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Tianyi Wang, an assistant professor in the department of economics in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has been awarded the prestigious  in economic science for 2023.

The provincial government awards the Polanyi Prize annually to early-career researchers from Ontario universities. Established in 1987, the award is named in honour of John Charles Polanyi, Emeritus in the department of chemistry and recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize. The winners are nominated by the deans of university graduate schools across Ontario and chosen by a selection committee organized by the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies

An applied microeconomist, Wang works primarily at the intersection of political economy and economic history. His research addresses the critical analysis of press independence, political discourse, and the foundations of open dialogue in the context of historical political repression.

It does so by examining the quantitative impact of McCarthyism on American society and democracy, particularly through studies on the Hollywood blacklist, which affected hundreds of professionals in the entertainment industry.

Wang’s forthcoming projects investigate the effects of McCarthyism on targeted groups like the press, labor unions, and liberal politicians. For example, one project will examine how journalists were subpoenaed to testify about their political beliefs, and the impact on press independence and political discourse.