Antonio Escudero, emeritus professor of economic history at the University of Alicante (UA), will lead a session on the welfare state as part of the "Economy and Society" series at the Aula de Ciencia y Tecnología. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, 4 November, at 19:00 at the Ciudad de Alicante venue and will be moderated by Eduardo Zambrano, a professor at California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) and an expert in welfare and economic development.
The lecture, titled “Origins, development and challenges of the welfare state,” will be structured around three key points. Escudero explains, “The first will discuss the liberal state and the market failures that arose from the policy of non-intervention in the economy. The second will examine the causes behind the emergence of the welfare state and its objectives. Finally, we will analyse two current challenges: the rise of neoliberal movements and the issue of an ageing population.”
Attendance is free until the venue reaches capacity, and the event will also be streamed live. The Aula de Ciencia y Tecnología is supported by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), part of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, through UA Divulga, the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit (UCC+I) of UA.
Antonio Escudero has a distinguished academic background, having taught at secondary schools and universities in Valencia, the Basque Country, and Paris X - Nanterre. He has published numerous books, chapters, and articles on topics such as mining, steel industry, industrialisation in Biscay, pressure groups, economic policy during the Restoration period, and the living standards of the Spanish working class during industrialisation, as well as the evolution of welfare in Spain during the 19th and 20th centuries.
