Charles M. North

Professional Summary

Charles North is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University. He has been a member of the department since completing his PhD at the University of Texas. Prior to earning his doctorate in economics, North had graduated from Duke University School of Law and practiced law in Dallas for four years. As a result, most of North’s research links economics and law in some way. For example, he has studied the effects of government restrictions on religious practice, as well as the potential link between religion and the rule of law at the country level. He is currently working with colleagues at Baylor and elsewhere to study criminal justice issues using experimental economics tools.

North currently teaches introductory economics to students in the Business Fellows and University Scholars programs. He also teaches an upper-level elective in Law and Economics. Over his time at Baylor, North has taught microeconomic theory at the principles, intermediate, and graduate levels, as well as courses in game theory, labor economics, and the economics of religion. He serves as an associate director of the Baylor Business Fellows program, and he also served as chair of the Department of Economics from 2015 to 2021.

Education

• 1999 – PhD, Economics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
• 1997 – MS, Economics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
• 1990 – JD, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
• 1987 – MBA, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
• 1986 – BA, Business Administration, Baylor University, Waco, Texas

Courses

• ECO 1380 – Introduction to Economic Policy and Analysis
• ECO 4318 – Law and Economics

Research Interests

• Economics of Religion
• Law & Economics
• Applied Microeconomics

Selected Publications

• Aimone, J. A., North, C. M., & Rentschler, L. (2019). Priming the jury by asking for donations: An empirical and experimental study. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 160, 158-67.
• North, C. M., Orman, W. H., & Gwin, C. R. (2013). Religion, corruption, and the rule of law. Journal of Money, Credit & Banking, 45(5), 757-79.
• North, C. M., Garven, J. R., & Gwin, C. R. (2012). Rainfall or rainmaking?  Lawyers, courts, and the price of mold insurance in Texas. Journal of Risk and Insurance, 79(3), 817-39.
• Ewing, B. T., North, C. M., & Taylor, B. A. (2005). The employment effects of a “good cause” discharge standard in Montana. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 59(1), 17-33.
• North, C. M., & Gwin, C. R. (2004). Religious freedom and the unintended consequences of the establishment of religion. Southern Economic Journal, 71(1), 103-17.