Dr Merve Sancak

Lecturer in the Institute for International Management

Merve Sancak

Dr Merve Sancak's research sits between international political economy, comparative political economy and economic sociology.

Merve is interested in studying the interactions between global political and economic dynamics and national institutions, and the implications of these interactions for inclusive development. Her work so far has focused on the political economy of skill formation systems in late industrialising countries.

Academic background

Dr Merve Sancak has published a monograph and articles in prominent journals specialising in international political economy, comparative political economy and economic sociology. Her recent book Global Production, National Institutions, and Skill Formation is about the skill formation practices in the automotive industries of Mexico and Turkey. The book examines the influence of national institutions and global value chain governance structures on those practices as well as the implications of skilling practices for workers and small firms.

Dr Sancak's work has been funded by several institutions including Global Development Network, the University of Cambridge, Cambridge Political Economy Society, and Mexican Agency for International Development.

Dr Sancak holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Cambridge and previously worked in Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) (University of Sheffield) and De Montfort University.

Current research and collaborations

Dr Sancak is currently working on three main projects. Firstly, with Professor Gerhard Schnyder, she is conducting research on the global linkages of capitalist systems in late industrialising countries. Secondly, she is contributing to a book project with her research on skill systems in late industrialising countries. Thirdly, she is working on a project to understand the impact of migration flows and digitalisation on the employment systems in labour-intensive industries of late industrialising countries including Turkey.

Research exepertise

  • Comparative capitalisms
  • Skill formation systems/ vocational education and training
  • Global value chain governance
  • Development
  • Late industrialising countries, particularly Turkey and Mexico

Interests and activities

Dr Sancak is a member of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE), Political Studies Association (PSA) and REPAL(Red para el Estudio de la Economía Política de América Latina).

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