Dr Patrick Brown
Alliance Party MLA for South Down
My research focuses on the intersection of economic inequalities and conflict. Specifically, I am interested in how a Universal Basic Income (UBI) could address many of the socioeconomic issues which often remain unresolved in post-conflict societies, and how it could therefore promote conflict transformation. A UBI embeds sustainability into the economy by ensuring everyone in a given society has a basic level of economic security to fulfil their material needs. This builds resilience into the economy, allows households to better plan and manage their finances and facilitates low carbon and regenerative activity. It advances equality by ensuring everyone in society has a minimum income level, and progressive models of UBI would require additional, redistributive taxation that would tackle wealth and income disparities. A UBI also helps individuals lead on climate action by building resilience into the economy, facilitating low carbon choices and freeing up time and human potential to focus on activism.