James Hartley: Visiting professor for the Paul J. Thomas Lecture Series at YSU

James Hartley, professor of economics at Mount Holyoke College, will present “The Moral Economy: Revisiting the Ethics of Wealth Creation” for the 2025 Paul J. Thomas Lecture in Economics. The lecture will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the Williamson College of Business Administration Auditorium at Youngstown State University.

Since the time of Adam Smith, both income and wealth have grown exponentially. Smith, an 18th-century Scottish philosopher and economist, is considered the founder of liberal economics. His work, “The Wealth of Nations” advocated for free trade and limited government interference in markets. Despite the wealth generated by capitalism, there remains significant hostility toward the economic system that created it. Why is this the case? What is capitalism, and why has it both led to prosperity and sparked discontent? Hartley will explore these questions and discuss the moral arguments for and against the market economy.

Hartley is a former department chair at Mount Holyoke College and has expertise in macroeconomic theory, money and banking and economic growth. A California native, he earned his bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. in economics from the University of California. In 2016, he received Mount Holyoke College’s highest teaching award in recognition of his excellence in the classroom.

In addition to his work in economics, Hartley is dedicated to the Great Books tradition. He teaches interdisciplinary courses on topics including philosophy, history and leadership. His courses include “Western Civilization: An Introduction, Leadership and the Liberal Arts,” and “Is Business Moral?,” a course supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. He has also led reading groups and courses on C.S. Lewis and other classic works of the Western canon.

Hartley’s scholarship includes several books, such as “The Representative Agent in Macroeconomics,” “Real Business Cycles: A Reader,” and “Mary Lyon: Documents and Writings.” His research spans economic theory and historical perspectives, and his work has taken him abroad as a Fulbright Fellow. In 2001, he spent six months in Kolkata, India, and in 2006, he returned as a visiting professor at IISWBM, India’s oldest business school, where he lectured and collaborated with scholars across Northeastern India.

Tomi Ovaska, professor of economics at YSU and the Paul J. Thomas Endowed Chair in Economics, will host the lecture. Endowed chairs are faculty positions supported by dedicated funds that enable scholars to pursue advanced research and teaching while fostering community engagement.

The Paul J. Thomas Chair in Economics was established to honor the life of Paul J. Thomas, a distinguished businessman from Niles. Thomas earned his bachelor’s degree from Yale and went on to study at Boston University and Ohio State University. He began his career with Packer Thomas as a CPA in 1939 and later served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he enjoyed a successful business career, holding leadership roles at Packer Thomas Certified Public Accountants, Superior Industries and Easco Corporation.

The Paul J. Thomas Lecture Series is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the M30 Parking Deck on Wick Avenue. For more information, contact Dr. Tomi Ovaska at tpovaska@ysu.edu or 330-941-3084.