Sign in

Max Willems

@maxwillems.bsky.social
646 followers 396 following 17 posts

PhD researcher @mpifg.bsky.social | Political economy of energy/climate policy

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Max Willems
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 21/09/2026
Die Auswirkungen der #Energiepolitik untersucht Max Willems vom Max-Planck-Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung in Köln. Ihn interessiert: Wer zahlt für die #Strompreise und die #Energiewende – und ist das eigentlich gerecht? / w/th @maxwillems.bsky.social @mpifg.bsky.social
mpg.de
Stromregeln
Weg von fossilen hin zu erneuerbaren Energien: An diesem Ziel richteten in den 1990er-Jahren einige europäische Regierungen ihre Energiepolitik aus – und gingen dabei politisch unterschiedlich vor. Se...
0136
Reposted by Max Willems
Federica Genovese @fgenovese.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
🚨 New paper in Stato & Mercato (in English): **Climate Action and Energy Transitions: Between Opportunities and Trade-offs** Remember that, until the return of Trump, politics made a big bet that greening energy and cutting emissions are a natural win-win? Did bundling the two pay off? Short 🧵:
rivisteweb.it
Climate action and energy transitions: Between opportunities and trade-offs
1227
Reposted by Max Willems
Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 24/06/2026
Die Koalition will einen Rentenfonds nach 🇸🇪 Vorbild, in den 2% des Lohns fließen. Wie schon bei Lindners Aktienrente (remember him?) greift die progressive Kritik an diesem Element der #rentenreform viel zu kurz. Internationale Evidenz zeigt: Kapitaldeckung = Finanzialisierungsmaschine. 🧵
615574
Reposted by Max Willems
Daniela Gabor @danielagabor.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Trump's petrowars threaten to unleash carbon shock therapy around the world - disorderly decarbonization and deindustrialisation. The answer, we argue w @benbraun.eurosky.social, is decarbonised sovereignty, a pathway for the Santa Marta coalition. www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/aga...
phenomenalworld.org
Against Carbon Shock Therapy | Daniela Gabor & Benjamin Braun
The war in Iran has sent oil prices skyrocketing. Daniela Gabor and Benjamin Braun argue the ripple effects and states (non)responses to the crisis represent a
16937
Reposted by Max Willems
Emma Ischinsky @emmaischinsky.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Das @surplusmagazin.de hat über meine Studie zur weitestgehenden Unsichtbarkeit deutscher Superreicher berichtet! Den ganzen Artikel gibt es hier: www.surplusmagazin.de/studie-reich...
surplusmagazin.de
Studie: Die Superkraft der Reichsten ist Unsichtbarkeit
Deutschlands Reichste werden laut einer neuen Studie kaum in den Medien erwähnt. Dieser Vorhang des Schweigens verhindert eine aufgeklärte Debatte über Ungleichheit.
0227
Reposted by Max Willems
Palma Polyak @palmapolyak.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
There's a global race to secure EV battery gigafactories & reduce reliance on China. But not all clean-tech projects are created equal. Some generate good jobs & domestic capacities, others produce ecological harm & low value-added enclaves. New paper & thread 👇 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
923975
Reposted by Max Willems
Palma Polyak @palmapolyak.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Stacie E. Goddard and Abraham Newman’s neo-royalist framework not only captures the logic of Viktor Orbán’s rule, but also goes a long way toward explaining why it is unraveling. ⌛A read for the longest two days. @abenewman.bsky.social brettoninthewoods.substack.com/p/the-house-...
brettoninthewoods.substack.com
The House of Orbán: Neo-Royalism—or Just a Dynasty?
Stacie E. Goddard and Abraham Newman’s neo-royalist framework not only captures the logic of Viktor Orbán’s rule, but also goes a long way toward explaining why it is unraveling.
22517
Reposted by Max Willems
Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 30/03/2026
1. Germany already said the war is illegal. 2. US now threatening "complete obliteration" of Iran's energy system and, maybe, of desalination plants – i.e., war crimes. 3. Reminder: The war is conducted from Ramstein, Germany: "the nerve center of America’s operations against Iran". What gives?
wsj.com
Europe Is Quietly Playing a Crucial Role in the Iran War
European military bases are facilitating one of the most logistically complex operations the U.S. military has been involved in for decades.
711256
Reposted by Max Willems
Gregor Semieniuk @gregorsemieniuk.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
With the Qatari LNG production site for 20% of global LNG struck twice in the last 18 hours, European gas futures are now 25% higher than yesterday. The assurances that low European gas storage levels are not a problem because LNG can help ring hollow now.
Time series of European gas wholesale price over the last month, rising and a spike from yesterday to today, 25% higher.
22316
Reposted by Max Willems
Albert Pinto @70sbachchan.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
3/ 2 wars in 4 years. This war will accelerate Solar +Batteries + EVs as real Energy Security "rest of the world will learn an important lesson from China. Build out your renewables so you aren't as dependent on imported fossil fuels & the whims of idiots" Be like Spain. bsky.app/profile/jere...
5626121
Reposted by Max Willems
Isabella M. Weber @isabellamweber.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Fossil fuel stocks are exploding in response to the war on Iran. Who stands to benefit? The richest of the rich. Who stands to lose? All of us who have to pay higher prices for energy and a new round of sellers' inflation.
7359206
Reposted by Max Willems
Mark Blyth @mkblyth.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Applications are open for the Finance Summer School 2026. Last two have been at Brown. This one is at LSE thanks to LSE European Institute and Huth Initiative, plus the Berkeley Program on Finance and Democracy. Stellar Line up. Apps open: forms.gle/WsEVk4Yy52Dn...
04623
Reposted by Max Willems
Gregor Semieniuk @gregorsemieniuk.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
🚨NEW PAPER🚨 We all know the 2022 energy price shock fueled the cost of living crisis. It also caused a profit bonanza for the very rich. We show the US reaped the largest profits ($377bn) of any country. 50% went to the richest 1%, only 1% to the bottom 50%. A🧵 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
River or sankey diagram showing the allocation of profits from global oil and gas companies to quantiles of the US wealth size distribution via financial system intermediaries, such as asset managers, and categories of ultimate beneficiaries, such as business owners, pension funds and shareholders in listed companies. The scale is hundreds of billions of US dollars, and ultimately 50.4% of profits reaching the US personal wealth distribution go to the richest 1% of households.
14506282
Reposted by Max Willems
Daniela Gabor @danielagabor.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
this is fascinating!
042
Reposted by Max Willems
Max Willems @maxwillems.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Thrilled that my first article is out in @jeppjournal.bsky.social ☺️ It looks at why renewable energy buildout in Europe has been *so* unsteady - tracing the evolution of/conflict over the regime for RE derisking over the last two+ decades... It's open access! 👉 doi.org/10.1080/1350... Short 🧵 ...
24919
Reposted by Max Willems
Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 10/09/2025
A highly recommended read, and folllow. Congrats, @maxwillems.bsky.social!
1125
Max Willems @maxwillems.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Thrilled that my first article is out in @jeppjournal.bsky.social ☺️ It looks at why renewable energy buildout in Europe has been *so* unsteady - tracing the evolution of/conflict over the regime for RE derisking over the last two+ decades... It's open access! 👉 doi.org/10.1080/1350... Short 🧵 ...
24919
Reposted by Max Willems
Clem Fon @clemfon.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Since the start of von der Leyen's second mandate, EU sustainable finance norms face intense dismantling pressures. My new @JEPP article shows this started years ago when the fossil fuel industry “woke up” to the EU Taxonomy. 🧵 #EUTaxonomy #SustainableFinance👇 1/10
13016
Reposted by Max Willems
Riccardo Baioni @riccardobaioni.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
Happy to share a new open-access article from the SuFi project at Witten/Herdecke University, just published in @jeppjournal.bsky.social @naguila.bsky.social @janina urban @paulahaufe.bsky.social @simonschairer.bsky.social @jwullweber.bsky.social 👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Playing the capital market? Sustainable finance and the discursive construction of the Capital Markets Union as a common good
The Capital Markets Union (CMU) project aims to create more integrated capital markets in Europe. However, the project faces resistance, and despite ongoing efforts EU capital markets remain fragme...
176
Reposted by Max Willems
Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 30/05/2025
We wrote about the US ruling class taking the reins to manage its own decline. What do the Trumpist factions of capital want? Can that be squared with the interests of the MAGA base? Capable state managers could potentially thread the needle, but that's all gone. With @cedricdurand.bsky.social.
phenomenalworld.org
America’s Braudelian Autumn | Benjamin Braun & Cédric Durand
Factions of capital in the second Trump administration
413253
Reposted by Max Willems
Daniel Driscoll @danieldrisc.com · 24/04/2025
Mark Blyth and I sang a duet. It’s about how a country’s growth model shapes its state capacity to decarbonize - both the advantages and disadvantages. Enjoy! @ripejournal.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Decarbonising national growth models: derisking, ‘hobbled states’, and the decarbonisation possibility frontier
This article brings together Growth Model Theory and climate change under the assumption that economic growth will remain a policy priority during the green transition. The relevant research questi...
14718
Reposted by Max Willems
Isabella M. Weber @isabellamweber.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
The fiscal breakthrough in Germany is setting a clear direction: Military deficit spending has priority above everything else, the only budget with no limit. The defence spending goal dwarfs the deficit spending available for climate.
510134
Reposted by Max Willems
Andrew J Douglas @ajdouglas.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
“No one should simply blame the current regime. They announced their intentions. Rather, it’s the rapid capitulation that we have to confront.” -Jodi Dean
044
Max Willems @maxwillems.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Looking forward to presenting some of my dissertation research at ICEI’s Comparative Political Economy seminar tomorrow. Swing by!
171
Reposted by Max Willems
Palma Polyak @palmapolyak.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
We’re beyond thrilled to launch the 2nd Max Planck Summer School for Women in Political Economy If you’re a fellow political economist annoyed by all-male rooms & gendered comments— join us & share! 🗓️ 22-25 Sept, 2025 in Cologne 🚨 Apply by 25 Apr, 2025 www.mpifg.de/1343511/2025...
16653
Reposted by Max Willems
Luuk Schmitz @luukschmitz.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Planning the green transition is not only about creating new industries, but also about phasing-out old ones. If you want to know how political backlash against impending economic decline and regional inequalities led to new policies and institutions for transition planning in the EU, have a look👇
2289
Reposted by Max Willems
Carola Westermeier @c-westermeier.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
I'm so happy for my friend @pgolka.bsky.social for winning the @ripejournal.bsky.social Best Article Award 2024 for his absolutely brilliant paper on 'Epistemic gerrymandering'! Congratulations Philipp!
1243
Reposted by Max Willems
Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 12/02/2025
As the Trusk regime is wrecking the state apparatus that brought us the IRA, it's more urgent than ever to understand the politics of green macrofinancial regimes. Here's a 🧵 on the result of @danielagabor.bsky.social and I wrecking our brains for four years. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Screenshot of the abstract of the linked paper.
617467
Reposted by Max Willems
Brett Christophers @brettchristophers.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
I did a piece about the political economy of climate breakdown for @londonreview.bsky.social, pivoting off the essential new book by Andreas Malm and @wimcarton.bsky.social. Please give it a read!
lrb.co.uk
Brett Christophers · So much for Paris: Climate Overshoot
All fossil fuel projects are politically constituted. Either they are state projects, controlled and administered by...
717883
Reposted by Max Willems
Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 22/01/2025
🚨📣 We are so back: ℙ𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕝 𝟚.𝟘 - 3 days @ Watson Institute, Providence - PhD candidates (2nd year+), post-docs & assistant profs - All expenses covered (🙏 sponsors) - A-team of instructors 🙏💪 - Mark Blyth 😎 Apply by 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏. Link below. Please share!
POLITICAL ECONOMY OF
FINANCE SUMMER SCHOOL
AT THE WATSON INSTITUTE FOR
INTERNATIONAL & PUBLIC AFFAIRS
FORMAT
June 5th to 7th
Open to PhD candidates and early career scholars
Travel and accommodation covered for all participants
JUNE 5TH TO 7TH, 2025INSTRUCTORS:
Milan Babic
Cornel Ban
Benjamin Braun
Madison Condon
Kevin Gallagher
Charlotte Robertson
Tim Sahay
Mark Schwartz
Gregor Semieniuk
Chloe Thurston
Yingyao Wang

TOPICS INCLUDE:
Dollar Hegemony
Debt & Debt Relief in the U.S.
History of Financing Regimes
Institutional Capital Pools
Debt & Finance in the Global South
Rise of State Capital
Global Finance in the New Cold War
Finance & Decarbonization
Insurance & Climate Change
State Capital & Green Finance in China
411770
Reposted by Max Willems
Dustin Voss @dustinvoss.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Our new book "Understanding Political Economy: Capitalism, Democracy and Inequality" is finally out! 📙 In it, we unpack what political economy is and does through an investigation of the relation between the state, the economy and society. Hardcover: www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/und...
5208
Max Willems @maxwillems.bsky.social · 18/01/2025
"So far, this looks like standard practice for the convergence of corporate and political power in the US that we saw in the 20th century. But at the edges, there are hints of something more radical. [...] a basic antagonism towards the state as such."
010
Reposted by Max Willems
Philipp Golka @pgolka.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
📣 DEADLINE NEXT WEEK Are you studying questions of loss and decline in the #climate crisis and would enjoy a paid trip to Cologne to discuss these issues over tiny Cologne beers? Then apply for our @mpifg.bsky.social paper-development workshop for our SER SI!
academic.oup.com
Call for Papers: The socio-economics of loss and decline in the climate crisis
Special issue for Socio-Economic Review Guest Editors: Valentina Ausserladscheider, University of Vienna, (valentina.ausserladscheider@univie.ac.at), Timur Er
22823
Reposted by Max Willems
Isabella M. Weber @isabellamweber.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
NEW PAPER: The 2022 fossil fuel price jumps caused an oil and gas profit explosion. We show the US reaped the largest profit increase (USD 275bn) of any country. Big Oil claims this benefits the American people. In fact, 51% went to the richest 1%, only 1% to the bottom 50%. A 🧵
451450706
Reposted by Max Willems
cornelban.bsky.social @cornelban.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
Indicative planning can mitigate the climate crisis. But under capitalism it only happens when the stakes are sky-high: wars, energy crises, post-war rubble. Jacob Hasselbalch and I took a dive in the topic. #GreenState #PoliticalEconomy #ClimateAction www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Green economic planning for rapid decarbonisation
Sustainable futures require deep social and economic transformations to address climate change adequately. The current landscape of intergovernmental and market-based coordination is not delivering...
96432
Max Willems @maxwillems.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Everyone who wants to understand the French budgetary crisis (of sorts) should read this 👇
150
Reposted by Max Willems
Dustin Voss @dustinvoss.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Coming January 2025 🚀
0173
Reposted by Max Willems
Jonas Nahm @jonasnahm.com · 29/11/2024
New paper with @nilskupzok.bsky.social out in Perspectives today! We show how decarbonizable industries are reshaping climate politics through what we call "the decarbonization bargain." 1/
98413
Reposted by Max Willems
Donato Di Carlo @donatodc.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
1/ 📢 How Manufacturing Interests Dominated the German Response to the Energy Crisis Check out our new article with Anke Hassel and Martin Höpner, now open access in Politics and Society! 🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0032...
711341