The Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar Award is awarded annually by the Centre for Economics, Policy, and History (CEPH) to an economic historian who has made a major contribution to the discipline. The recipient is invited to give the Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar Lecture, where the medal is formally presented.
Dr Alice Effie Murray (1877-1951) was an economic historian who studied the history of commercial and financial relations between England and Ireland. When she received her D.Sc. Econ. in 1903 for her doctorate on the topic, she became the first woman to receive a degree from the London School of Economics.[1] Her thesis was subsequently published by P. S. King in 1907.
The recipient is chosen by the directors of CEPH in consultation with its advisory board.
[1] Berg, M. (1992). ‘The first women economic historians.’ Economic History Review, 45, pp.308-29.
The 2026 recipient: Professor Kevin Hjortshøj O’Rourke
Professor O’Rourke will give the Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar Lecture, ‘From most-favoured-nation to reciprocal tariffs: what is unsurprising about Trump’s tariffs, what is surprising, and why it matters’ on Thursday 19th February 2026 at 5pm in the Neill Lecture Theatre, the Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin; registration for the event is now closed.
In accepting the award, Professor O’Rourke notes, ‘I am very honoured to be receiving this prize in memory of Alice Effie Murray. She was not only the first woman to receive a degree from the LSE, but the first serious economic historian of Ireland, beating George O’Brien to the prize by some fifteen years. I am particularly pleased to be giving a talk in her honour since she was among other things a historian of trade and trade policy, and so throughout my career I have been following in her footsteps. I look forward to speaking in February about what history has to tell us about today’s dramatic trade policy landscape.‘
Biography
Professor Kevin Hjortshøj O’Rourke is a Director of Research at the CNRS and a Professor of Economics at Sciences Po Paris. His research lies at the intersection of economic history and international economics, with a particular focus on the history of globalization and deglobalization: his publications include numerous articles in economic history and economics journals, as well as the prize-winning Globalization and History (co-authored with Jeffrey G. Williamson), Power and Plenty (co-authored with Ronald Findlay), and A Short History of Brexit.
Professor O’Rourke received his PhD from Harvard in 1989, and was previously the Chichele Professor of Economic History at All Souls College, Oxford. He has also taught at Columbia, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Harvard, and NYU Abu Dhabi. He is currently an Editor of the Economic History Review, and previously served the economic history profession in numerous capacities. He is a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, and a Fellow of the British Academy, the Cliometric Society, and the Academy of Social Science. Professor O’Rourke holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Southern Denmark.
Award
Professor Kevin O’Rourke stands as one of the most influential economic historians of his generation, fundamentally reshaping our understanding of the history of globalization, trade, and economic integration. His research has provided the intellectual framework that defines modern economic history’s approach to studying the movement of commodities, people and capital during the first era of globalization. His work on the interwar period has illuminated the complex relationships between protectionism, politics, macroeconomics, and economic catastrophe.
Professor O’Rourke’s contributions to Irish economic history have been particularly pathbreaking. His early work on the Great Famine clearly demonstrated that the Great Famine was a watershed movement in Ireland’s history, while his analysis of post-Famine Ireland has illuminated the relationships between emigration, agricultural change, and economic modernization.
Professor O’Rourke has distinguished himself as an intellectual leader who has shaped how economic history is studied and applied. His ability to combine sophisticated economic theory with meticulous historical evidence has set new standards for the field. Furthermore, his engagement with contemporary policy debates brings historical perspective to ongoing discussions about deglobalization, trade wars, and populism.
The 2025 recipient was Professor Jane Humphries; Professor Humphries gave the Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar Lecture on Thursday 27th February 2025. See details here.
The 2024 recipient was Professor Ann Carlos; Professor Carlos gave the Alice Murray Distinguished Scholar Lecture on Thursday 11th April 2024. See details here.
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