Murphy-Economics Seminar: Ashley Swanson (Wisconsin-Madison)
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The Murphy Institute Seminar Series in Economics
Each semester The Murphy Institute sponsors a series of seminars organized by the Tulane Department of Economics that provides an opportunity for faculty, researchers, and practitioners to present their latest research and pressing issues related to topics in political economy. Research presented covers all aspects of contemporary economics, including the economics of education, health economics, and public economics, as well as in economic history, international economics, and core areas in political economy. Papers are distributed one week beforehand to the participants who read the paper and prepare discussion questions for the presenter.
Ashley Swanson is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she holds the Douglas W. and Sherry A. Caves Professorship. Swanson's research centers on how built environments shape social dynamics. She explores the intersections of architecture, urban design, and human behavior, often using mapping and storytelling to uncover how space influences marginalized communities. Her current projects focus on community-led design interventions that challenge traditional development narratives. She utilizes her background in both architectural research and creative practice to develop frameworks that help neighborhoods articulate their own histories and future needs. Her work often functions as an archive of urban change, combining rigorous field investigation with visual storytelling to advocate for more equitable and human-centered city planning.
She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and dual A.B. degrees in Economics and Statistics at the University of Chicago.
