Oddný Hel­gadót­tir

My research examines how economic ideas, models, and expert authority shape the way economies are governed. I show how policies that affect everyday life—such as austerity, inflation, and monetary policy—are not simply technical fixes but rooted in contested assumptions and political struggles. I pay particular attention to macroeconomic models and indicators, which claim neutrality but in practice shape how crises are interpreted, which policies are seen as viable, and whose perspectives carry weight. At the same time, lay expertise and alternative interpretations increasingly challenge established frameworks, influencing debates in both public and political arenas. My work traces how these dynamics unfold across institutions and societies, showing that economic governance rests on intellectual and cultural foundations as much as material interests. This approach allows for a clearer understanding of how economic knowledge is produced, how it gains authority, and how it conditions the choices available to policymakers.