Jean-Laurent Rosenthal

Jean-Laurent Rosenthal is the Rea A. and Lela G. Axline Professor of Business Economics and Director of the Ronald and Maxine Linde Institute of Economic and Management Sciences at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He previously served as Division Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences (2014-22), Linde Leadership Chair (2016-22), and Executive Officer (2007-13). His academic career includes roles at UCLA’s Department of Economics (1988-2006) and editorial positions with the Journal of Economic History (2010-2014).

Education: B.A. in History from Reed College (1984); Ph.D. in Social Science from Caltech (1988). Awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship (2001-2002), Alexander Gerschenkron Dissertation Prize (1989), and Clauser Dissertation Prize (1988).

Research focuses on institutions driving long-term economic growth, including property rights during the French Revolution, European credit markets, corporate governance, and wealth inequality. Notable works include Before and Beyond Divergence (2011) and Dark Matter Credit (2019). Teaching includes courses on economics, finance, and historical development.

Key affiliations: Ronald and Maxine Linde Institute, Caltech; external roles include co-editor of Journal of Economic History. His work bridges economic history with modern analysis, emphasizing institutional frameworks and their societal impacts.