ben h. williams professor of economics
baylor university
I am back at Baylor for the 2026–2027 academic year. During 2025–2026 I was a visiting professor in the Department of Government at Harvard University.
Level: Undergraduate and master's
Meeting: Tuesday & Thursday, 11:00 AM–12:15 PM, Foster 214
Description: A slow walk through the classical period — mercantilism through Smith, Malthus, Ricardo, Bentham, Mill, and Marx, ending at the marginalist turn. One question runs through all of it: does market exchange harmonize our interests, or conceal a conflict between them?
Level: PhD (first-year methods sequence)
Meeting: Monday & Wednesday, 1:30–2:45 PM
Description: A rigorous introduction to probability theory, statistical inference, and linear regression for first-year PhD students. We take a "population-first" approach: define what you want to know about the population before worrying about estimation.
Level: Undergraduate
Meeting: Tuesday & Thursday, 12:00–1:15 PM, Sever 103
Description: Introduction to quantitative methods for political science. Students learn to think critically about data, understand research designs, and use R to analyze political phenomena.