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Rachel Kranton

James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Economics
Economics
Box 90097, Durham, NC 27708-0097
219 Social Sciences, Box 90097, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


Rachel Kranton studies how institutions and the social setting affect economic outcomes. She develops theories of networks and has introduced identity into economic thinking. Her research contributes to many fields including microeconomics, economic development, and industrial organization. In Identity Economics, Rachel Kranton and collaborator George Akerlof, introduce a general framework to study social norms and identity in economics. In the economics of networks, Rachel Kranton develops formal models of strategic interaction in different economic settings. Her work draws on empirical findings and integrates new mathematical tools to uncover how network structures influence economic outcomes. Rachel Kranton has a long-standing interest in development economics and institutions. She focuses on the costs and benefits of networks and informal exchange, which is economic activity mediated by social relationships rather than markets.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Economics · 2013 - Present Economics, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor of Economics · 2007 - Present Economics, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Faculty Research Scholar of DuPRI's Population Research Center · 2010 - Present Duke Population Research Center, Duke Population Research Institute

Education, Training & Certifications


University of California, Berkeley · 1993 Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania · 1984 B.A.