Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State

Understanding the relationship between the private sector economy and government’s role in a free market society is important since there are few areas in our lives where economics nor the state does not intrude.

Thus, the Stigler Center seeks to further that understanding and make a unique contribution to the field through the application of “Chicago-style” analysis to issues confronting economic policy makers at all levels of government. That analysis is marked by an effort to verify theoretical predictions of behavior through a careful analysis of data and evidence. Known worldwide, the “Chicago School” of Economics views theory not as an end but as a tool to assist in understanding the real world. To carry out its mission, the Stigler Center supports research by faculty at the University of Chicago and visiting scholars from other academic institutions. The Center publishes a Working Paper series, and promotes the dissemination of this research to a wider audience via conferences and lectures.