1: Introduction

It’s an interesting time to be an economist. The spiralling cost of living across the world has dealt a hammer blow to many families and workers already reeling from the after-effects of COVID-19 and the assorted socioeconomic, psychological and emotional havoc that ensued. At the same time, endemic wealth inequalities are becoming even more apparent and entrenched as social mobility grinds to a halt, with millions of jobs increasingly at risk of being lost due to the inexorable rise of digitalisation and automation, which will over the coming years also put several white-collar jobs at risk as AI develops further. All this without even mentioning the green transition that economies are supposedly undergoing as we shift towards more environmentally friendly and decarbonised work practices or business models in a belated last-ditch attempt to stem the rising tide of climate change, which will have further knock-on effects on lives and livelihoods.