Dr. Roger Backhouse

Biography

Roger Backhouse is a Professor of the History and Philosophy of Economics, associated with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He has also held positions at the University of Birmingham and Erasmus University Rotterdam. Since 2007, he has been involved with the Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science (CPNSS), where his main activity has focused on organizing workshops, notably one led by Philippe Fontaine on the history of social sciences since 1945. In his research, Backhouse explores the relationship between economics and the social sciences, challenging the notion that they are largely separate fields. He has contributed significantly to the historiography of social sciences and has worked with Beatrice Cherrier on the recent rise of 'applied economics', analyzing the shifts this entails in the relationship between economics and policy-making. His latest major project includes an intellectual biography of the American economist Paul Samuelson, with a volume published in 2017. His expertise lies in the history of recent economics and social science, with a particular focus on post-World War II economics in the United States.

Research Interests