1-17. doi:10.1017/S1740022824000238   

This article examines the pioneering contributions of a generation of women civil servants, diplomats, and intellectuals--referred to as Cepalinas--to economic thought at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) between the late 1960s and early 1980s. These women experts, including statisticians, economists, sociologists, and demographers, played a critical role in reshaping CEPAL's development agenda by advocating for the integration of gender perspectives into regional policies. Through extensive fieldwork and data collection, they highlighted the economic and social contributions of women, particularly those from marginalized communities, and challenged the prevailing male-dominated models of development. Despite the progress made following the 1975 UN International Conference on Women, the Cepalinas often remained on the periphery of institutional power and have been largely overlooked in the historiography. This article brings their work to the forefront, analyzing their publications and mission reports to reveal how their efforts transformed both the Commission’s economic frameworks and broader global development policies.

‘The Silence of Numbers: Revisiting the Political Economy of the Chilean “Miracle”’, Radical History Review 151, 9 (2025): 125-152 (forthcoming).

The Chilean “miracle” during the Pinochet dictatorship is a modern-day chimera: with a gun in one hand and a monetarist stethoscope in the other, it rests on three foundations. The first involved the elimination of the opponents to the reforms. The junta was responsible for the assassinations of economists, forcing many others into exile. The second was the controversial support of the IMF and the World Bank, which provided financial assistance to service Chile’s external debt during the 1982 financial crisis, despite human rights violations. The third was the set of econometric instruments and indices that international observers and Chilean policymakers used to assess economic growth. This article delves into the intricacies of the so-called miracle, and in particular into this latter aspect that can be challenged from a feminist economic perspective. Data was scarce, biased, and limited during Pinochet’s era, but moreover, traditional indicators like GDP or national accounts were insufficient to account for the environmental and human costs of growth—a problem that was not specific to Chile but one underscored by the Chilean experience on a global scale.

‘Production de savoirs et organisations internationales : agentivité, autonomie et gouvernance interne’ (with Haakon Ikonomou, Marine Pierre, and Myriam Piguet), Relations Internationales (forthcoming).

Over the past two decades, international organizations (IOs) have increasingly been studied as autonomous actors in global governance, rather than merely as platforms for inter-state interaction. This shift in focus highlights the human composition and agency of the individuals who "populate" these organizations, as well as the norms and practices that shape their interactions with states, NGOs, and experts. The term "knowledge production" refers to the ability to absorb, generate, disseminate, and implement ideas that are foundational to multilateralism. This article examines three case studies that illustrate the autonomy of IOs: the cooperation and rivalry between the OEEC and NATO in the 1950s; the development of family planning expertise at the UN, driven by pioneering female officials; and CEPAL's integration of gender issues, led by committed field experts. These case studies reveal how bureaucratic practices influence the autonomy and capacity of IOs to shape governance in specific domains, extending beyond the traditional roles of diplomats and state representatives.

'The First Graduate School of Latin American Economic Studies (ESCOLATINA) between “Autochthonous” and International Logics (1956-1964)’ (with Elisa Klüger and Thierry Rossier), Revue d’Histoire des Sciences Humaines 42 (2023): 49-84. https://doi.org/10.4000/rhsh.8086   

After World War II, international organizations and research institutes dedicated to the development of local expertise thrived in Latin America. The desire to produce appropriate knowledge to solve the region’s socio-economic problems raised the question of the intellectual and material autonomy of these organizations. This article combines intellectual and social history to investigate the early years of the first Graduate School of Latin American Economic Studies (ESCOLATINA), founded in Chile in 1956. The mixture of archival research, collective biography, and sequence analysis allows us to examine the tensions between, on the one hand, the quest for epistemic autonomy and rapprochement with other social sciences, and, on the other hand, the influence of the US model of graduate schools of economics together with the dependence on foreign resources and experts. The history of ESCOLATINA also reveals how the academic and political environment in Chile shaped the school and transformed it over time.

‘The interaction of elite networks in the Pinochet regime’s macro-economic policies (1973-1990)’ (with Thierry Rossier), Global Networks: A Journal of Transnational Affairs 2, 21 (2021): 339-364. https://doi.org/10.1111/glob.12300  

The Chilean military regime offered a prime example of interactions among elite groups in the making of macroeconomic policies. Through the lens of both Bourdieu's field theory and Mills's elite coordination through networks, we show how Chilean elites sought to implement these policies despite being divided by their transnational and national ties. We have constructed an original database on the 62 most influential individuals within the space of macroeconomic policies using a variety of descriptive methods (multiple correspondence analysis, cluster analysis, and social network analysis), only used on very few occasions to study South American elites. We explore the internal divisions in these elites in terms of their orientation to national and transnational capital and biographical trajectories. We identify three groups – high-ranking military officers, Chicago academic economists, and public and private sector professionals. Military officers were mostly endowed with national assets, while civilian groups relied on transnational resources. Moreover, the Chicago economists, characterized by their transnational and scientific legitimacy, were the closest to influential state positions overall (the Ministry of the Treasury and the Central Bank). Finally, we categorize the same three groups through (national and transnational) network ties. Organizational ties between those groups were significant, particularly among Chicago economists and professionals, which suggests an intense coordination process, facilitated by transnational affiliations and profile.

‘The ‘Junk Bond King’ Scandal: Michael Milken, Pioneer or Criminal?’ Entreprises et Histoire 4, 101 (2020): 128-132. https://doi-org.eui.idm.oclc.org/10.3917/eh.101.0128 

This article examines the rise and fall of Michael Milken, the so-called “junk bond king,” whose innovative use of high-yield bonds revolutionized corporate financing in the 1980s but also sparked one of Wall Street's most infamous scandals. Drexel Burnham Lambert, the investment bank Milken spearheaded, collapsed in 1990 amidst accusations of fraud, insider trading, and regulatory failures, raising critical questions about the limits of financial innovation. While Milken was convicted and heavily fined, his supporters celebrated him as a visionary who democratized access to capital for entrepreneurs and smaller businesses, challenging the entrenched power structures of traditional finance. The scandal exposed deep tensions between risk-taking and regulation, with junk bonds ultimately evolving into standard financial instruments despite their controversial origins. Through the lens of Milken’s legacy, this study explores the ideological, regulatory, and moral debates surrounding financial innovation, the democratization of finance, and the persistent challenge of balancing market freedom with accountability.

‘The Keynesian-Monetarist Competition over Public Credibility’, The Tocqueville Review 40, 2 (2019): 281-294. https://doi.org/10.3138/ttr.40.2.281 

Mainstream economic theories went through an intellectual crisis during the recession that hit Western economies in the late 1970s. Academic debates extended to public media and mass culture, starting with the TV shows led by John Kenneth Galbraith (The Age of Uncertainty) and Milton Friedman (Free to Choose). This popularization of economic ideas had a significant ripple effect within the academic community. The concurrent pursuit of prominence in both academic and public spheres raises critical questions about the role of economists in shaping public discourse. Moving beyond traditional notions of expertise and public opinion, this article examines the mechanisms through which experts and intellectuals expanded their influence in the public sphere and considers the resulting impact on the field of economics. 

Book Chapters

‘The Specter of History: How the Fear of Depression Haunts Financial Crises’, in Memory, History, and the Return of Financial Crises since the end of Bretton Woods, ed. Youssef Cassis (Oxford University Press) (accepted, forthcoming).

This chapter explores the role of historical memory in shaping the interpretation and response to financial crises, with a focus on the 1987 global stock market crash. Dubbed "Black Monday," the event was immediately linked to the specter of the 1929 Great Crash, as financial actors, media, and policymakers sought to navigate the unfolding uncertainty using historical analogies. While comparisons to 1929 amplified panic, they also provided a framework for understanding and managing the crisis, revealing the performative power of history in financial decision-making. Drawing on Maurice Halbwachs’s concept of collective memory, the chapter examines how historical references shaped narratives during and after the 1987 crash. It highlights the tensions between individual and institutional memories, as well as the varying interpretations of the crisis across global markets and social contexts. From regulatory debates over trading halts to media representations and cultural artifacts, the memory of past crises influenced both immediate actions and long-term perceptions. Ultimately, the chapter argues that historical analogies, though often imprecise or anachronistic, serve as critical tools for navigating uncertainty. The invocation of 1929 during Black Monday underscored the enduring influence of historical crises on the financial imagination, demonstrating how fragmented and contested memories are woven into coherent narratives that guide collective behavior in moments of crisis. By analyzing the interplay of fear, memory, and action, this chapter offers insights into the complex social functions of financial crises as both economic events and anthropological phenomena. 

‘Production and Circulation of Global Dominant Ideology: Mexico from the Default Debt Crisis to the Brady Plan (1982-1989)’, in The Power and Influence of Economists: Contributions to the Social Studies of Economics, eds. Jens Maesse et al. (London: Routledge, 2022): 170-187. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367817084  

This chapter explores the Mexican debt crisis (1982–1989) as a pivotal case in the global production and circulation of dominant economic ideologies during the late 20th century. The crisis marked a critical moment in financial globalization, highlighting the interplay between the Mexican government, international organizations like the IMF, the U.S. Treasury, and transnational investment banks. While Mexico’s financial dependency limited its autonomy, the active role of Mexican policymakers—many of whom were foreign-educated technocrats—demonstrated the country’s agency in shaping the neoliberal policies that characterized the era. Structural adjustment programs and debt restructuring plans, particularly under the IMF’s guidance, were not solely aimed at stabilizing Mexico but at averting systemic risks to the global banking system. The crisis catalyzed the institutionalization of the "Washington Consensus," making Mexico a laboratory for experimental economic reforms. Drawing on archival research, interviews, and the theoretical lens of Bourdieu and Boltanski, the chapter argues that these reforms reflected and reinforced a transnational convergence of neoliberal ideologies, reshaping global economic governance. By examining the Mexican experience, the study challenges traditional narratives of center-periphery dynamics and underscores Mexico's role as both a field for financial innovation and an agent of global economic integration.

Review Essays

‘Queer Perspectives on Indebtedness and Financial Extractivism in Latin America and the Caribbean’, Feminist Economics (accepted, forthcoming).

Since the 1980s debt crisis in Latin America, feminist and anti-patriarchal voices rose to point out how sovereign debt burdens disproportionately impact Indigenous, migrant, poor women and LGBTQI+ persons. They have critiqued states, international financial institutions, and private creditors for exacerbating inequalities and violating human rights. This essay explores intersectional analyses of structural adjustment and microcredit, focusing on the feminist politicization of debt in Latin America and the Caribbean. It examines how queer and trans authors and activists reveal the links between debt and violence against marginalized and vulnerable communities. By situating these contributions within recent debates on debt crises, social reproduction, economic justice and queer well-being in the Global South, the essay opens new research avenues, proposing that debt should be understood not only as a financial mechanism but also as a pivotal point where capitalist and patriarchal systems intersect.

‘Democracy, Authoritarianism and Global Economic Governance’, Contemporary European History (2024): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960777323000656 

This review essay critically examines the historical roots and evolution of global economic governance, focusing on the interplay between technocracy, authoritarianism, and economic policy. It highlights how international financial institutions have often operated under claims of neutrality while reinforcing imperialist legacies and fostering economic policies that undermine democratic sovereignty. The reviewed works of Jamie Martin, Clara Mattei, Nicholas Mulder and Quinn Slobodian trace the rise of economic expertise and austerity as tools for maintaining global order, revealing their origins in the interwar period and their entrenchment during the neoliberal era. By uncovering the ideological and institutional continuities between war economies and peacetime economic governance, the essay brings attention to the role of economists, bureaucrats, and financial institutions in shaping policies that prioritize market stability over equity. Together, the reviewed scholarship offers a timely reassessment of the structural inequalities embedded in global economic systems and challenges the technocratic narratives that sustain them.

Co-edited Special Issues

‘International Circulations and Inequalities in the Social Sciences’ (with Pierre Benz, Elisa Klüger, and Thierry Rossier), Serendipities: Journal for the Sociology and History of the Social Sciences 8, 1-2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.7146/serendipities.v8i1-2.144872  

This special issue adopts a critical, interdisciplinary, and historically grounded perspective to explore the international circulations and inequalities shaping the social sciences. By examining the production and dissemination of knowledge within broader power dynamics, it brings together scholars from diverse academic systems, countries, and disciplines to address these disparities. The five contributions featured in this issue investigate various national contexts, international frameworks, and historical periods, employing diverse methodological approaches such as archival research, secondary data analysis, prosopographical studies, and multiple correspondence analysis. The editorial introduces a sociohistorical lens to critically examine international circulations and inequalities, situating the contributions within the evolving context of the internationalization of the social sciences. It provides a periodization of these dynamics from the late 19th century to the present, concluding with a call for renewed perspectives to better understand and address these enduring challenges. 

‘L’Algérie, puissance régionale’, Questions internationales 81 (September-October 2016), La Documentation Française. ISBN 3303331600817 

 This special issue of Questions internationales explores Algeria’s dual identity as a regional powerhouse and a complex partner on the global stage, analyzing its domestic challenges and geopolitical role beyond historical and memorial debates. Domestically, Algeria faces unresolved scars from its fight against Islamist terrorism, economic struggles, and stalled democratic reforms, while its society appears ready for change. Internationally, it occupies a pivotal position in the Maghreb, the Sahel, Africa, and the Arab world, maintaining influence despite rivalries like that with Morocco. Its ties with Europe are rooted in deep societal connections, yet its sensitivity toward France drives a diversification of alliances with powers like China, the U.S., and Russia. Complementing the analysis are features on the censorship of Algeria’s war in cinema, Tocqueville’s reflections on French colonialism, Greece’s evolving geopolitical role, and Bolivia’s ecological crisis, broadening the scope of this issue’s inquiry into global challenges and connections.

Book reviews

‘The Capital Order: How economists invented austerity and paved the way to fascism by Clara Mattei (University of Chicago Press)’, History of Economic Ideas, XXXII, 1 (2024): 225-227. DOI:10.19272/202406101011      

‘The Chile Project: The Story of Chicago Boys and the Downfall of Neoliberalism by Sebastián Edwards (Princeton University Press)’, History of Economic Thought and Policy, 1 (2024): 164-170. Doi:10.3280/SPE2024-001008   

‘Céline Bessière and Sibylle Gollac, The Gender of Capital: How Families Perpetuate Wealth Inequality’, Oeconomia: History, Methodology, Philosophy, 14, 1 (2024): 99-104. https://doi.org/10.4000/oeconomia.17109 

‘The Postwar Economic Order: National Reconstruction and International Cooperation, by Albert O. Hirschman, ed. Michele Alacevich and Pier Francesco Asso (Columbia University Press)’, Business History Review, 97, 3 (2023): 675-677. https://doi:10.1017/S0007680523000740  

'Les Algériennes contre le Code de la famille : la lutte pour l'égalité by Feriel Lalami’, Le Mouvement social, 246 (2014): 121-123. https://doi-org.eui.idm.oclc.org/10.3917/lms.246.0121