Jason Scott Smith

Jason Scott Smith is a Regents' Professor in the Department of History at the University of New Mexico, housed within the College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on capitalism, political economy, and modern American history, particularly the New Deal era and its legacy. Smith holds a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and M.A./Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.

He has authored influential works such as Building New Deal Liberalism and A Concise History of the New Deal, examining the intersection of state policy and economic systems. His research spans from the 19th century to the 2008 financial crisis, emphasizing public works, labor, and business history.

Smith has received prestigious awards including the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award (2017-2018) and the Abel Wolman Award for Best Book in Public Works History. He has held fellowships at Harvard Business School and Cornell University, where he also served as a visiting assistant professor.

His teaching includes courses on US history since 1877, capitalism, and labor history. Smith’s work bridges academic scholarship with public engagement, as seen in his op-eds for Bloomberg View and USA Today.