Dr. Dirk Philipsen

Biography

Dirk Philipsen is an economic historian and political economist associated with the Sanford School of Public Policy and the Department of History at Duke University. He serves as a Senior Fellow at the Kenan Institute for Ethics and directs the Regenerative Futures Lab and the Build World Focus program. His research and teaching focus on the underlying structural requirements for the well-being of people and the planet. Philipsen's research encompasses economic metrics, the history of capitalism, the role of private property, and the revitalization of commons. He began his education in Germany, earning a BA in economics and an MA in American Studies. He obtained his Ph.D. in American Social Economic History at Duke University in 1992. Philipsen has taught at various institutions, including Duke University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He has held the position of Director for the Institute for the Study of Race Relations at Virginia State University, an organization he founded in 1997. Throughout his career, he has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew Mellon Foundation, among others. His published works address themes of modern capitalism, economic growth, social movements, economic justice, and race relations.

Research Interests

Experience