Dr Lorena Lombardozzi is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University, UK and co- director of Innovation, Knowledge, Development (IKD). She received her PhD from the Economics department of SOAS, University of London. Here research interests relate to international political economy and social inequality. Before returning to academia Lorena worked as development economist in Latina America, for the regional office of UNODC in Central Asia and with the European Commission and the Italian Ministry of Foreign affairs in the field of development economics, international trade and environmental policy.