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History of capitalism professor to join ASU faculty


Jonathan Barth
January 08, 2015

Arizona State University's School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies has hired Jonathan Barth as an assistant professor of history of capitalism and political economy.

Barth has been a postdoctoral fellow in history affiliated with the Center for Political Thought and Leadership since August 2014. His manuscript, “Money and Empire in Early America: How Currency Shaped the Seventeenth Century,” explores the relationship between England and its colonies through a currency lens, looking at money as the principal factor in the crisis that led to our nation’s independence.

“Money was not simply a medium of commercial exchange, it was a medium of imperial exchange, and trade and empire cannot be comprehensively understood apart from it,” explains Barth. “My second book will examine the rise of colonial paper money in the eighteenth century.” He earned his doctorate at George Mason University.

Matt Garcia, director of the school, states, “Jon Barth builds on current strengths in our history program. He will be joining faculty who have initiated important research and classes on the topics of money, business and capitalism. His emphasis on early America completes our curricular and research endeavors.”

“Jon’s research and teaching interests fit perfectly into the curriculum we have developed in our undergraduate program focused on political thought,” says Donald Critchlow, director of the center. “This is an exciting appointment for us.”

Barth will join the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies faculty in the fall of 2015.

The School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies is an academic unit of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University.