Cass Sunstein

Cass Sunstein is an American legal scholar, best-selling author, and one of the world's leading authorities on behavioral economics and law. He is currently the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He was formerly the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration where he was a key figure in shaping policy initiatives.

Sunstein has written dozens of books on a variety of topics such as constitutional law, citizenship, democracy, and animal rights. He is perhaps best known for his formative work on “Nudge” theory, which is the idea that policy makers can use “choice architecture” to nudge people towards better decisions. His best-selling book on this topic, Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness, co-authored with Richard Thaler lays out the principles of “libertarian paternalism." In it, Sunstein and Thaler argue that policy makers and governments can increase rational decision making while still respecting individual autonomy and freedom of choice.

Sunstein is also an acclaimed author and thinker in the area of Constitutional law and legal theory. In his book, Constitutional Law, Sunstein explores fundamental questions of American government, such as judicial review, the powers of government, property rights, and civil liberties. He also addresses issues of emerging legal importance such as affirmative action and privacy. Sunstein's approach to constitutional law is characterized by an unwavering commitment to balancing the need for civil liberties against the pressing demands of the modern state.

In Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech, Sunstein asks how the American government can protect and promote the freedom of expression without endangering democratic principles. He argues that even though free speech is an essential part of democracy, unchecked free speech can, in extreme cases, undermine democracy itself. Sunstein again advocates for a carefully balanced approach to protecting free expression while also promoting a healthy democracy.

Sunstein has also written extensively on the subject of animal rights and what he calls “The Expanding Circle.” In this book he explores the moral implications of human relationships with other animals and whether such relationships might be deserving of certain rights. He argues that our moral circle should be continually expanding to include domestic and wild animals. Sunstein also suggests that animal law should become an increasingly important area of legal inquiry.

Sunstein's work has earned him numerous awards and honors, including the Theodor Adorno Award and the American Political Science Association’s James Madison Award. He has both authored and co-authored dozens of books and essays and his ideas have had a tremendous impact on the development of public policy in the United States and beyond.

In summarizing Sunstein’s work, it is clear that he is a widely acclaimed legal scholar and author who has continually pushed the boundaries of legal theory. His work on Constitutional law, Free Speech, Nudge theory, and animal rights have repeatedly challenged traditional views of the law and helped to shape public policy debates around the world. William N. Eskridge, Jr., a professor of constitutional law calls Sunstein “the greatest American public legal scholar of the 21st century.” Sunstein has proven to be an accomplished and influential thinker of the modern era and his work will surely be remembered and cited for generations.