Context matters: conceptualizing research funding policies through the lens of the varieties of academic capitalism approach

Research funding policies are both an expression of and a response to the globalization of the knowledge society and its resulting competitive dynamics. The global dynamics of academic capitalism are, however, mediated by jurisdictions’ political economies which, in turn, condition research funding policy mixes, policy coordination and policy outcomes. Relying on an integrative review of 75 scholarly documents and 15 OECD reports, this chapter compares research funding policies in 18 OECD countries accounting for three welfare regimes: liberal, conservative, and social-democratic. Ultimately, the review contributes to the consolidation of the emerging theoretical approach of the varieties of academic capitalism and broadens its application to allow for systematic comparison of how policies and their outcomes are modulated by countries’ specific context.