Richard Adelstein

Richard Adelstein, a distinguished professor at Wesleyan University since 1975, combines expertise in law, economics, and social history. With degrees from MIT, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, he has shaped interdisciplinary understanding of institutional development and social order. His scholarly work, including "The Rise of Planning in Industrial America" and "The Exchange Order," examines how economic systems and legal institutions evolve. A two-time recipient of Wesleyan's Binswanger Award for Excellence in Teaching, he has held visiting positions at Oxford, Harvard, and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. His pioneering work in law and economics, coupled with his research on business history and institutional development, has influenced multiple academic disciplines while maintaining a commitment to undergraduate education.