The series of popular-scientific lectures is organized by the International Alumni Chapter as part of the ELTE Alumni Academy. The first four lectures displayed the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic on education and learning. The second series focuses on the current theme of the CENTRAL Network: “Central-Europe: what unites and divides us?” The upcoming lecture is going to be held by Dr. Ákos Dombi, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics of ELTE.

In his lecture entitled “Antiquity, Capitalism & Development: The Finance-Growth Perspective”, Dr. Dombi will present the results of his recent study, exploring the impact of state antiquity (the length of established statehood) on capitalism. Together with his co-authors, Theocharis N. Grigoriadis (Freie Universität Berlin, Germany) and Junbing Zhu (Henan University, China), he argues that extractive institutions may prevail in societies with ancient roots and offers the analysis of one particular channel through which these institutions may impair economic growth: the finance-growth nexus. He proposes that in countries with ancient statehood, the financial sector might be captured by economic and political elites leading to a distorted finance-growth relationship.

Ákos Dombi graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy in Business and Management Sciences at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Currently, he is the Head of the Department of Comparative Economics at the Faculty of Economics of ELTE. His research focuses on topics such as Economic Growth, Economic Policy in East-Central Europe, Growth Econometrics, Public Debt and Deep Roots of Economic Development. He did research stays at the University of Vienna, the Freie Universität Berlin, and the Poznan University of Economics and Business, among others. He is member of several professional associations, including the European Association for Comparative Economic Studies, the Association for Comparative Economic Studies, and the Royal Economic Society.

CENTRAL is a vivid partnership between five renowned Central European universities, all located in the capitals of their home countries: Berlin, Budapest, Prague, Vienna, and Warsaw. Under the CENTRAL umbrella, diverse research and outreach activities take place, in all fields. They provide a platform for scientific discussion and exchange. Combining their efforts, they make the academic discourse of the CEE region more visible within Europe, and beyond.

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