Cass R. Sunstein
Robert Walmsley University Professor
Cass R. Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard, the most senior position in the university. He is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. He served as Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs from 2009 to 2012. His book Nudge, co-authored with Nobel laureate Richard Thaler, has influenced government policy worldwide. He received the Holberg Prize in 2018.
Teaching Style
Professor Sunstein is an extraordinarily prolific and accessible teacher who blends behavioral economics with legal analysis. He uses a conversational Socratic style, cold-calling students but maintaining an approachable tone that encourages open dialogue. His classes are fast-moving and idea-rich, often introducing novel frameworks for thinking about regulation, rights, and decision-making. Expect to engage with interdisciplinary insights from psychology and economics.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Understand the basics of behavioral economics -- concepts like bounded rationality, heuristics, and choice architecture
- 2Be prepared to discuss cost-benefit analysis and its role in regulatory decision-making
- 3Know the major administrative law doctrines, especially Chevron deference and its evolution
- 4Read Sunstein's recent articles and blog posts to understand his current thinking on regulatory issues
Areas of Expertise
Education
- A.B., Harvard College
- J.D., Harvard Law School
Notable Publications
- Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness (with Richard Thaler)
- The Cost-Benefit Revolution
- Republic.com
Research Interests
More Professors at Harvard Law School
Constitutional Law, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Supreme Court Advocacy
Constitutional Law, Law and Religion, International and Comparative Law, First Amendment
Environmental Law, Administrative Law, Energy Law and Policy, Climate Change Law
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Mass Incarceration
Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Legislation, National Security Law
American Legal History, Constitutional Law, Property