On September 7, 2021, El Salvador became the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender. Over the past three years, the research project “The Cultural Political Economy of Bitcoin in the Global South” (BITELSA) has investigated Bitcoin adoption in the Central American country, examining the political economy, infrastructure, and politics surrounding the Salvadoran crypto experiment. The event will present the project's results, situate them within a broader context, and discuss future research avenues.
Program:
- 14:30 – 14:45: Welcome and intro (Tobias Boos)
- 14:45 – 16:15: Presentation of project results:
- The Cultural Political Economy of Bitcoin in El Salvador: Soft Adoption, Infrastructural Paradox, and Crypto-Populism – Juan Grigera, Tobias Boos, Lina Schmid
- Comment from Carla Coburger (University Duisburg-Essen): Moving from El Salvador to broader perspectives on current crypto developments
- 16:15 – 16:30: Coffee break
- 16:30 – 18:00: Panel discussion:
Where is Crypto and Digital Finance Heading? Global Trends and Research Perspectives
with Chris Muellerleile (Swansea University), Ia Eradze (Ilia State University/Georgian Institute for Public Affairs), Sebastian Heidebrecht (University of Vienna), Tobias Boos (University of Vienna) - From 18:00 Snacks and drinks
Funded by the Anniversary Fund of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB)
Location:
Konferenzraum (Conference Room), Department of Political Science, NIG, Universitätsstraße 7, 2nd floor, 1010 Vienna
