The FMSH-SCAS Programme
The FMSH-SCAS Programme - the Franco-Swedish Programme in Economics and Philosophy - was created
by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (the Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences; RJ), Fondation
Maison des Sciences de I’Homme (FMSH) and the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study to increase
collaboration between French and Swedish researchers and institutions in the humanities and social sciences.
Central to this programme are French and Swedish researchers affiliated with the programmes and projects
supported by the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS) and FMSH (and now also Collège d’études
mondiales). The parties are also encouraged to invite international researchers to participate in the programme
for shorter periods of time (one week up to six months).
The main aim of this interdisciplinary programme is to bring moral and political philosophy and economic theory
to bear on the analysis, justification and criticism of political and economic institutions and public policies. Typical
research topics include theories of distributive justice and individual responsibility, theories of welfare, equality of opportunity, democratic theory and voting systems, economic democracy, ethics and duties to future generations,
evolution of norms and cooperation and its connection to the justification and metaethical status of normative
theories. However, the programme transcends disciplinary boundaries and involves a range of disciplines, i.e.
not only economics and philosophy but also political science, law, economic history and environmental studies,
among others.
The format of the programme has been designed to combine structure and flexibility but also with a view of
serving as a possible model for future use in extensive and sustained scholarly collaboration at the highest
international level. Seminars, workshops and conferences are organised on a regular basis.
The three-year pilot programme was initiated in 2011. A possible extension of this initiative – both this
programme and further efforts in other fields – will be discussed.
Decisions on invitations and activities within the bilateral initiative are taken by the Academic Advisory Board, co-
chaired by Professors Michel Wieviorka (Fondation Maison des Sciences de I’Homme) and Björn Wittrock
(Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study).
The key scholars of the programme are Professors Gustaf Arrhenius (Stockholm University) and Marc Fleurbaey
(Princeton University).