Steven Levitt, Acclaimed Author and Economist, to Present 'Beyond FREAKONOMICS' Speech at SLU August 19, 2008
SAINT LOUIS — Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? What makes a perfect parent? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? These are questions that Steven D. Levitt asks in his controversial, critically acclaimed book FREAKONOMICS: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything. Levitt will expand on his book’s inquisitive premise during an address on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Saint Louis University.
Levitt’s speech is part of the economic policy series presented by the Show-Me Institute in conjunction with Saint Louis University and its John Cook School of Business. He will be the third lecturer in the series, which began earlier this year.
Levitt’s book has been widely praised for taking seemingly qualitative questions and applying economic theory to explain societal trends and concerns. His conversational writing and anecdotes have been instrumental in making economics accessible for the common reader.
His presentation, “Beyond FREAKONOMICS: Further Economic Musing,” is free and open to the public. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the lecture at 6:30 p.m. at the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium in the John Cook School of Business, located at 3674 Lindell Blvd. at Spring Avenue. Valet parking will be provided.
Steven Levitt co-authored FREAKONOMICS with Stephen Dubner in 2006, immediately topping best-seller lists and gaining worldwide recognition for the book’s unconventional perspective on everyday life. FREAKONOMICS has received numerous awards, and is now being made into a TV show and documentary film. The unique way of thinking presented in the book can also be found in the popular FREAKONOMICS blog, which has been called “the most readable economics blog in the universe,” and is hosted exclusively on the New York Times website.
The John Cook School of Business and the Show-Me Institute are excited to bring Steven Levitt to Missouri, to continue their series of public lectures on public policy issues. These lectures examine such topics as education policy, tax policy, economic development, and other policy initiatives. The series brings the world’s top scholars to Saint Louis to enlighten audiences about both the progress and challenges that arise in today’s public policy arena.
The Show-Me Institute is Missouri’s only free-market-focused think tank, a publicly supported, 501(c)3 charitable organization. The institute conducts research and educational outreach dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Missouri by advancing sensible, well-researched solutions to state and local policy issues.
Founded in 1910, Saint Louis University’s John Cook School of Business is the oldest business school west of the Mississippi and the 15th-oldest business school in the nation. The school’s instructional activities seek to support the development of its students by means of selected disciplines that cultivate critical thinking, analytical skills, written and oral communication skills, and leadership. Concentrations in these disciplines are administered by the school’s seven departments and more than 60 faculty members engaged in teaching and research. For more information, visit www.slu.edu/business.xml.
