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Author Profile

Robert Wright

robertewright
Robert E. Wright is the Nef Family Chair of Political Economy at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the author of 18 books on U.S. business, economic, financial, and policy history. Major topics addressed in his research include bailouts; banks and their origins; construction industry inefficiencies; corporations, their financing and governance; economic growth and development; economic indicators; economic policy history; entrepreneurship; financial discrimination and regulation; government debt; higher education; incentive structures; insurance; mergers; money, its nature and origins; mutuality; publishing; securities market development; and slavery, modern and historical.

Wright's next book, on the history of financial discrimination in America, will be published by the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) in the second half of 2019. He has in progress, with Bucknell's Jan Traflet, the first major biography of economic feminist Wilma Soss (1900-1986), as well as a solo study of non-profit corporations in the U.S. before the Civil War and a textbook on the economic history of North America.

Articles by Robert Wright


Getting Serious About a Parallel University System

Oct 8, 2021 · Robert Wright · Comments Off on Getting Serious About a Parallel University System

We have reached a critical juncture in our nation’s history. As once hallowed institutions decay before our eyes, parallel structures struggle to arise. Cryptocurrencies, Fintechs, and private equity funds hedge … Continue reading “Getting Serious About a Parallel University System”


Higher Education Will Never Be the Same—And That’s Not All Bad

Apr 1, 2020 · Robert Wright · Comments Off on Higher Education Will Never Be the Same—And That’s Not All Bad

The coronavirus, combined with the public and private reactions to it, has affected every aspect of Americans’ lives, including the ways they learn. From pre-K to graduate seminars, many classes … Continue reading “Higher Education Will Never Be the Same—And That’s Not All Bad”


Universities Should Invest in Their Students, Not Securities

Mar 22, 2019 · Robert Wright · Comments Off on Universities Should Invest in Their Students, Not Securities

Nearly all American institutions of higher education raise money they put into endowments—money that is kept invested in securities. At the same time, many of their students borrow money from … Continue reading “Universities Should Invest in Their Students, Not Securities”

More in Academics

  • How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction Mar 22, 2023

    In the fall of 2020, Cairn University in southeastern Pennsylvania implemented a revised core curriculum that introduced, among other things, a new required course in civics and government. Reactions to … Continue reading “How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction”

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

More in Commentary

  • North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism Mar 23, 2023

    Last week, following an executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina joined a growing movement to pull down unnecessary barriers to public employment. Bearing the modest title “Recognizing the … Continue reading “North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism”

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

More in Politicization

  • How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction Mar 22, 2023

    In the fall of 2020, Cairn University in southeastern Pennsylvania implemented a revised core curriculum that introduced, among other things, a new required course in civics and government. Reactions to … Continue reading “How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction”

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

Popular Articles

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Recent Articles

  • North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism Mar 23, 2023

    Last week, following an executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina joined a growing movement to pull down unnecessary barriers to public employment. Bearing the modest title “Recognizing the … Continue reading “North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism”

  • How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction Mar 22, 2023

    In the fall of 2020, Cairn University in southeastern Pennsylvania implemented a revised core curriculum that introduced, among other things, a new required course in civics and government. Reactions to … Continue reading “How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction”

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

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