It isn’t a secret that great minds of the last two centuries crossed paths in London. We’ve all heard about their intellectual circles and powerful ideas that changed the world, yet Ramin aspires to bring insights from UCL, the first university founded in London and where he lectures. Organizing a bespoke Econ walk with him turned out to be the best way to learn how London fits into the history of economic thought.

The Econ Walk brought together researchers from the University of Sussex and KCL. It started with participants suggesting titles that encapsulate 19th and 20th century economic history. Soon, though, it turned into an amalgam of economic history and the history of economic thought. We wandered through historic sites around UCL and key Econ figures who shaped history and championed big ideas about what the world should look like. At the end, we pondered: would they feel happy about the current state of the world?

Such activities can benefit us all, students and researchers alike. We often overlook that London is a living museum, and walking through it can trigger thoughts and discussions. There is no doubt that getting outdoors makes learning more fun and Ramin is a great storyteller. But what I enjoyed the most was that we all chipped in with insights and backstories that took us back in time and helped us capture the vibes of the past. Listening to and sharing stories as well as engaging in debates about them was a great learning experience. This made us bond over shared interests and feel part of something bigger that is still evolving.

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Ioannis, is a research fellow at the University of Sussex, successfully applied for the Research Culture Seed Fund, which helped him establish the CITP-Sussex reading group and fund the Econ Walk, as a reading group event. This Fund supports initiatives aimed at cultivating a research environment in innovative ways.

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Written by Ioannis Papadakis, University of Sussex.