Political economist Blyth to open E.N. Thompson series

Political economist Mark Blyth will discuss what recent shifts in power mean for financial markets and the future of the United States, United Kingdom and European Union in “Why People Vote for Those Who Work Against Their Best Interests” at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

The free event is the opening lecture in the 2017-18 series of the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. To order tickets, click here or call the Lied Center box office at 402-472-4747. The forum is general admission, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

Blyth is the Eastman Professor of Political Economy in the Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs at Brown University. His research focuses on how uncertainty and randomness impact complex systems, particularly economic systems. He is the author of “Great Transformations: Economic Ideas and Institutional Change in the 20th Century” (2002), “Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea” (2013) and “The Future of the Euro” (2015). He predicted both Brexit and the election of Donald Trump.

Kevin Smith, chair and professor of political science at Nebraska, will give a pre-talk at 6:30 p.m. in the Lied Center’s Steinhart Room.

“Nebraska is not immune to the seismic changes buffeting politics nationally and internationally,” Smith said. “These issues affect everything from access to markets for the state’s agricultural products to the quality of the labor force available to local businesses. The impact of these global forces on our state is at stake every time a Nebraskan goes into a voting booth.”

The E.N. Thompson series continues with a competition between the British national debate team and the Nebraska speech and debate team at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 and ends with “A Conversation with Misty Copeland” at 7 p.m. Feb. 13. The debate is free. A limited number of $10 general admission tickets to the Copeland event will be available beginning at 11 a.m. Jan. 8. Details will be announced in January.

All events are streamed on the Thompson Forum website and are available on the Lincoln City and Education TV channels, campus channel 4 and KRNU radio 90.3 FM. Events are interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing.

The E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues is a cooperative project of the Cooper Foundation, the Lied Center and the university. It was established in 1988 with the purpose of bringing a diversity of viewpoints on international and public policy issues to the university and people of Nebraska to promote understanding and encourage debate.