News

In his timely book, Caplan's non-fiction graphic novel addresses the leading objections to open borders. His goal is to be part of the solution. #1 on Amazon's New Releases chart. Publication date: October 29, 2019.

Congratulations to Psychology Professor Dr. Christianne Esposito-Smythers and Economics Professor Dr. Tyler Cowen, recipients of the 2019 Presidential Faculty Excellence Medals.

Professor Tyler Cowen writes in Bloomberg Opinion that most U.S. institutions of higher education don't even try to live up to their egalitarian ideals.

Professor Bryan Caplan separates the lofty mythology of college from the sordid reality.

During the partial federal government shutdown, Raheel Tauyyab helped his Muslim youth organization pick up trash on the National Mall. "It's something I've always felt is important to do," he said of being involved in the community.

The US Library of Congress has selected Boettke's blog for inclusion in their collection of Internet materials.

MRU website selected for inclusion in the historic collection of Internet materials related to the Economics Blogs Web Archive.

Professor Tyler Cowen discusses Ocasio-Cortez's proposed 70 percent tax solution with Karl Smith, Noah Smith, and Michael Strain.

In U.S. News and World Report, Professor Peter Leeson comments on Canaan, Haiti functioning as a self-governed city experiencing exponential growth.

The Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) announced Professor Mark Koyama as a Research Fellow for Economic History. The CEPR promotes policy-relevant economic research and distributing research to public and private sector decision-makers.

Pilot-study led by adjunct professor Eskil Ullberg gains momentum.

The Mercatus Center's new fellowship and grant program, Emergent Ventures, announced its first cohort of recipients. Among the list of recipients was Joy Buchanan, a graduate of Mason's economics doctoral program. Emergent Ventures is led by Professor Tyler Cowen.

Two of the nation’s leading economic thought leaders met on Mason’s Fairfax Campus on Nov. 1 to debate the correlation between capitalism, morality and economic growth.

The Department of Economics announces a new fellowship for incoming MA in Economics students.

On October 26, 2018, Eskil Ullberg, adjunct professor of economics, presented an overview of the Trade In Ideas Program and early results. The presentation was given at the WTO for the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology.

Congressman Lewis was a headline speaker at the annual college-supported four-day festival, which brought to campus and other nearby locales over 150 writers.

Economics major, Fatma Gdoura, is setting herself up for a robust career in Development Economics and Immigration Studies through her coursework, internships, and a fellowship with the Mercatus Center.

Economics major Evan Cypher loves big data, the idea that it's statistics, computer science and mathematics, “all rolled into one.”

The Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science (ICES) at George Mason University will host the inaugural conference on Theory and Experiments in Monetary Economics (TEME).

In the Economist, Mason's Johnson, Koyama, Leeson, and Russ are mentioned for their research on the economic reasoning behind witch hunts.

In the World Economic Forum, Eskil Ullberg, adjunct professor of economics, writes an op-ed with Edmund Phelps, Nobel laureate in economics 2006. They discuss how a rules-based global trade system for patents could improve productivity growth for developed and developing countries alike.

Recent metrics rank the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization as the number one most influential journal in Game Theory and Decision Science. Professor Dan Houser serves as the journal’s co-editor-in-chief.

In Newsweek, Professor Bryan Caplan discusses student debt and addresses a potential solution to reform student loan programs.

In 1993, Dr. Walter Williams, John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics and 1986 Nobel Economist Dr. James Buchanan discussed the legitimate role of government in society in this Idea Channel Discussion episode.

Professor Dan Klein’s paper on Jordan Peterson and postmodernism makes SSRN weekly top five.

In The Week, Damon Linker explains how the foundation of democracy in America is based on classical liberal ideas, the complications that can arise, and what modern liberalism looks like today.

A Politico Magazine article discusses the origins and comeback of the classical liberal. Mentioned in the article, Professor Dan Klein gives insight into the "libertarian moment" and how this impacted the movement of classical liberalism.

At its degree celebrations, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences sends off its doctors, masters, and bachelors with an enthusiastic salute.

David Lucas, economics PhD graduate, was named a 2017 grant recipient by the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy. Additionally, Lucas received the Eli Ginzberg Award for the most outstanding project in health and welfare.

Timothy Taylor, managing editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives, comments on Peter Boettke's Presidential Address given to the Southern Economic Association. Taylor discusses Boettke's speech in the context of answering the question: does government empower or stifle?

Tyler Cowen comments on the changing American workforce and discusses how companies that tap into the potential of workers over the age of 55 will have the competitive advantage in the years to come.

Professor Christopher Coyne and Mason alumna Abigail Hall explain how surveillance tactics used on domestic citizens are the result of the "Boomerang Effect."

In USA Today Professor Christopher Coyne and Mason alumna Abigail Hall look at the recent death of Stephon Clark. They examine the increasing militarization of the United States police force and how proactive foreign policy can result in a changed law enforcement operation.

Donald Boudreaux, professor of economics, examines the misplaced notion that trade kills jobs. The op-ed article published in the New York Times examines the difference between average job churn and job loss from trade.

Professor Peter Boettke gave his Presidential Address during the 86th Meeting of the Southern Economic Association. He spoke on economics, public administration and why it all matters.

The gift from the Charles Koch Foundation will support the hiring of three new faculty members, including a senior scholar, for Mason’s Nobel Prize-winning Department of Economics.

John Nye speaks on the Freakonomics podcast about the spike in births during the Chinese Year of the Dragon and how Dragon Kids relate to economics.

Professor Eskil Ullberg met with representatives from over twenty countries on February 26th, 2018 to host the Trade in Ideas Program at the World Trade Organization.

Vernon Smith, Nobel laureate and Mason Professor Emeritus, reflects on his conversation with President George W. Bush about the 2002 Bush steel tariff. Nearly sixteen years later, the conversation is still relevant.

César Martinelli's research featured in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy reveals the prevalence of cheating when high school students are incentivized with cash to perform well on exams.

On Sunday, February 25, 2018, at 10:00 pm Mark Levin's new show "Life, Liberty & Levin" debuted on Fox News Channel. The first episode featured an hour-long interview with Mason's economics professor Walter E. Williams.

Peter Leeson's research on pirate responsibilities and employee structure mentioned in an article describing what life was like for pirates.

In the Washington Post, columnist George Will quotes Donald Boudreaux in reference to the United States's position within the global steel industry.

Amity Shlaes discusses free marketers and the modern American economic story. Shlaes says that George Mason University stands out in regards to nurturing economics thinkers who acknowledge the merits of markets.

Peter Leeson, Duncan Black professor of economics and law, and Jacob Russ, Mason alumnus, examine how European witch trials reflected non-price competition between the Catholic and Protestant churches.

Tyler Cowen, Holbert L. Harris Chair of Economics and Bloomberg View columnist, examines the education and assimilation levels of African immigrants, linking their ambition and resourcefulness to the hurdles in the American immigration system.

The Guardian website features research by Mason's Duncan Black Professor of Economics and Law Peter Leeson and Mason economics PhD Jacob Russ, that suggests a decidedly less devilish explanation of the witch trials that terrified Europe from 1550-1700.

As Mason senior, Hanna Hajjar, prepares for graduation he is focusing on the future that lies ahead.

Tyler Cowen, faculty member, Department of Economics, writes in Bloomberg Quint about the volatility of the prices for bitcoin and other crypto-assets.

In The Atlantic, economics professor Bryan Caplan frankly enumerates and examines the costs and benefits of a university education.

Ross Douthat will join Tyler Cowen on Monday, Dec. 4 for a wide-ranging dialogue.

At a tax cut town hall hosted in Herndon, Virginia, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan answered a question from Mason student and commented on the university's Department of Economics. Watch at the 11:00 mark for the exchange.

George Mason University Professor of Law and Economics recognized by the Royal Society of the Arts for his contributions.

Peter Boettke gave the fifth annual Liggio Lecture at the Atlas Network's Liberty Forum and Freedom Dinner. Read more on his speech.

Caplan explores what is the primary function of education.

The paper "Witch Trials" coauthored by Peter Leeson and Jacob Russ is mentioned in The Economist. Their research examines the influence of religious tensions on witch trials.

Leeson uses some of the world's strangest customs and behaviors to examine the use of incentives and economic behavior.

Professor Chris Coyne and Mason alumni Abigail Hall co-author an article discussing the U.S. government's drone policy.

Tyler Cowen reflects on the recent hurricanes and how price gouging can assist in the distribution of needed resources.

An article on The Economist's website features research conducted by economics department chair Daniel Houser that suggests that in China, overconfidence in trading may be gender neutral.

Social sciences, and specifically economics, communication, and psychology, support Mason's strong showing in the international Shanghai Rankings.

On the Quartz website, Department of Economics faculty member Noel Johnson is part of a research team that found that the distribution of church-owned lands following the French Revolution had the greatest impact on productivity.

The mood in EagleBank Arena was lively on May 18 and 19, as the College of Humanities and Social Sciences held its degree celebration ceremonies. Congratulations again to all of our graduates! We are pleased to welcome you to an impressive community of alumni, made only stronger by the class of 2017.

When you hear trade deficit, recognize the defectiveness of the term. A lot of trade deficit talk serves no good purpose.

Bradley Foundation recognizes Williams for his contribution to free representative government and private enterprise.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is pleased to announce the May 2017 degree celebrations will be led by two outstanding alumni: chief historian for the White House Historical Association, Edward Lengel, and Lt. Col. Suzanne Devlin, a former acting chief of police for the Fairfax County Police Department and the current supervisor of safety and security for Loudoun County Public Schools.

An op-ed in the Wall Street Journal lauds the “thoughtful and constructive expertise” of the Trump administration’s team at the National Economic Council, noting the contributions of Mason economics alumni Brian Blase and Shahira Knight.

Victor Albisu, BA International Studies '99, and Juan Jara, BA Economics, were included in the Washington Business Journal’s 2017 Minority Business Leader Awards, alongside 25 regional business leaders, four of whom attended George Mason University.

Professor of Economics Thomas Stratmann has been appointed Senior Fellow at the Property and Environment Research Center.

Listen to Professor Don Boudreaux dispel myths about trade and impact on middle class living on The Federalist Radio Hour

The book, “The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream,” has led to two NPR interviews, one with NPR Morning Edition host Rachel Martin and one with On Point host Tom Ashbrook. The Mercatus Center also hosted a live interview this week between Cowen and Reason Magazine’s Katherine Mangu-Ward on American complacency and what it means for the future of politics and the economy.

Walter E. Williams, John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University, is one of this year’s winners of the distinguished Bradley Prize, for “individuals of extraordinary talent and determination who have made contributions of excellence” in areas consistent with the mission of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

Dr. Blase will serve as Special Assistant to the President for Healthcare Policy.

Professor Dan Klein uses classic Yiddish stories and humor to illustrate key economic insights about prices, commerce, market innovation, and consumer choice. His paper was among the Weekly Top 5 of all papers at the Social Science Research Network.

Malcolm Gladwell was the most recent guest in the Mercatus Center event series and podcast "Conversations with Tyler" hosted by Tyler Cowen.

A New York Times article about women's willingness to compete features the research of a team that includes Mason economics PhD student Elif Demiral and former faculty member Johanna Mollerstrom.

In an article on the website for the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, cited in The National Review’s site, Donald Boudreaux, faculty member in the Department of Economics argues for the utility of Economics 101 courses.

Dan Boudreaux, faculty member in the Department of Economics, is quoted in the Washington Post about the administration’s objection to trade deficits.

Rachael and Lauren Agnello—sisters from Pittsburgh and both students in the college--said their parents always encouraged them to learn the way they saw best. What was best, the sisters decided, was to get out of the country, experience other cultures and learn new languages.

Calabria, previously of the Cato Institute, earned his PhD in Economics at Mason in 1996. He is a libertarian advocate of free markets.

In a joint study, Daniel Houser, Chair of Economics Department, explains how small acts of self-control increase one's ability to resist selfish temptations.

In an editorial piece on BloombergView, Tyler Cowen, faculty member in the Department of Economics, explores the possible motivations behind misstatements that have been made by the Trump administration.

George Mason University recognized the legacies of Nobel Prize laureates James M. Buchanan and Vernon L. Smith by renaming buildings in Fairfax and Arlington in their honor in a ceremony on Friday, Nov. 18. The renaming ceremony also marked the beginning of the Buchanan-Smith Legacy Campaign for the Future of Masonomics.

The 2016 Outstanding Achievement Awards recognized thirty-five faculty and staff who had been “Elected for Success” by their colleagues.

Tim Groseclose, Professor of Economics, shares his research on the slant of media outlets by measuring political content of news media.

Founded in 1947 by F.A. Hayek, the Mont Pelerin Society endeavors to strengthen the principles and practices of a free society.

according to Associate Professor of Economics, Robin Hanson. Hanson uses social science and economics to view the future.

Bryan Caplan and Alex Tabarrok, economics professors at George Mason's Center for Public Choice make the case for looser border restrictions.

Economics Professor Daniel Klein collaborated on a study that investigates voter registration at 40 leading US universities in the fields of Economics, History, Journalism/Communications, Law, and Psychology. Their findings? Democrats outnumber Republicans 11.5 to 1.

Professor of Economics, Walter Williams, examines admissions policies by the academic elite and how they set the stage for feelings of inferiority and insensitivity on college campuses.

Johnson Center Meeting Room F Tuesday, Sep 27 @ 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Economist Robin Hanson’s book, The Age of Em: Work, Love, and Life When Robots Rule the Earth tries to answer the question: what is a robot-ruled Earth like?

Fall for the Book brings writers, readers, and scholars together like no other event in the region. In its eighteenth year, Fall for the Book is a weeklong literary festival with events taking place on Mason's Fairfax campus and at other venues across the region between September 25 and September 30.

In a column on the TribLive website, Donald Boudreaux, faculty member in the Department of Economics, poses questions on immigration for supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Mason's Office of Graduate Admissions cordially invites you to attend our largest annual event for prospective graduate students. Learn about graduate degree programs, graduate certificates, and professional degrees. Come see the excitement of our campus, meet our faculty, and speak with admissions representatives.

Professor John V.C. Nye, Frederic Bastiat Professor of Political Economy at George Mason University, is one among several pointing out the critical need for labor market reform in the Philippines.

Professor of Economics and Bloomberg View columnist discusses how coups in democracies often follow periods of significant economic growth.

Bloomberg View columnist and Professor of Economics Tyler Cowen explains how a bad mood in one country can move readily to another country and how emotional and ideological contagion can become a source of systemic risk.

Tyler Cowen, Professor of Economics at George Mason University and economics columnist at Bloomberg, writes about a "less heralded force influencing American politics: insufficient savings...." Is Trump in part a result of a "broader and larger impatience that has plagued American society for decades"?

The provost’s multidisciplinary research initiative, now in its second year, gives interdisciplinary teams from Mason faculty, staff, students, and/or community partners an opportunity to showcase their creativity as they respond to important challenges facing the region, nation, or world.

Salvatore Pitino was selected by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) to receive a $4,000 scholarship for his studies at Mason.

On the Vox site, Tyler Cowen, faculty member in the Department of Economics and with the Center for Study of Public Choice, theorizes that the English opposition to mass migration that fueled its split from the EU relates to its maturity as a nation-state.

Economics professor, Robin Hanson, is "addicted to 'viewquakes,' insights which dramatically change my world view." Scientific American interviewed Dr. Hanson about his new book, "The Age of Em: Work, Love and Life When Robots Rule the Earth" and other topics.

Economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that by 2030, people in wealthy nations would work no more than 15 hours a week. Mason economist Tyler Cowen notes that although older people are working much less than they did decades ago, women in particular are not.

Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok, faculty members in the Department of Economics and economists with Mason's Mercatus Center, are among researchers who contribute to a Washington Post profile of businessman Charles Koch.

Dr. Daniel Houser, Chair of the Economics Department, applauds our most recent graduates. "I am so very proud of all of our graduates, and I offer my sincere congratulations to all on this accomplishment."

The college is pleased to welcome Ali Manouchehri, BA Philosophy '99, and Alex Nowrasteh, BA Economics '06, to speak at its convocation ceremonies on May 12 and 13.

Writing in the New York Times, Professor of Economics Tyler Cowen presents a case of how technology, trade and even religion may help restore prosperity to the middle class.

George Mason University's 2016 Celebration of Teaching Excellence recognized a number of College of Humanities and Social Sciences faculty members.

Dr. Williams will be speaking at 10am Wednesday, April 20 at the Claudia Crosby Theater on the Troy University campus. His talk is free and open to the public.

In a podcast presented by the Chronicle of Higher Education, Tyler Cowen, faculty member in the Department of Economics and director, Center for Study of Public Choice, spoke about how social media, blogging, and MOOCs are affecting the delivery of education.

The Office of the Provost and the Center for Teaching and Faculty Excellence recognizes Professor Chris Coyne as a recipient of the 2016 University Teaching Excellence Award. Please join the Economics Department in congratulating Professor Coyne for this outstanding award.

In his editorial in The Sun, Mason's Professor of Economics Donald Boudreaux responds to the New York Times's accusation that legislators in Albany who vote to block Governor Cuomo's efforts to raise the minimum wage are "stingy."

George Mason University PhD in Economics student, Nathanael Snow, explains the history of evangelical involvement in U.S. politics from the mid-19th century onward. In a Research on Religion podcast, Snow discusses how evangelical Christians have been involved in politics.

The example of private turnpike companies from American history illustrate the potential for private creative support. George Mason Professor of Economics argues that turnpike companies were a means for local interests to provide for the common good.

Tyler Cowen, Holbert L. Harris Professor Economics has studied Europe's bailout programs and states, " ... sooner or later Greece will leave EU/IMF arrangement because it simply isn't workable."

"Tariff policy beneficiaries are always seen, but its victims are mostly unseen. Politicians love this. The reason is simple." states Walter E. Williams, John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics.

Williams takes a look at who pays what in federal income taxes.

On the occasion of the second edition of his Course in Behavioral Economics textbook, Erik Angner, faculty member, Department of Philosophy, and director, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program, explains behavioral economics and how the discipline refines standard economic thought.

Professor Dan Houser, Chair of the Economics Department, remarks, "I am delighted that our faculty's exceptional influence has been recognized by earning a top spot in this highly-visible ranking of scholarly productivity. It is an achievement in which we can all take great pride."

"One cannot get something for nothing," George Mason Professor of Economics Walter E. Williams asserts. "Too many Americans believe in the possibility of a free lunch. Politicians exploit that gullibility."

George Mason Professor of Economics, Cesar Martinelli keynote speaker at APET's workshop on Democracy, Public Policy, and Information. July 18-19, 2016 in Melbourne. Call for papers; submission deadline May 10, 2016.

"Price controls distort and restrict our vision," states George Mason Economics Professor, Don Boudreaux.

You are more careful when you bet. Hanson states that all of us think carefully when asked "want to bet."

On Fox News's website, Department of Economics faculty member Robin Hanson explains "betting odds" and why they tend to be better predictors of elections than polls or pundits.

Professor Alex Tabarrok shares in Market Watch why buying a home is overrated. "Housing is overrated as a financial investment," Tabarrok states.

In Mitchell Langbert's "The Left Orientation of Industrial Relations," the JLR is credited as a journal that stands apart from the rest of the industrial relations field.

Dear Future Professor: What I've Learned About Teaching Well from Walter E. Williams, John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University.

Professor Daniel Klein writes with William Davis about a simple way to speed drug approval, at Real Clear Policy.

George Mason ProfessorThomas Stratmann and PhD Economics student Matthew Baker write that by enforcing market restrictions through certificate-of-need programs states keep patients from innovative, affordable health care.

Quartz selects George Mason professor Tyler Cowen's podcast of "Conversations with Tyler: Jeffrey Sachs" as the best business/economics podcast

The 2016 Forbes listing of influential young entrepreneurs and leaders includes three current or former Mason students with economics connections.

President Barack Obama will join CNN's Anderson Cooper for a live town hall meeting on gun control at the university on Thursday, January 7. The event will air on CNN at 8:00 pm.

Dan Klein, professor at George Mason, will be leading a book club with Timbro, Sweden's leading classical liberal public-discourse organization. The book under study is David Hume's 1751 book: An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals.

In the Institute of Economic Affairs "Flaws and Ceilings" Chris Coyne (professor at George Mason) and Rachel Coyne (Senior Research Fellow at Mercatus Center) address the issue of price controls in this collection of essays written and edited by them.

George Mason associate professor, Garett Jones, argues in his new book, "... modest differences in national IQ can explain most cross-country inequalities. Whereas IQ scores do a moderately good job of predicting individual wages, information processing power, and brain size, a country's average score is a much stronger bellwether of its overall prosperity."

According to George Mason economics professor, Alex Tabarrok, "Apple should buy a university and rebuild it from the ground up."

"The argument for open borders is both economic and moral. All people should be free to move about the earth, uncaged by the arbitrary lines known as borders," argues Economics professor, Alex Tabarrok.

Book edited by Don Boudreaux, Economics professor, wins Atlas Network's 2015 Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Award. Includes an essay written by alum Liya Palagashvili (PhD 2015).

With support, love, and a strong dose of reality, Sondra Brandon galvanized her daughter Maya to move forward with her education and her future.

Economist Walter Williams talks about his life and career and responds to viewer calls and questions. November 1, 2015 12:00 pm EST C-SPAN2

In a recent editorial, Mason Economics professor Walter Williams takes issue with the use of federal statutes to suppress those who question global warming.

Interviewed by Fusion, George Mason University Professor Bryan Caplan draws from his study of the effects of free and open migration.

With Pope Francis' first visit to the United States just wrapping up, he leaves behind two contradictory positions. Francis criticizes the evils of capitalism and its spirit of profit. Yet at the same time, he pushes for an end to poverty. These two statements are in conflict with each other.

In MIT Technology Review, Tyler Cowen, faculty member in the Department of Economics and general director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, describes how advancements in technology to monitor worker productivity can lead to wage inequality and higher productivity, but also lower employee morale and generally threaten employee privacy.

Twenty-two scholars from around the world have been invited to survey, analyze, and critique Gordon Tullock's innovative research program and assess its impact on the fields of economic, law, and political science.

In an editorial piece in Investors.com, Professor Donald Boudreaux refutes Pope Francis's charge of moral equivalence between communism and capitalism.

George Mason University Professor Walter E. Williams discusses the free market system as a way of organizing economic behavior that is not only economically superior but also morally superior.

Peter Boettke, University Professor of Economics & Philosophy, has been selected as the President-Elect and Program Chair of the Southern Economic Association.

Gun control advocates in Tacoma, Washington are considering a gun dropbox program as an attempt to get weapons off the streets. Economics professor, Alex Tabarrok, predicts dropbox program or gun buyback programs are not effective. Funds used for these types of programs would be better served funding an additional police officer.

Republican presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson, announces that Dr. Thomas Rustici, a professor in George Mason's Economics Department, will head his economic team.

A conference on Gordon Tullock's economic, political, and legal research is being held in Founders Hall of George Mason's Arlington Campus on Friday October 2 and Saturday October 3, 2015. Gordon Tullock was one of the founders of the field of research that came to be called Public Choice. He was coauthor of one of the most important books in the field, the Calculus of Consent (with Nobel Prize winner James Buchanan). The conference provides an overview of his innovative research program and assesses its impact on the fields of economics, law, and political science.

In a Washington Post Wonkblog piece on the success of the Donald Trump presidential campaign, Bryan Caplan identifies ‘anti-foreign’ sentiment as a likely factor.

Here’s my taxi question. If a person is law-abiding, has a driver’s license, has a car or van that has passed safety inspection, and has adequate liability insurance, is there any consumer-oriented reason he should not be able to become a taxicab owner/operator? Put another way: If you wish to hire the services of such a person, what right does a third party have to prevent that exchange?

The OZY site’s profile of Alex Tabarrok, faculty member in the Department of Economics and director, Center for the Study of Public Choice, terms him “a philosopher king of modern libertarian zeitgeist” and describes his ability for bringing the message of libertarianism to a wider audience.

The Intercollegiate Review site features an article by Daniel Klein, faculty member in the Department of Economics, who invokes “Game of Thrones,” Google’s ngram analysis, and economic history to argue against the liberal use of the word, “liberal.”

On the Philly.com website, Donald Boudreaux, faculty member in the Department of Economics and senior fellow, Center for the Study of Public Choice, urges the end to restrictions on the export of American oil, arguing that lifting the ban would spur production of American crude oil and investment in energy development.

In an article about the congressional committee that is deliberating 2016 defense policy, the Yahoo! News site refers to a study co-written by Thomas Stratman, faculty member, Department of Economics and the Center for Study of Public Choice, that finds that lawmakers' seniority within the committee system drives corporate contributions.

Dr. Williams explains some of the economics behind California's water shortage.

The United States continues to suffer from a historically weak economic recovery. Monthly GDP and employment numbers remain near anemic. From a historical perspective the economy should be roaring by now given the pronounced contraction in 2008. Many explanations have been offered but the core reason for the U.S.’s slow recovery, and one that will continue to impede prosperity, is the decline in economic freedom and its impact on entrepreneurship, both of which began prior to the recession.

Ten Thousand Commandments: Adam Smith’s Moral Sentiments as an Esoteric Critique of Interventionism Lecture by Daniel B. Klein at the Ratio Institute, Stockholm, 17 March 2015

Dishonesty is a pervasive and costly phenomenon. This column reports the results of a lab experiment in which parents had an opportunity to behave dishonestly. Parents cheated the most when the prize was for their child and their child was not present. Parents cheated little when their child was present, but were more likely to cheat in front of sons than in front of daughters. The latter finding may help to explain why women attach greater importance to moral norms and are more honest.

Tyler Cowen, Holbert L. Harris chair in economics and general director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, is launching a new event series, "Conversations with Tyler," in which he will host thought leaders — economists, entrepreneurs, authors and innovators — whose ideas are making an impact on the world.

In a piece on the USNews & World Report's site, William Luther, MA Economics '11, PhD '12, faculty member at Kenyon College and Fellow, Mercatus Center, George Mason University, explains that bitcoin is no more a "criminal's currency of choice" than widely available $100 bills.

In the Washington Post, Tyler Cowen, faculty member, Department of Economics and director, Center for Study of Public Choice, discusses the economic realities underlying restaurants' choices in serving desserts.

CNBC.com reports that Ecuador's Sistema de Dinero Electrónico is soon to become the world's first state-run electronic payment system. Lawrence White, faculty member, Department of Economics and Mercatus Center, comments that although the currency is tied to American dollars, it appears to serve as Ecuador's first step away from that standard.

In an editorial on the minimum wage, Don Boudreaux, faculty member in the Department of Economics and director of Mason's Center for the Study of Public Choice, explains that the minimum wage denies a "bargaining chip" to workers willing to work for less.

Stanford University's Russ Roberts has written 'How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life,' which posits that the economist's classic teachings hold fresh and valuable insights into human nature, even today. Roberts joins Mason economics professors Peter Boettke and Daniel Klein to discuss the book at a January 22 Mercatus Center event.

At the annual Mary Roper awards ceremony, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences gathers to recognize staff members who give outstanding service to their colleagues and further the mission of the college.

A Human Events article highlighting Professor Walter Williams and the recent PBS documentary, Suffer No Fools, which is partly based on Walter’s 2010 book, Up from the Projects, about his life and career.

The Economics Department is sad to announce that Gordon Tullock passed away on November 3, 2014, at the age of 92. Please see the letter from the President and Executive Director of the Public Choice Society, as well as links to our faculty's center and blog tributes to Dr. Tullock and Washington Post article.

On Britain's Telegraph website, Department of Economics faculty members Peter Boettke, Tyler Cowen, and Alex Tabarrok discuss the award of the 2014 Nobel Prize in economics to Jean Tirole.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize in Economics to Hayek, Don Boudreaux and GMU colleague Todd Zywicki penned this essay that appears in October 13th edition of the Wall Street Journal.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences rolled out a red carpet for its alumni over the course of two evenings during the university's Alumni Weekend. The Distinguished Alumni Reception recognized some of the contributions made by college alumni, and a social event, open to all college alumni, combined scholarship and relaxing fun.

Don Boudreaux summarizes Peter Thiel’s take, as expressed recently in the Wall Street Journal, on the contrast between competition and monopoly and explains these economic terms.

Liya Palagashvili (GMU PhD student) and Rachel Mace (GMU undergraduate student) tackle the topic of Minimum Wage in the Wall Street Journal.

In U.S. News & World Report, Professor Don Boudreaux and an Economics PhD student, Liya Palagashvili, analyze some numbers that President Obama recently cited in support of raising the minimum wage.

A new study comparing the major scholarly economics journals found that the Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, which is co-edited by Mason Economics Chairman and ICES Director, Daniel Houser, has a two-year impact factor of 1.35. It was ranked 16th out of 64 major economics journals. The same ranking shows Econometrica having an impact factor of 3.37, the highest in that ranking.

Professor Don Boudreaux's and economics graduate student, Roman Hardgrave, produce online instructional videos for economics topics.

Professor Walter E. Williams' documentary, “Suffer No Fools,” will be aired on PBS this fall. Preview it now at http://suffernofoolsfilm.com/preview.php .

Daniel Klein is interviewed here about his project Liberalism Unrelinquished, which seeks to recover the original political meaning of the term liberal.

The Duncan Black Professorship of Economics and Law was established by Gordon Tullock, professor emeritus of Mason’s Department of Economics and School of Law, who is considered one of the pioneers in the field of public choice.

Read Studies in Emergent Order based on Chris Coyne's most recent book, Doing Bad by Doing Good: Why Humanitarian Action Fails.

Read studies in emergent order based on Daniel B. Klein's most recent book, Knowledge and Coordination.

GMU's Department of Economics is proud to highlight David C. Thomas, a PhD Graduate Lecturer, who has Virginia's highest student ratings on ratemyprofessors.com, and is featured in the March 2014 Richmond Magazine's "Top of the Class" article!

“I am Bryan Caplan, economist and professor at George Mason University and advocate of free immigration and free trade. AMA!” Earlier this month, Caplan took part in Reddit's popular "Ask Me Anything" feature.

Beth McGrath, BS '88 economics, deputy chief management officer at the Defense Department for three years, will retire from the Pentagon at the end of this month after a 25-year career there.

If we value a free market in goods and free movement of capital, should we embrace the free movement of labor? Reciprocal treaties would allow citizens of the U.S. and other countries to work legally across borders. Would the elimination of barriers in the labor market depress wages and flood the marketplace with workers? Or would the benefits of a flexible labor supply be a boon to our economy, all while raising the standard of living for anyone willing to work?

The title of Dr. Klein's talk is "Liberals Like Adam Smith: The Origins and History of "Liberal" as a Political Term."

The Center for Study of Public Choice and George Mason University celebrate the memory of the Nobel laureate economist.

Carrie Meyer’s paper “The Farm Debut of the Gasoline Engine,” was the lead article in Agricultural History, summer, 2013.

The interconnection of philosophy, politics, and economics allows for a comprehensive understanding of the nuances of modern social, economic, and political problems. Mason's new program in PPE is the first of its kind in the Washington, DC area.

Tyler Cowen's An Economist Gets Lunch: New Rules for Everyday Foodies is now available in paperback, and is reviewed by The Economist magazine.

Professor Charles K. Rowley passed away on Friday, August 2. A faculty member in Mason's Department of Economics since 1984, he was named the Duncan Black Professor of Economics in 2000, and served as the president and general director of the Locke Institute.

Congratulations to Professor Boettke on receiving an honorary doctorate from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Romania this Spring 2013.

Dr. Tyler Cowen and Dr. Alex Tabarrok developed a MRUniversity online course and in this Inside Higher Ed article, "Tip of the Iceberg," Cowen discusses how it can be utilized by professors and students everywhere.

Congratulations to Dr. Boettke for being named the Founding Honorary President of the World Interdisciplinary Network for Institutional Research, affiliated with the Journal of Institutional Economics [Cambridge University].

Congratulations to Dr. Peter J. Boettke who was elected Vice President of the Southern Economic Association.

Daniel Klein of George Mason University has conducted one of the broadest studies with the Google search engine. He found further evidence of individualization and demoralization showing that our society has become more individualistic and less morally aware. Liberals sometimes argue that our main problems come from the top: a self-dealing elite, the oligarchic bankers. But the evidence suggests that individualism and demoralization are pervasive up and down society, and may be even more pervasive at the bottom. Liberals also sometimes talk as if our problems are fundamentally economic, and can be addressed politically, through redistribution. But maybe the root of the problem is also cultural.

Dr. Hazlett explains that net neutrality rules hurt consumers and stifle innovation, which is the product of truly open markets; therefore, Congress should overturn the net neutrality rules.

Dr. Christopher J. Coyne of George Mason University was recently honored by The Association of Private Enterprise Education (APEE) with its Distinguished Scholar Award.

This May, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences plans to host three convocations: one each for its graduate students, undergraduate humanities and interdisciplinary programs students, and undergraduate social sciences students.

Professor Daniel Klein spoke on HuffPost Live "College Week: I'm a Libertarian."

Members of Students for Liberty, a group that aims to promote discussion and education on freedom and rights, invited Klein to speak because they thought he could provide a unique perspective on the “different ways people come to the ideas of libertarianism."

Don Boudreaux and his former grad assistant, Mark Perry, challenge the assertion that middle-class Americans have stagnated economically since the 1970s.

Professor Eskil Ullberg, of the Department of Economics and Mason's Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Sciences, recently spoke to the United Nations about the participation of lower-developed countries and smaller companies in international patent markets.

The Department of Economics' ICES scholar, Professor Eskil Ullberg, was invited to speak to the Second Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development on Friday, November, 16, from 10:50 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. He was one of four experts in over 100 nations. They discussed the topic of "Technology, Innovation, and LDCs."

David Levy, professor in the Department of Economics and director of the Center for Study of Public Choice, has been selected as a Distinguished Fellow of the History of Economics Society.

The Department of Economics is delighted to announce that David Levy has been named Distinguished Fellow of the History of Economics Society (HES). The HES bestows this honor on those who have contributed a lifetime of study to the history of economics. The department is tremendously proud of David for having earned this honor. Congratulations, Dr. Levy!

Peter Boettke's book, Living Economics, won the 2012 Foundation for Economic Education Award for Best Book in Austrian Economics.

Kurt Schuler, a GMU PhD graduate affiliated with Mercatus Center actually found the original Bretton Woods archival papers in a hidden corner of the Treasury Dept. “Everyone thinks they know what happened at Bretton Woods, but what they know has been filtered by generations of historical accounts,” Barry Eichengreen, a professor or economics and political science at the University of California, Berkeley, said in a statement. “International monetary history will never be the same.”

Toby Davis Lecture will be on Thursday, October 18, from 5PM to 6PM with a reception to follow in the Mason Hall Atrium.

The Intelligence Boom: If your IQ is in the top bracket, your verbal smarts will be about as good in your 80s as they were in your teens.

Donald Boudreaux, professor in the Department of Economics, spoke on Monday, Sept. 17 as part of the department's signature speaker series, the Economics Community Forum. Boudreaux's lecture was titled, "The Fate of Middle-Class Living Standards: 1975-2012."

Mason economics professors Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok have announced the foundation of Marginal Revolution University, an innovative online educational platform.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences will host its second annual Alumni Weekend Beer Tasting on Saturday, Oct. 6. Jason Camsky, BS ’08, economics, will lead the Beer Tasting in his role as a regional sales manager for the Port City Brewing Company.

George Mason University ranked 46 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2012.

In today's New York Times's "Room for Debate," the questions posed and debated are: "What policies, if any, should the United States pursue to encourage high-tech manufacturers like Apple to build their products in America rather than largely in Asia? Is this manufacturing worth going after?"

In this Wall Street Journal article, Don Boudreaux explains Milton Friedman's advocacy of free market.

George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen recently authored a column about Medicaid in the New York Times.

Dr. Boudreaux's teaching style is observed by a journalist who audits his microeconomics course. His lectures are entertaining and emphasize training students to think like an economist.

The Wall Street Journal's Week in Ideas article, "Law Enforcement Saved by Speed Traps," reports the findings of the study, "More Tickets, Fewer Accidents," by Michael D. Makowsky and Thomas Stratmann, which was published in the Journal of Law and Economics (November).

A record number of students from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University walked across the stage in grand fashion during their convocations on May 17 and 18, 2012. More than 2,500 graduating students were recognized for their efforts in two distinguished ceremonies.

George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen recently authored a column in the New York Times, titled, "A Power Vacuum Is Killing the Euro Zone."

George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen put his two passions - economics and food - together in his recent book, "An Economist Gets Lunch: New Rules for Everyday Foodies." His work drew an abundance of media feedback, some of which is collected here.

Read our May 2012 Newsletter to learn all about the news in our Economics Department.

Bryan Caplan's new book disputes "The Case Against Kids," in this New Yorker article.

In this article, Professor Boudreaux points out the President's contradictory subsidies of Solyndra while imposing new tariffs on imported, foreign-made solar panels.

Don Boudreaux and Walter Williams argue that minimum-wage legislation is maximum folly (to use Williams' phrase).

Fulbright scholar Arpita Nepal is earning her master’s degree in economics at George Mason University while remaining involved in a Nepal-based non-profit organization, “Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation."

This semester, George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen added a slew of accomplishments to his already significant local, national and international influence.

This past November 2011 Charles K. Rowley spoke for the GMU Econ Society's The Future of Freedom Foundation event.  The title of his presentation was "Liberty and the State: A Virginia Political Economy Perspective," and was video recorded and posted on Vimeo.

Walter E. Williams and Stephen Moore write in the Wall Street Journal that cutting benefits to those who don't need them is a better way to trim deficits than hurting the economy with higher tax rates. December 9, 2011

Mason's Chris Coyne teaches us the difference between capitalism and crony capitalism in a LearnLiberty.com video entitled, Occupy Wall Street & Capitalism: A Professor's Response.

Foreign Policy presents a unique portrait of 2011's global marketplace of ideas and the thinkers who make them. Tyler Cowen is among the Foreign Policy Top 100 Global Thinkers at #72 on the list.

Check out our first Economics Department Alumni newsletter for November 2011.

Tyler Cowen was one of two economists featured in a Grantland article explaining the NBA lockout in simple, clear terms.

Don Boudreaux's US News article explains why "A Devalued Renminbi Makes Wealthier Americans." October 13, 2011

Garett Jones talked about jobs created by the 2009 economic stimulus, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Topics included the number of jobs that were actually created, the criteria used for determining if a job was created, and the difference between a job created and a job "shifted."

Mason's Russ Roberts analyzes Elizabeth Warren's recent impassioned insistence that entrepreneurs and business people who enjoy unusual success in America are morally obliged to pay more of their incomes in taxes.

Garett Jones explains that the stimulus led to more job shifting than job creation.

In the Boston Herald article, "‘Hiring’ vs. jobs," Garett Jones' research on Obama's stimulus is discussed. Sept. 5, 2011

Robin Hanson is interviewed on the John Stossel show about legalizing blackmail.

Robin Hanson is interviewed on FastForward Radio with John Smart and Vanessa Miemis on the topic of "Human Destiny Transformed."

Don Boudreaux's article for the New York Post, he defends the oil industry against some of the many economically (and factually) uninformed attacks. August 24, 2011

Don Boudreaux writes about economics in the Inaugural Issue of President & CEO magazine. August 2011

Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, PhD economics ’00, has been named prime minister of Somalia, placing him one spot below the war-torn country’s president, Sheik Sharif Ahmed. Ali is an associate professor of economics at Niagara University outside Buffalo.

Abdiweli Ali, a 1999 Mason Economics PhD student, is highlighted in this Harvard Kennedy School article. January 24, 2011

Russ Roberts' reaction to President Obama's recent insinuation that automation is a drag on job creation. June 22, 2011

Russ Roberts, along with his rap-video co-producer, John Papola, was featured on C-SPAN at 8PM (EST) on June 19, 2011, with Brian Lamb.

Russ Roberts, along with his rap-video co-producer, John Papola, was featured on C-SPAN at 8PM (EST) on June 19, 2011, with Brian Lamb.

Dan Klein gave a lecture on Adam Smith in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Ratio Institute on May 31, 2011.

Bryan Caplan debates Tiger Mother, Amy Chua, in the Guardian. June 11, 2011

Last Friday, Don Boudreaux had a brief appearance on Judge Andrew Napolitano's Freedom Watch. On the show, he criticized government's role in helping to inflate the burst housing bubble, as well as government's efforts in the U.S. to now re-inflate that bubble. June 10, 2011

Last Friday, Don Boudreaux had a brief appearance on Judge Andrew Napolitano's Freedom Watch. On the show, he criticized government's role in helping to inflate the burst housing bubble, as well as government's efforts in the U.S. to now re-inflate that bubble. June 10, 2011

Tyler Cowen's speaks about the Great Stagnation for TEDx East talks. June 06, 2011

John Stossel devotes an entire show to the work and insights of Walter Williams. June 05, 2011

Check out this Bloomberg Businessweek profile on Mason's Tyler Cowen, entitled "Tyler Cowen, America's Hottest Economist" May 26, 2011

The U.K.'s Guardian features a discussion with Russ Roberts in their most recent podcast. Listen in at the 24:53 mark about Russ Roberts' and John Papola's Hayek-Keynes rap videos. May 25, 2011

Tyler Cowen, a faculty member of the Department of Economics at George Mason University, is featured in a Bloomberg Businessweek article. Cowen recently authored "The Great Stagnation," available as an e-book.

Professor Dan Klein and an associate researcher, will hold a lecture in Sweden on Adam Smith's thoughts and visions, entitled "Adam Smith: An Overview of his Work and Vision," on May 31 from 6 to 7:30pm. (Use Google Chrome to translate.)

Starting at the 21:41 mark, Don Boudreaux discusses his recent WSJ article on school choice with Judge Napolitano on his television show.

John Miller's article in the National Review features Professor Walter Williams.

Last September 2010, Mason's first Nobel Laureate, James Buchanan, was celebrated for his contributions with an evening of superb discussion at the new Mason Inn. The formal discussants included two other Nobelists, Lin Ostrom and Amartya Sen, as well as Mason's Law School's Dean Emeritus, Henry Manne, and Professor Peter Boettke.

In this creative Wall Street Journal article, "If Supermarkets Were Like Public Schools," Dr. Boudreaux illustrates how competitive markets respond to consumer choice and compares how government-run supermarkets would be similar to public school education.

In this creative Wall Street Journal article, "If Supermarkets Were Like Public Schools," Dr. Boudreaux illustrates how competitive markets respond to consumer choice and compares how government-run supermarkets would be similar to public school education.

"Fight of the Century" is the new economics hip-hop music video created by John Papola and George Mason University economics professor Russ Roberts at Econ Stories. In the video, legendary economists John Maynard Keynes and Friedrich Hayek (portrayed by actors) answer some of today's most pressing questions.

Bryan Caplan, professor of economics, applies economic theory to parenting in his new book, “Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Why Being a Great Parent Is Less Work and More Fun Than You Think.” The book concludes that parenting methods have very little effect on children when they become adults.

Xiaofei Sophia Pan, a doctoral candidate in economics in Daniel Houser’s lab at the Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science (ICES) designed a few experiments to determine how a group of college students valued certain prizes, and how that value changed during competition.

Professor Bryan Caplan's essay on his experience as a father of twins and his twin research is in today's Wall Street Journal.

Bryan Caplan's new book, Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Why Being a Great Parent Is Less Work and More Fun Than You Think, is selling on Amazon.com.

Professor Boudreaux is also an Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute. On March 24, 2011, he spoke at the Cato Hill Briefing and argued that the U.S. trade deficit is less of a problem than many people might believe. He said that trade deficits are prime indicators of foreign investment in a country, which will inevitably lead to wage and standard of living increases.

Walter Williams slays myths in an interview with Nick Gillespie in this Reason.tv video.

Tyler Cowen's recent New York Times article explains the perverse political incentives that motivate the making of fiscal policy. These incentives were famously and carefully identified by Mason's Professors, James Buchanan and Richard Wagner.

Dr. Bryan Caplan speaks about immigration for The Future of Freedom Foundation’s “Economic Liberty Lecture Series.” The speech was given last fall on September 13, 2010.

In Dr. Russ Roberts’ testimony to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs: Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending, he explains what went wrong with the stimulus packages. He purports that the Keynsian models that justify the stimulus package were flawed. He states that Keynsian models have been wrong before and sites examples of government actions during World War II. Dr. Roberts’ advice to the subcommittee: “Let’s get back to basics; when you’re in a hole, stop digging. Stop running deficits of over 1.5 trillion dollars and counting. Act like grownups; get your fiscal house in order. Stop spending 25% of what we produce. Stop wasting my money and giving it to your friends. Stop passing legislation that makes it hard to figure out what the rules of the game are going to be. Get out of the way; make government smaller and give us a chance to do what comes naturally, seeking ways to make profit, avoid loss, and work together.”

George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen recently published his latest book, The Great Stagnation, as an e-book. His work has drawn much attention, including reviews and commentary by the Washington Post, New York Times and Forbes.com.

Congratulations to Tyler Cowen who has been selected as the Economics Alumnus of the Year by the Department of Economics at George Mason University! This award is a College of Humanities and Social Sciences award recognizing and honoring outstanding alumni for their achievements. Dr. Cowen will be recognized in a celebration on May 20, 2011 at 12:30 PM (immediately following the undergraduate convocation ceremony) in the Edwin Meese Conference Room in Mason Hall.

In the New York Times Freakonomics blog article, "Should We Be Surprised at Political Bias in Academia?" the author shows that many social psychologists have a liberal bias. Professor Daniel Klein's data is referenced as the addendum and the article links directly to his survey data and documents.

The Economist recently listed George Mason University's own Tyler Cowen as one of the most influential economists of the last decade. The results of the poll of experts were published along with commentary by the participants.

Douglas B. Rogers, a PhD student in economics, died in a car accident on Jan. 30 in Pennsylvania. He was 26. The Mercatus Center is honoring his memory by establishing a fellowship in his name for graduate students.

Mason Economics Professor, Tyler Cowen, is in excellent company in an Economist poll by The Economist asking who is the most influential economist of the past decade.

Professor John Nye gave a talk to the Philippine Central Bank earlier this January. In the article, "Nye's Nays," his major points during the talk are reviewed.

The January 22, 2011, edition of the Wall Street Journal features a splendid celebration of Mason's, the great Walter Williams, in the article, "The State Against Blacks." Dr. William's just-published autobiography, Up From the Projects, is now available.

Alex Tabarrok's captivating article, "The Bounty Hunter's Pursuit of Justice," for the Winter 2011 issue of The Wilson Quarterly explains how bounty hunting is one aspect of law enforcement is successfully provided privately in the U.S.

Mason's Professor Thomas Hazlett writes of the many contributions of Professor Alfred Kahn, Pulitzer Prize winner, to deregulate airline fares, electricity, and telecommunications. He writes how Kahn's reforms "upended many regulatory inefficiencies" in the New State Public Service Commission and how "consumers, the environment, and the economy benefited." After being appointed to the Civil Aeronautics Board by President Jimmy Carter, he was able to reject the "bureaucratic goobledeegook" and speek freely, offering "opinions that citizens (and journalists) could understand." Alfred Kahn passed away in Ithaca, New York, on December 27, 2010.

The Economics Department is proud to announce that the Wall Street Journal just released its list of best economics blogs, and three of Mason's Economics Professors are explicitly mentioned as being responsible for two outstanding blogs in the article, "The Best Economics Blogs." Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok write Marginal Revolution (which was rightly singled out by the WSJ as the very best econ blog) and Bryan Caplan (who blogs at EconLog with David Henderson and Arnold Kling) was also mentioned for his great blogging of Library of Economics and Liberty. Congratulations to Tyler, Alex, and Bryan for their continuing and successful efforts to extend economic understanding through their blogs!

Walter Williams' article, " 'Fair Trade'? Free Trade Is Fair Trade," in Investors Business Daily explains that free trade IS fair trade.

The Locke Institute has just launched a new 200 page book by Nathanael Smith entitled, Principles of a Free Society. In 2009 Nathanael Smith co-authored with Charles Rowley in Economic Contractions in the United States: A failure of Government and is currently writing his doctoral dissertation in economics under Dr. Rowley's supervision. Nathaneal is a brilliant and original economist who has made a great contribution in this book to our understanding of the nature of a free society. Dr. Rowley has more information about the book in his December 21, 2010 blog and assures you that you will find this book "stimulating and immensely informative."

Mason's Economics PhD student, Steven Davis, is also a rocket scientist who works for a company called SpaceX. On December 8, 2010, SpaceX became the first commercial company in history to re-enter a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit. This marks the first successful test flight of a Dragon spacecraft, which is an entirely new spacecraft designed in the last decade, and it was successful after only the second test flight of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Congratulations to Steve and SpaceX!

Professor Larry White appeared on C-SPAN (along with Judy Shelton, Rep. Paul Ryan, and others), in defense of sound money and in opposition to central banking. Larry's ten-minute-long remarks start around the 47min., 15 sec. mark. Specifically, he discusses his, George Selgin's, and William Lastrapes's recent paper "Has the Fed Been a Failure?"

Dan Klein wrote an essay featured in CATO Unbound entitled, "Against Overlordship." In this essay, Dr. Klein challenges "libertarian paternalism."

Russ Roberts podcasts with George Selgin on Selgin's paper with Bill Lastrapes and Larry White entitled, "Has the Fed Been a Failure?"

Russ Roberts was featured on the Public Radio International show, "To the Point," discussing various economic matters.

Dr. Roberts and John Stossel discuss property rights and incentives in the early 17th-century Plymouth colony.

For Mason neuroeconomist Kevin McCabe, economics is a matter of trust. Trust, or what he sometimes calls the trust paradigm, has been at the root of his economic experiments for the last decade.

In addition to teaching, Mason's economics faculty members have academic responsibilities that include publishing their scholarship, administrative duties such as running centers, and committee work. But for the Mason economists, the work day doesn’t stop there.

Economics student Mattie Albert began an apprenticeship with Dr. David Levy that has helped her to become a better researcher. Levy has viewed the relationship as mutually beneficial, relying on Albert's knowledge of Arabic to help the two gain a better understanding of what attracts young Muslims to Islamic extremism.

Professor Walter William's explains America's trade deficit.

GMU's Professor David Levy is quoted in the Wall Street Journal on credit ratings.

Over the summer, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences welcomed many new faculty and staff members, while some current college employees added other responsibilities to their slate. The Global Affairs and Biodefense programs have new directors and the Department of Public and International Affairs has a new chair.

About 85 people were on hand for the first-ever presentation of the college GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) awards, which took place on Saturday, Oct. 2, at George’s Restaurant in the Johnson Center. The event was part of Alumni Weekend 2010.

John Nye and Noel Johnson's study, "If fortune favors the dragon?" was quoted in a Russian article.

In the Wall Street Journal article, "Is Your Car Getting You More Traffic Tickets?" by Joseph B. White, Thomas Stratmann's research on traffic citations is highlighted. Stratmann quotes statistics and groups of people who are most and least likely to be ticketed.

The Locke Institute has just published Charles Rowley's new book: Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste. This 250 page book evaluates the first 18 months of the Obama administration from the perspectives of political philosophy, public choice, and law and economics. Buy your copy today!

We are proud to announce that Professor Omar Al-Ubaydli has been appointed to Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's Joint Advisory Board of Economics. Fletcher Magnum, a George Mason University Economics PhD alumnus, was also appointed to the Advisory Board of Economics as well.

Professor Garett Jones presented his paper, "IQ in the Utility Function," at the Midwest Macroeconomics Meetings, Canadian Economics Association Meetings, and the University of the Philippines.

Economics faculty member quoted in The Globe and Mail.

The Fund for the Study of Spontaneous Order presented Nobel laureate James Buchanan with its 2010 lifetime achievement award at its conference on Thursday, Sept. 9 at the Mason Inn.

NPR's Planet Money asked economics faculty member Alex Tabarrok to share a classroom story on the show.

Germany has cut government spending and its economy is growing smartly. It's not the first time that market-friendly policies have led the nation out of crisis.

Economics professor Charles Rowley helped a group of Richmond, Va. high school students win the rigorous "We the People" competition, which tests students' civic knowledge. The students placed first in Virginia and third in the nation.

Kelly Evans of the Wall Street Journal recently penned a full-length profile on nationally recognized economics professor Peter Boettke. The article focuses on his work and his status as a champion of sorts for the Austrian school of economics. Image courtesy of Creative Services.

Economics professor publishes opinion piece in New York Times.

A new study from the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, co-authored by economics professor Donald Boudreaux, finds that privatizing Virginia's ABC stores will have no effect on the number of alcohol-related health problems in the commonwealth.

Economics professor participates in popular board game for NPR's Planet Money.

In less than one month, about 2,600 freshmen and 2,300 transfer students will call George Mason University their new home. Hundreds will join the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Three Mason students were awarded U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarships to study abroad this summer. The students are among 575 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students selected from nearly 5,300 applicants.

Matt Ridley, bestselling author of The Red Queen, Nature via Nurture, and other books, tells the story of human cultural and economic evolution in his latest work, The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves. Combining the best of economics and biology, he explains both the "how" and "why" of the amazing (and recent) explosion in worldwide human well-being.

George Mason economics professor published in Barron's.

In a two-part series, Professor Don Boudreaux unpuzzles the economy's complexity.

In a Father's Day weekend Wall Street Journal essay, Economics' professor Bryan Caplan makes the case for having more children. "Social science may suggest that kids drain their parents' happiness, but there's evidence that good parenting is less work and more fun than people think."

Economics professor Daniel Klein gives his opinion in The Wall Street Journal.

Economics' professor Tyler Cowen is profiled in the Washington Post Style section. In addition to more predictable economic topics, Cowen shares his views about autism, ethnic food in the suburbs, and getting kids to do the dishes.

Washington Post columnist George Will turns to Economics professor Russ Roberts for a view on the Greek bailout.

Professor Don Boudreaux explains free trade on John Stossel's television news program, which aired on April 29, 2010.

Each year, departments and programs present awards to their outstanding students. The college is proud to announce the recipients of these awards for 2009-2010. Congratulations to all the department's students for their outstanding achievements.

Mason professor Thomas Hazlett is published in the Financial Times.

George Mason economics professor Peter Boettke will be awarded the Adam Smith Prize, the highest honor bestowed by the Association of Private Enterprise Education.

On Monday April 12 at 2 p.m., Frans BM de Waal, a Dutch-born ethologist/biologist known for his work on the social intelligence of primates, delivers a lecture, "The Age of Empathy: Primate Behavior and Human Society."

Tyler Cowen, the Holbert L. Harris Chair in Economics, is the featured speaker in the next Vision Series lecture on Monday, March 29, at 7 p.m. He is also the general director of the Mercatus Center, an economics research and outreach group at Mason.

Mason economics professor, Russ Roberts, describes what the world would look like if economists were in charge.

Of the three Mason undergraduate finalists for the 2010 Harry S. Truman Scholarships, two hail from departments within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. D’Leon Barnett is majoring in integrative studies with a concentration in education for social sciences, and Whitney Burton is majoring in economics.

Thomas Stratmann, economics professor at George Mason University, was awarded the Duncan Black Prize for “best paper in Public Choice in 2009.” Stratmann's paper “How Prices Matter in Politics: The Returns to Campaign Advertising” examines the effect of campaign advertising by U.S. Representatives on their vote shares in congressional elections.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is proud to announce the speakers for this year’s convocation ceremonies. Warren Brown, the founder and owner of successful bakery CakeLove and Love Café’, and poet and author Robert Pinsky are the speakers for this year’s convocation ceremonies.

The Wall Street Journal publishes economics professor Russ Roberts' essay, "Is the Dismal Science Really a Science?"

Derek Thompson interviews former Economics Department chairman Don Boudreaux on why government stimulus does not work.

Economics professor Russ Roberts and University of Illinois professor Sam Fleischacker discuss Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations on CSPAN BookTV.

In April 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, a U.S. Marine, escorted the remains of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps back to his family in Dubois, Wyoming. Strobl, who is now a PhD student in Mason's economics program, recently had his journal turned into a movie called “Taking Chance.”

Writing in The New York Times, Cowen says, "For all the anecdotal evidence, it’s hard to show statistically that money has a large and systematic influence on political outcomes. That is partly because politicians cannot stray too far from public opinion."

Through funding from USAID, among others, they are doing research on fighting poverty by building markets.

Economics Professor Russ Roberts wants to explain the important differences between Keynes's and Hayek's understanding of economic booms and busts. What better way than featuring these economic giants in a rap video? Watch this latest production from econstories.tv, "Fear the Boom and Bust,"at Cafe Hayek.

In his New York Times column entitled "Freakonomics," journalist Steven D. Levitt reviews Mason professor Peter Leeson's book The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates. Levitt describes Leeson as "one of the most creative young economists around."

While many of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences' students will travel abroad this winter, 20 of them are headed to places likes Israel, Palestine, London, Switzerland, Greece, and Turkey thanks to awards from Mason's Center for Global Education.

Economics professor Hazlett writes on Ronald Coase and the Electromagnetic Spectrum. (You must register for a free 30-day subscription to read this article.)

Mason economist Russ Roberts' full testimony is posted on the web site of the Mercatus Center. He concludes, "It would be good to recognize our limits about what we imagine we can design. We cannot steer the economy. Or the labor market. Recognizing our limitations is a step in the right direction."

Russ Roberts offers keen insight and wisdom in The Economists' Voice, a publication of the Berkeley Electronic Press. The summary: "If only preventing financial crashes were as straightforward as preventing airlines crashes. Russell Roberts explains the implications for future financial reform."

George Mason University economics professor Russ Roberts testified on Capitol Hill during the House Oversight Committee's Hearing on executive compensation.

In this video interview, George Mason University economics professor Tyler Cowen, this year's winner of the Award for Scholarship, talks about the things he's passionate about: teaching, writing, blogging and more.

Economics professor Tyler Cowen is the 2009 recipient of the Award for Scholarship. He will be recognized at the Celebration of Scholarship on October 2 along with Professor Jagadish Shukla, the recipient of the College of Science Award for Scholarship. This year's recipients are featured in a slide-show.

Economics' Tabarrok asks in his NY Times Op Ed, "How low will house prices go?"

The Wilson Quarterly features an article by Tyler Cowen, Economics, co-authored by Karol Boudreaux.

Along with Dr. Daniel Kahneman, Dr. Smith was given this award "for having established laboratory experiments as a tool in empirical economic analysis, especially in the study of alternative market mechanisms." To hear Dr. Smith's Nobel Prize lecture and other resources please visit the Nobel e-Museum's website.