Core faculty

Robert Axelrod

Walgreen Professor for the Study of Human Understanding

Robert Axelrod is the Walgreen Professor for the Study of Human Understanding at the University of Michigan. He has appointments in the Department of Political Science and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. His books include "The Evolution of Cooperation," "The Complexity of Cooperation," and "Harnessing Complexity" (with Michael D. Cohen).

Axelrod's recent work focuses on how people (especially political elites) make sense out of novel situations. He draws on a wide range of disciplines, including evolutionary biology, psychology, and artificial intelligence. He also has long term interests in international security affairs including cyber issues and Middle East politics.

Axelrod is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and was a MacArthur Prize Fellow. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and received his PhD from Yale University. For more information, including a curriculum vitae and access to selected research papers, see Robert Axelrod's personal home page.