Agora Wrapped: The Economics Olympiad, 70+ Writers, Debut Pieces & the Autumn Budget!

31/10/2026

Happy Halloween from The Agora Papers!

It's certainly been a busy few weeks! Alongside our weekly articles and explainers, we've welcomed a wave of brilliant new writers, launched a new initiative, announced an exciting partnership and published our biggest special feature yet: three pieces exploring the Autumn Budget.

There's plenty to catch up on, so keep reading to find out what we've been up to!

From 20 writers to 70...

We are thrilled to announce that The Agora Papers has grown to a team of over 70 writers!

When we started just a few months ago, we had a simple ambition: to create a platform where young women could explore the economic, political and social issues shaping our world, challenge conventional thinking and share perspectives that are too often left unheard.

Since then, our community has grown far beyond what we initially imagined. It seems our message has resonated.

With new writers joining from across the UK and now beyond, we're excited to see their ideas, arguments and perspectives emerge over the coming months.

But what's it actually like to write for The Agora Papers?

Here's what some of our newest writers have to say...

Being a writer is certainly empowering as a young woman, and it has given me the opportunity to explore topics that reach beyond the school curriculum. I am really pleased that I will be able to showcase my writing abilities and provide my own opinions on international conflicts and policy.
Cara Styles, York

Writing for The Agora Papers means being able to share my passions with the world, supported by an amazing team of like-minded young women. I can develop my writing whilst contributing to a platform that gives female students a space to flourish.
Octavia Brolly, West Sussex

Many of our newest contributors have already published their debut pieces, with plenty more to come in the lead-up to Christmas!

Know a young woman with a perspective to share? An argument to make? An assumption to challenge?

We'd love to hear from her! Sign up to write for The Agora Papers here!

A sneak peek at some of our writers' debut pieces...

The Politics of Food - How does corporate lobbying affect nutrition?

"Everyone eats. Food matters. All of us need and deserve sound nutrition advice aimed at promoting public health - not corporate commercial interests." Marian Nestle's claim resonates globally in the 21st century, as we suffer the consequences of food lobbying. Lobbying is defined as ‘the activity of trying to persuade

The Agora PapersMaria Slastikova

The ‘Summer Slide’: Why the School Holidays Matter

The ‘summer slide’ is an educational term used to describe the loss of knowledge over the summer holidays when a child doesn’t (or can’t) revisit what they have learnt during the school year. Although it is a lesser-known phenomenon, the summer slide has the potential to significantly

The Agora PapersKyla Bradley

Responding to The Cornell 7: What Really Shapes Sexual Culture?

Warning: contains reports of sexual violence and rape that some readers may find distressing On the 15th of October 2017, Alyssa Milano, at the recommendation of a friend and in response to Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual assaults, posted a now infamous tweet: “If you’ve been sexually

The Agora PapersCharlotte Fox

A New Partnership: The Economics Olympiad & Time2Resources!

We're delighted to announce a new partnership with The Economics Olympiad and Time2Resources!

And who better to introduce it than Ananyaa Gupta, our Outreach and Partnerships co-lead and last year's Economics Olympiad UK champion?

We are delighted to have the Economics Olympiad as an official supporter of The Agora Papers. Through our partnership, we hope to encourage more ambitious young women not only to participate in the competition, but to discover the power of economics as a subject - and see themselves as part of its future.

Even at a competition of this scale, the gender divide remains clear, a division which our partnership aims to help change.

Through this partnership, we're looking forward to collaborating on social media, attending future Olympiad events and finding new ways to connect with students interested in economics.

We're excited to see where this partnership takes us!

Food for Thought Friday

Alongside our regular Writers' Wednesday features, we've recently launched something new: Food for Thought Friday!

The idea came from Natasha Callis, one of our Social Media leads, who explains the initiative:

Food for Thought Friday is an opportunity for our writers to get involved with something a bit different! Sharing your recommendations, whether that be a book, podcast, film or even a YouTube video, is a way to engage not only with our readers, but also within The Agora Papers community!

Whether you're looking for your next favourite podcast, a thought-provoking book or a film that gets you thinking, our writers have plenty of recommendations to share.

If you're a writer and have a recommendation to share, you can submit your Food for Thought here. And if you're looking for something new to read, watch or listen to, you can find all our past recommendations here!

Keep an eye on our socials every Friday for more!

Across the Atlantic: Our Latest Guest Piece

We're pleased to continue welcoming talented young women from our partner organisation, Girls for Econ, to write for The Agora Papers.

Our latest guest writer, US-based Mahathi Vaviliala, explores an important question in American housing policy.

Check out her piece below!👇

Beyond the Blueprint: Inside the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Picture your perfect house. It might have a nice front porch with a swing, or maybe a beautiful garden full of sunflowers, or perhaps cathedral ceilings with a gorgeous diamond chandelier swinging from the center. If that’s not your style, maybe you’re looking for something more modern, edgy

The Agora PapersMahathi Vavilala

We're delighted to continue building our relationship with Girls for Econ and sharing the perspectives of young women on both sides of the Atlantic!

Budget Week

If you've been following our articles closely, you'll have noticed that this week was a little different at The Agora Papers...

With the Autumn Budget taking centre stage in UK economic policy, we decided to bring together three pieces exploring the decisions, trade-offs and questions shaping Britain's economic future.

From intergenerational inequality to regional investment, our writers examined not just what the Budget promised, but who stands to benefit.

A Lost Generation? What the Autumn Budget Owes Young People

On Wednesday, Chancellor John Healey will present his much-anticipated inaugural budget. Among those watching, the bond investor community will perhaps be doing so with the greatest intensity. With a deficit equivalent to 5.2% of GDP last year and the last budget surplus now 25 years gone, fiscal responsibility

The Agora PapersDia Abdul-Rahim

The North-South Divide: Can a Budget Really Level Up Britain?

Britain’s economic prosperity is often presented through national statistics, such as GDP growth, employment rates and average wages. However these mere figures can conceal a fundamentally institutional problem: the uneven distribution of investment, infrastructure and economic opportunities available across the country. The stark contrast between London and many other

The Agora PapersArsh Mian

Explainer - The Price of Progress: All About the Budget

On Wednesday 28 October 2026, Chancellor John Healey will present the UK's Autumn Budget, outlining plans for taxation, public spending and economic growth. Amid tight public finances, rising government borrowing costs, with UK 10-year gilt yields at their highest since 2007, and the need to fund deteriorating public

The Agora PapersHabiba Behery

The Budget has been delivered, and the commitments have been made - but the debate is far from over.

Keep your eyes peeled for further analysis of the Chancellor's decisions in the coming weeks!

A Legacy of Leadership: Christine Lagarde

We also want to recognise Christine Lagarde, who announced this week that she will step down as President of the European Central Bank.

As one of the most influential women in global economics, her career stands as a testament to the importance of women's representation in shaping the institutions and policies that govern our world - and an inspiration to the next generation of women aspiring to follow in her footsteps.

Looking Ahead: What's Next?

That's a brief overview of what we've been up to, but there's plenty more in the pipeline!

Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing some writer exclusives, including writers' reading lists, supercurricular opportunities and more new initiatives. We're excited to give you a closer look at the people behind our articles and the ideas inspiring their work.

And, of course, the economic and political worlds are showing no signs of slowing down. With the US midterm elections also approaching, there's plenty for our writers to get their teeth into. Expect more political and economic analysis in the weeks ahead!

We're always looking for new writers, ideas, and feedback, so if there's something you'd like to see on The Agora Papers, we'd love to hear from you. You can reach us us at theagorapapers.contact@gmail.com.

And if you haven't already, we'd be so grateful if you followed us on our socials! Stay up to date with The Agora Papers via our LinkedIn and Instagram.

That's all from us this week. We hope you enjoyed this edition, and we'll catch you in the next one in two weeks' time!

Until then.

~ Dia and Macy