Oksana Levkovych is a Fellow in International Political Economy in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Oksana’s primary research interests include international trade, systemic power transitions, and history of political and economic thought.
In her current research project Liberal Hegemons and Protectionism: International Trade Policy in Times of Relative Decline, she engages critically with structural explanations of systemic power shifts (UK-US, US-China) by emphasising the role of political contingency. Drawing on archival research, she places critical actors, local-level policy decisions, and the role of economic ideas front and centre in the historical and contemporary debates about the role that the hegemonic leadership dynamics play in directing international trade and global political economy. Her research offers novel insights into the UK and US-led reconstruction of the liberal international order following the two World Wars in the twentieth century, historical lessons from the persistence of mercantilism and protectionism in economic policymaking from the 19th century till present, as well as tackles political and economic drivers that shape the US-China relationship.
Oksana holds a PhD in International Relations from LSE, where her doctoral thesis was supervised by Dr James Morrison and Professor Peter Trubowitz, Master’s degree in Political Economy from King’s College London and Master’s degree in English Culture from the University of Lisbon.
Beyond her commitment to academic research, Oksana is dedicated to teaching, academic mentoring and pastoral care. She is a 2023-24 Winner of the LSE Class Teacher Award for Inspiring Teaching, and the Excellence in Education Award (LSE).
Teaching experience
- The Politics of Economic Policy (GV227)
- International Political Economy (IR206)
- The Political Economy of China’s Technological Rise (IR392/IR492)
Research Cluster affliation
International Political Economy Research Cluster
Not available to supervise MPhil/PhD students
Expertise details
International political economy, hegemonic leadership and power transitions (UK-US, US-China). Liberalism and mercantilism. Free trade and protectionism. Imperialism and economic nationalism. Pivotal actors and systemic change. Historical archives. Qualitative research.