Erik Matson is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and deputy director of GMU’s Adam Smith Program. He also serves as an Online Course Lecturer at The King’s College, New York. He has published widely on economic philosophy and the intellectual history of the Scottish Enlightenment.

A collection of his essays on welfare and the philosophy of behavioral paternalism is to be published this year by the Institute for Economic Affairs: New Paternalism Meets Old Wisdom: A Smithian Critique. His other research interests include the role of theology in the history of economic thought. Along with Jordan Ballor, he is producing a multi-volume project on the history of Christian economic thought, under contract with B&H Academic. Erik was awarded the 2022 Novak Award for his research by the Acton Institute.