Kathleen Thelen

Kathleen Thelen is the Ford Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a leading scholar in comparative politics and political economy. She holds affiliations as a Permanent External Member at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (Germany) and a Faculty Associate at Harvard University's Center for European Studies. Previously, she taught at Princeton University, Oberlin College, and Northwestern University.

Her research focuses on historical institutionalism, labor politics, and the evolution of capitalist systems. Key interests include:

• How institutions like labor markets and training systems adapt over time
• Comparative analysis of social solidarity in European vs. U.S. capitalism
• The role of courts and bureaucracies in reinterpreting institutional rules

Thelen's publications emphasize incremental institutional change, with recent work exploring digital platforms, urban inequality, and judicial influence on policy. Her articles frequently analyze:

• Divergent regulatory approaches in the EU and U.S.
• Power dynamics in business-labor relations
• Methodological advances in historical analysis

Her scientific honors include:

• Friedrich Schiedel-Award (2020)
• Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Prize (2019)
• Barrington Moore Book Prize (2015)
• Election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2015)
• Honorary degrees from LSE, EUI, and University of Copenhagen

At MIT, she teaches courses on comparative capitalism and institutional change, contributing to a vibrant intellectual environment through collaborations across disciplines and institutions.