Dr. Stephen Marglin

Biography

Stephen Marglin is the Walter S. Barker Professor of Economics at Harvard University. His work spans foundational assumptions in economics, including the relationship between economic reasoning and community visibility. Marglin's latest book, 'Dismal Science: Thinking Like an Economist Undermines Community,' critiques how traditional economic assumptions ignore communal aspects. Over his long career, Marglin has published several papers and books addressing cost-benefit analysis, the labor-surplus economy, production organization, and the connection between growth and income distribution. His teaching includes an introductory economics course highlighting critiques of standard economic theory and a social studies course on modernity's assumptions influenced by colonization and globalization. In addition to his academic work, Marglin has served as an adviser to both governmental and non-profit organizations, focusing on issues like tax reform in Puerto Rico. His recent research incorporates anthropological perspectives, which he considers important counterbalances to traditional economic viewpoints. He is married to cultural anthropologist Professor Frédérique Apffel-Marglin, and they have four children and four grandchildren, along with shared interests in gardening and livestock.

Research Interests