About
Joel Mokyr is the Robert H. Strotz Professor of Arts and Sciences and holds joint appointments in the Departments of Economics and History at Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University in 1974 and has been a leading figure in economic history, specializing in the British Industrial Revolution, technological creativity, and the Enlightenment's impact on modern economic growth.
His research focuses on the interplay between technological progress, knowledge systems, and institutional frameworks. Key works include The Lever of Riches, The Gifts of Athena, and A Culture of Growth, which explore the origins of the knowledge economy and the cultural foundations of modern prosperity. Mokyr has supervised nearly 50 doctoral dissertations, with students securing academic positions at top institutions like Stanford and Yale.
Awarded the Balzan Prize (2015) and Heineken Prize (2006), Mokyr is a Fellow of multiple prestigious academies, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His contributions span editorships of major journals and encyclopedias, such as the Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History.
Mokyr’s interdisciplinary work bridges economics, history, and technology, emphasizing how intellectual and cultural developments drove economic transformation. He has advised numerous grants and collaborates with institutions globally, including the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.
His research teams explore topics like technological inertia, apprenticeship systems, and the divergence between European and Chinese economic trajectories. Mokyr’s lectures and publications continue to shape debates on innovation, institutions, and long-term economic progress.
