Kilkenomics, which bills itself as “the world’s only economics and comedy festival”, is promising prospective ticketholders “its strongest lineup yet” this year, with 70 events organised and an equal number of speakers booked across three days in Kilkenny city this November.
The festival “has truly gone global” as it enters its 16th year running, welcoming serious and more lightedhearted acts from over a dozen countries. Organisers say this reflects “the world in turmoil”.
Among the “amazing thinkers” tasked “to help explain and interrogate what’s going on” in global finance, politics and technology are leading economists Mariana Mazzucato and Cory Doctorow.
A professor at University College London, Mazzucato is an author who writes about economics, public policy and innovation. She has served as an adviser to the european commissioner for research, science and innovation and chaired a World Health Organisation council on the economics of health.
Doctorow is a journalist and author who writes about digital rights and technology policy. He is, perhaps, best known for coining the term “enshittification” to describe a widespread decline in the quality of content posted online and of tech platforms, such as X, in general..
Joining them in Kilkenny city from November 6 to 8 is Kyla Scanlon, who organisers have named “Gen-Z’s favourite economic commentator”, and the podcast hosts of Planet Money, one of the most listened to economics podcasts on the market.
The festival’s director, and Irish Times columnist, David McWilliams said it was “delighted to welcome many economists and comedians back to the heart of Kilkenny, as well as many joining us for the first time.”
Kilkenomics “is what it is because of the people of Kilkenny, the residents, and those who run the local bars and restaurants, who continue to be so open and supportive of the event,” he said, adding it “remains a significant boost to the local economy, bringing substantial additional revenue into the area over the weekend.”