With the aim of promoting critical research and recognizing emerging talent in the field of heterodox economics, the first edition of the JEC Award for the Best Work by an Early-Career Scholar is announced.
This award is created within the framework of the Critical Economics Conference (JEC), a meeting that since 1987 has served as a space for reflection, debate, and collective construction of alternative economic approaches. The award seeks to highlight and value the contributions of early-career researchers who challenge dominant paradigms and offer innovative, rigorous, and socially committed perspectives. It represents not only academic recognition but also an encouragement for developing critical trajectories that enrich economic thought and its applications across various areas.
By awarding the best work presented by an early-career academic, the JEC reaffirm their commitment to generational renewal, critical thinking, and the democratization of knowledge in the field of economics.
1 edition
JEC Award for the Best Work by an Early-Career Scholar
The JEC Award aims to promote critical economic research and recognize the work of early-career researchers who, from a heterodox perspective, contribute to questioning and reconstructing conventional economic theories and practices.
It distinguishes an original, rigorous, and relevant academic work presented within the JEC framework, contributing new perspectives or analytical or empirical insights within critical economic approaches such as feminist, ecological, Marxist, post-Keynesian, institutionalist, or decolonial economics.
The awardee will receive an official diploma granted by the JEC organization.
The awarded work will also have priority access to evaluation in the Critical Economics Journal (REC). This means that, in case of a positive evaluation and if the author wishes, they may publish the article in an issue of the REC.
Eligible scholars are those who
- are currently enrolled in undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral studies.
- Have defended their PhD thesis no more than three years prior to the conference.
In case of co-authored works, the person applying for the award must be the main author of the work, must also be the one presenting the paper, and must meet the established conditions to be considered a “novice/early-career researcher.”
Members of the local organizing committee of the conference may not participate.
The work must:
- Be accepted and presented at the corresponding JEC.
- Not exceed 9,000 words, including notes and references.
- Be unpublished.
- Be written in Spanish or English.
- Follow REC guidelines.
- Submit the full paper before March 30, 2026 to the following adress: jec2026@ehu.eus with the subject ‘Candidatura premio + your surname’
- Attach a short CV (max. 2 pages).
- Indicate willingness to be considered for the award.
A two-stage evaluation process will be carried out: first by the local committee, then by a REC-led jury.
First, the local conference committee will make an initial selection of the most noteworthy papers among those submitted.
Subsequently, these works will be evaluated in a second phase by a jury chaired by the director of the Journal of Critical Economics (REC), which will include the participation of a journal editor and two members of the editorial board with recognized prestige and experience in critical approaches to economics. The jury will evaluate each work considering its academic quality and rigor, originality and theoretical or empirical contributions it presents, as well as its relevance within the field of critical economics. In the event that none of the works reaches the expected standard, the jury reserves the right to declare the award void.
The award will be presented publicly during the 20th Critical Economics Conference.
The Jury’s decision shall be final and binding.
Participation in this call implies express acceptance of all its terms and conditions.