Dr. Gavin Wright

Biography

Gavin Wright is the William Robertson Coe Professor of American Economic History, Emeritus at Stanford University, where he has been teaching since 1982. He holds a BA from Swarthmore College and a PhD from Yale University. In 1993, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has previously served as the president of the Economic History Association and the Agricultural History Society. His research primarily focuses on the historical record of the American economy, especially the institutional and cultural foundations that contributed to the nation’s rise to global economic preeminence. His longstanding interest in the economy of the American South has resulted in the publication of three books on the subject. One of his recent works, 'Sharing Prize: Economics of the Civil Rights Revolution in the American South,' published by Harvard University Press in 2013, was recognized as a Choice Top 25 Outstanding Academic Title for that year and received the Alice Hanson Jones Prize for the best book in North American Economic History for 2013-2014. Wright's academic appointments include positions at Yale University, the University of Michigan, and Stanford University, among others. He has been a fellow at several prestigious institutions and has served on various editorial boards and committees throughout his career.

Research Interests

Experience