Malte Dold

Malte Dold is an Associate Professor of Economics at Pomona College, California, where he has been affiliated since 2019. He also contributes to the college's PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) Program. Currently on leave during the 2025-2026 academic year, he will be conducting research at New York University as a fellow. Dr. Dold's academic work bridges economics, psychology, and philosophy, focusing on how social environments influence decision-making, dynamic preference formation, and the normative foundations of behavioral economics.

• Education
  • Ph.D., University of Freiburg
  • M.A., University of Bayreuth
  • B.A., University of Bayreuth

His research emphasizes methodological pluralism, drawing on experimental, formal-mathematical, and historical-contextual approaches. This aligns with Elinor Ostrom’s advocacy for multi-method research. Malte’s work explores topics like preference change, moral learning, behavioral paternalism, and constitutional political economy, often analyzing the philosophical underpinnings of thinkers such as James Buchanan, Friedrich Hayek, and Adam Smith.

The 15 most recent publications highlight his engagement with endogenous preferences, behavioral public policy, and normative economics. These works frequently integrate insights from Hayekian psychology, Kahneman’s cognitive models, and self-determination theory to critique traditional welfare economics and paternalistic interventions. His scholarly output reflects a commitment to reconciling behavioral evidence with liberal institutional frameworks.

• Scientific Awards
  • F.A. Hayek Prize for Best Dissertation (2019)
  • Don Lavoie Memorial Graduate Student Essay Award (2017)
  • Teaching Award for Best Seminar (‘Moral Limits of Markets’, 2017)

Malte Dold teaches courses on Behavioral Economics, Economic Analysis of Politics, and Behavioral Paternalism, while maintaining affiliations with institutions like the University of Freiburg and New York University. His research is supported by the Claremont Colleges' academic infrastructure, and he is reachable via email at malte.dold@pomona.edu.