Mountain West Economic History Conference Returns to Logan This Weekend

On Friday and Saturday, Huntsman Hall will welcome leading scholars from around the world for the annual Mountain West Economic History Conference at Utah State University.

Founded in 2019 by Matthew Jaremski, F. Ross Peterson Professor of Economic History in the Department of Economics and Finance, and Craig Palsson, associate professor of economics in the Department of Economics and Finance in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, the conference was created to bring top researchers to Logan for a focused day and a half of presentations and discussion.

“Our aim was to foster substantive discussions on significant topics in economic history and to cultivate lasting professional relationships among researchers,” Jaremski said.

Since its launch, the conference has brought more than 100 scholars to campus. Many papers first presented in Logan have gone on to be published in leading economics journals.

“Craig and I are constantly amazed at how many high-quality submissions we receive and the overwhelming support the conference has gotten from the field,” Jaremski said. “For instance, over the years, we have brought over 100 scholars to campus, and many of the papers presented have been published in the very best economics journals. It has also been a wonderful experience introducing everyone to Logan and creating connections for our students to top programs in economics.”

Hosted in the Perry Pavilion on the fourth floor of Huntsman Hall, this year’s program will feature research spanning centuries and continents. Scholars will present work examining topics such as:

• The impact of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches on voter registration mobilization.
• Knowledge transfer from the temporary employment of Italian prisoners of war in Australia during World War II.
• The effects of Communist Party land reform during the Chinese Civil War on military loyalty.
• Financial networks and the founding of the Federal Reserve.
• The long-term impact of the 1942 Japanese exclusion on U.S. agriculture.

Participants are traveling from institutions including UCLA, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Emory, the University of Michigan, Tsinghua University and many others. Distinguished chairs and representatives from leading universities will guide discussion throughout the conference.

Beyond the research itself, the event strengthens connections between the Huntsman School and the broader academic community. Students have the opportunity to observe high-level scholarship in action, engage with visiting researchers and build relationships that can open doors to top graduate programs in economics.

Registration for this year’s conference is now closed, but organizers look forward to continuing the tradition next year, once again bringing world-class economic scholarship to Logan.