David Stein

David Stein is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and a Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute’s Macroeconomic Analysis Program. His research focuses on the interplay between political economy, social movements, and public policy, with a particular emphasis on African American Studies, the civil rights movement, policing and imprisonment, labor history, and environmental justice. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and Ethnicity from the University of Southern California. Stein has held postdoctoral fellowships at UCLA and the CUNY Graduate Center and has taught at Claremont McKenna College, UCLA, and Queens College.

His current book project, Fearing Inflation, Inflating Fears, examines how civil rights demands for guaranteed jobs led to the expansion of the carceral state instead of welfare programs. Stein’s work bridges academic scholarship and public policy, including co-authoring federal job guarantee resolutions with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. His writings appear in venues like The Washington Post, Democracy Journal, and The Intercept.

Stein’s honors include the Hellman Family Fellowship, UC Regents Junior Faculty Fellowship, and Maria Stewart Prize. He collaborates with social justice organizations and co-hosted the podcast Who Makes Cents?: A History of Capitalism. His research spans topics such as racial capitalism, climate justice, and the historical geography of money.