Beyond Theory: Connecting Politics, Economics, and Literature

By Helena Haselsteiner

University can sometimes appear very theory-centered: lots of readings, many lectures, and exams that test whether you can retrieve acquired knowledge at the touch of a button. While every theory provides an important basis for understanding processes and mechanisms, accumulating knowledge won't get you far unless you can apply it meaningfully to real-world contexts. This is what the Institute for International Political Economy shows us: connecting theoretical frameworks with application-based contexts and demonstrating how academic knowledge can be transferred to real-life practice.

After my first year studying Comparative Literature at the University of Vienna, I realized my interests were broader than one program could cover. I decided to start a second degree at WU alongside my literature studies, eventually choosing WUPOL as the best fit. Now in my fourth semester at WU, I'm still very happy with that decision. Since I'm especially interested in understanding the interplay between politics and economics, and in reflecting critically on their social and environmental implications, I chose the Politics and Money specialization at the Institute for International Political Economy.

My background in literary studies helps me analyze texts as narrative constructions: as language constructs our reality, I approach a text by trying to understand whose perspective is represented and which interests and needs become visible or are made invisible. I believe the intersection of the two fields becomes especially apparent when examining these narrative frameworks.

For example, I have observed that the same narrative patterns employed by 19^th-century European writers to depict the Pacific as a “paradisiacal” and “primitive” counterpart to Europe persist in some contemporary political discourse. Colonial tropes continue to be reproduced, framing certain regions as “underdeveloped” through a distinctively Eurocentric lens.

My experiences in Politics of FDI and Politics of Finance have been valuable in this regard. Investigating global connections critically, and beyond my own personal background, has helped me better understand how these systems operate, the mechanisms behind them, and their broader implications. I've learned that in our globally connected world, where culture, geography, and politics intersect, there is rarely a single straightforward answer. Instead, these courses have taught me to approach issues step by step: examining underlying mechanisms and identifying the various factors at play. This way of thinking has helped me understand how complex global processes emerge and how to evaluate their political and economic implications.

I believe that continuing to develop these skills throughout my career will help me think beyond surface-level explanations and consider multiple perspectives. That will be crucial for addressing practical challenges and working toward solutions in a socially and economically responsible way.

My interdisciplinary approach to my studies makes certain career paths especially appealing: I could imagine working for an NGO, in development policy, or in journalism. My concrete interest lies in understanding the political economy of inequality and how unequal power structures are produced, maintained, and legitimized. My particular focus is on Brazil, a fascination that began when I was traveling there after high school. Now, I am spending a semester abroad at the University of São Paulo, where I hope to deepen my understanding of the different dimensions of political economy, using the analytical tools I have developed at WU. Ultimately, the approach taught at the Institute for International Political Economy doesn't just shape how I study. It shapes how I engage with real-world situations beyond university.

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