On the occasion of the EUI Degree Conferring Ceremony 2024, the Department of Economics conferred the EUI Doctor Honoris Causa Degree to Professor Gilat Levy for her exceptional impact on the role of cognitive biases such as correlation neglect and short-term memory, as well as misspecified beliefs in political decision-making and their role in political polarisation and the emergence of populism.
Upon receiving the Doctor Honoris Causa, Levy shared: "This title means a lot. The European University Institute is a phenomenal research and teaching institute and it is dear to my heart. I have visited the Economics Department many times, benefitting from the interdisciplinary nature of the Institute. To receive such a title from such an institution is a great honour. It also allowed me to pause and reflect on my own research, along with that of the whole community, in political economy and microeconomic theory."
On 13 June, prior to the EUI Conferring Ceremony, Professor Levy delivered the Lecture 'Research Waves' at the Department of Economics, followed by an informal session with EUI researchers. The session offered PhD researchers the opportunity to ask Professor Levy questions on academia and research advice.
Gilat Levy is a prominent Economist and Professor at the London School of Economics, specialising in political economy and public economics. Her research focuses on microeconomic theory and political economy, particularly the dynamics of decision-making within political institutions. Professor Levy explores how information dissemination, bounded rationality, and strategic behaviour influence political outcomes such as voting behaviour, social learning, and legislative decision-making.
Furthermore, Professor Levy's significant contribution to the economics of religion and religious organisations, examining the interplay between religious beliefs, economic behaviour, and societal outcomes, has improved our understanding of the role of ideology in decision-making and political progress. Levy's work not only advances theoretical understanding but also offers practical insights into policymaking and constitutional design, making her a leading figure in political economy.
Her research has been published in leading journals in economics, including the Journal of Economics Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the American Economic Review, Econometric, and the Journal of Public Economics.
Gilat Levy has held positions at Princeton University and the Berglas School of Economics at Tel Aviv University. Levy is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and an elected Fellow of the Econometric Society. Previously, she was an editor of The Economic Journal, a member of the board of editors of the American Economic Review, and an associate editor of Theoretical Economics.
Professor Levy completed her Bachelor's Degree at Tel Aviv University and received her PhD from Princeton University, where she was also a Visiting Fellow. She is now a full-time Professor at the London School of Economics.