Fred L. Block

Who is Fred L. Block?

Fred L. Block is an American sociologist, and Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Davis. Block is widely regarded as one the world’s leading economic and political sociologists. His interests are wide ranging. He has been noted as an influential follower of Karl Polanyi.

Block has served on the Board of the Karl Polanyi Institute of Political Economy since 1989 and was a Distinguished Scientific Visitor to the Republic of China in 1995. He has also written for The Nation, The American Prospect, In These Times, Commonweal, Boston Review, and Tikkun.

Block formerly taught at the University of Pennsylvania. He is married to Carole Joffe, a sociologist, author and activist for women's reproductive rights. They have two children.