William D. O'Connell

I am a Sessional Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto. My primary research focuses on the politics of international finance and the role of transnational bureaucratic networks in global governance. My book project analyzes the history of international cooperation in managing financial crises. My other research projects study the politics of structural change in the global economy, with a focus on financial regulation, the collapse of cryptocurrency exchanges like FTX, European integration, and the rise of China. I completed my PhD at the University of Toronto in 2024. Before returning to Toronto, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Centre for Political Economy at Columbia University. 

My academic research has been published in Review of International Political Economy. I have also written for The Conversation and The Globe and Mail. Beyond writing, I have made television, radio, and podcast appearances discussing the failures of FTX, Credit Suisse, and Silicon Valley Bank.

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For media inquiries, please use the form below or email me at william.oconnell@utoronto.ca.