Cerpa, Nicole

Bio:

I am a pluralist macro-financial and development economist interested in the political economy of money, banking, finance, and the variegated manifestations of financialization in developing and emerging economies. My research agenda attempts to contribute to the emerging but growing interest in defining and evidencing what financialization means for developing and emerging economies, particularly Latin America. I am drawn to how finance has turned into a hierarchical and globalized market-based system centered on US dominance, as embodied in the strength of the US dollar, and how this financial globalization has shaped and transformed developing and emerging economies’ agency at the micro, meso, macro, and political levels.

My research critically examines the historical globalization of finance, delving into its drivers, manifestations, and implications on Latin American economies. I analyze this phenomenon as it unfolds from a subordinate position for these economies. My understanding and analysis of these complex phenomena are multi-layered, historical, institutional, interdisciplinary, open, and differentiated. This approach involves engaging with multiple theoretical perspectives and methodologies to uncover underlying causal mechanisms, provide in-depth explanations, and analyze the relations and structures that underlie social phenomena.

In my work, I have used innovative mixed-method studies, which combine qualitative methods, such as semi-structured interviews, with quantitative data analysis, including social network analysis, descriptive statistics, and econometrics. Theoretically, my understanding of economics is rooted in pluralist economic theories and heterodox political economy, with a particular focus on post-Keynesian monetary theory, Latin American structuralism, and Marxian political economy. I am also highly interested in deepening connections with other fields, such as economic geography, international political economy, and feminist economics.