Dean Stansel

Bio

Dean Stansel is a research associate professor at the O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom.  Before entering academia, Stansel worked for seven years at the Cato Institute, a public policy research organization in Washington, D.C., where he produced over 60 publications on fiscal policy issues.  He is primary author of the Economic Freedom of North America annual report, which provides an economic freedom index for states and provinces in North America, and sole author of an economic freedom index for U.S. metropolitan areas.  Stansel’s academic publications have appeared in the Journal of Urban Economics, Public Finance Review, Journal of Housing ## Research, Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Review of Law and Economics, and Cato Journal, among others, and has been cited in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  His op-eds have appeared in Investor’s Business Daily, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and many other local newspapers.  Stansel earned his PhD and MA in economics from George Mason University and his BA in economics (with honors) and politics from Wake Forest University.

Research

Economic Freedom
Public Economics/Public Finance
Urban Economics

Recent publications

Stansel, D. and M.P. Tuszynski. forthcoming (2018). “Targeted State Economic Development Incentives and Entrepreneurship.” Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy.

Stansel, D. and M.P. Tuszynski. forthcoming (2018). "Sub-National Economic Freedom: A Review and Analysis of the Literature." Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy.

Stansel, D., J. Torra, and F. McMahon. 2017. Economic Freedom of North America 2017. Vancouver: Fraser Institute.

Stansel, D., J. Torra, and F. McMahon. 2016. Economic Freedom of North America 2016. Vancouver: Fraser Institute.

Stansel, D. and C. Wong. (2016). "An Exploratory Note on the Relationship Between Labor Market Freedom and the Female Labor Force Participation Rate in US Metropolitan Areas." Empirical Economics Letters .

Mitchell, D. and D. Stansel. (2016). "The Determinants of the Severity of State Fiscal Crises." Public Budgeting and Finance. 

Kerekes, C. and D. Stansel. (2016). “Takings and Tax Revenue: Fiscal Impacts of Eminent Domain.” Review of Law & Economics.

Stansel, D., J. Torra, and F. McMahon. 2015. Economic Freedom of North America 2015. Vancouver: Fraser Institute.

Hall, J., K. Harger, and D. Stansel. 2015. “Economic Freedom and Recidivism: Evidence from U.S. States.” International Advances in Economic ## Research 21(2): 155-65.

Stansel, D. 2013. “An Economic Freedom Index for U.S. Metropolitan Areas.” Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy 43(1): 3-20.

Yeoh, M. and D. Stansel. 2013. “Is Public Expenditure Productive? Evidence from the Manufacturing Sector in U.S. Cities, 1880-1920.” Cato Journal 33(1): 1-28.

Teaching

Currently, Stansel''s primary focus is on research, but previously he has enjoyed teaching courses in microeconomics, public economics/public finance, and urban economics.