Steve Levitt
Steve Levitt is an award-winning economist, bestselling author, and influential public intellectual known for redefining how economics is applied to real-world problems. He is the William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago and serves as Director of the Becker Center on Chicago Price Theory at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Levitt’s groundbreaking research has shaped multiple social science disciplines, including political economy, the economics of crime, law and economics, sociology, and political science. He is widely recognized for extending economic analysis beyond traditional models by integrating insights from psychology, sociology, and behavioral science to better understand human behavior. Levitt rose to global prominence as the co-author, alongside journalist Stephen J. Dubner, of the international bestselling book Freakonomics, which challenged conventional wisdom through data-driven storytelling. The success of Freakonomics led to several widely acclaimed sequels, including SuperFreakonomics and Think Like a Freak. In addition to his academic and literary achievements, Levitt is a sought-after TED speaker and thought leader, known for making complex economic ideas accessible, engaging, and relevant to everyday life.
Steve Levitt Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor of Economics
Academic History
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Ph.D., Economics
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B.A., Summa Cum Laude, Economics
RESEARCH & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Steve Levitt is widely regarded as one of the leading microeconomists of his generation and a pioneer in the use of natural experiments to identify causal relationships in economics.
During the 1990s and 2000s, he emerged as an early and influential popularizer of applied microeconomics and causal inference, reshaping how economists study real-world behavior.
His research spans a diverse range of topics, including the economics of crime, corruption, education, and public policy.
Levitt is known for his unconventional approach, applying economic tools to uncover hidden incentives and explain everyday decision-making, an approach that has sparked debate and discussion across academic, media, and public policy circles.
His contributions have been widely recognized, including being named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People Who Shape Our World in 2006 and receiving the prestigious John Bates Clark Medal in 2003.
FREAKONOMICS
Levitt is best known as the co-author, alongside Stephen J. Dubner, of the globally bestselling Freakonomics series, a cultural and intellectual phenomenon that has sold more than seven million copies across more than 40 countries.
The books revolutionized how economics is communicated to the public by combining rigorous data analysis with compelling storytelling.
The Freakonomics series appeared on numerous “Book of the Year” lists, several “Book of the Decade” lists, and received multiple honors, including the inaugural Quill Award, a BookSense Book of the Year Award, and the Visionary Award from the National Council on Economic Education.