The launch of Hoover’s Task Force on Property Rights, Freedom, and Prosperity was on October 30, 2008. At a dinner, Tad and Dianne Taube Director John Raisian introduced task force members Terry Anderson (co-chair), Gary Libecap (co-chair), Richard Epstein, Stephen Haber, James Huffman, Scott Kieff, Jonathan Macey, James Robinson, and Henry Smith.

The Task Force on Property Rights, Freedom, and Prosperity aims to investigate the philosophical, historical, legal, and economic foundations of property rights through scholarship and collaborative research among an interdisciplinary group of scholars that includes economists and legal experts. Together, this team will explore the issue of property rights in a contemporary context. Members will examine how secure property rights help foster economic development, encourage natural resource stewardship, advance investment in intellectual and physical capital, and encourage sound business practices while promoting liberty and individual responsibility.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Comparative Civics: Beyond Western Civ
The Alliance for Civics in the Academy hosts "Comparative Civics: Beyond Western Civ" with Dongxian Jiang, Shadi Bartsch, Simon Sihang Luo, and Peter… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Immigration Conference 2026
Immigration Policy and the Economics of Innovation
This conference will explore the critical intersection of immigration policy and technological innovation in the United States, with a particular…
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Kay Udea leading a discussion during the Second international workshop on Japanese diaspora 2022
Fourth International Workshop on Japanese Diaspora
The call for papers is now open. Submissions are due May 18, 2026. Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
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