Kevin Young

Kevin Young is a Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, affiliated with the Department of Economics and related programs in Social Thought and Political Economy (ST&PE), Data Analytics and Computational Social Science, and Political Science. His research focuses on global governance, financial regulation, elite networks, and trust dynamics in policy contexts. He has contributed to understanding the political implications of financial industry lobbying, cross-cultural responses to pandemics, and the structural hierarchies within global elite networks.

Key academic contributions include studies on the interplay between economic elites and policy outcomes, the role of trust in scientific institutions during crises, and institutional mechanisms shaping global financial governance. He has received awards such as the Timothy Sinclair Best Article Award and the Susan K Sell Best Reviewer Award, reflecting his impactful scholarship. His work frequently intersects with interdisciplinary initiatives like the ST&PE program, emphasizing the societal dimensions of economic and political processes.

Recent research highlights include analyses of how elite educational backgrounds influence global power structures, the effects of political polarization on public health policy attitudes, and the governance challenges posed by financial sector lobbying. His publications demonstrate a commitment to both theoretical innovation and applied policy analysis, addressing topics from pandemic compliance to the ethical dimensions of scientific advocacy.