Mathew Armstrong Frith

Curriculum Vitae, June 2026​
 

Education

2024 — Doctor of Philosophy (Economics), Federation University Australia

• Title: American Protectionist Thought: The Economic Philosophy and Theory of the 19th Century American Protectionists

• Available at: econstor.eu

• Mode: Conventional Thesis

• Supervisors: Jerry Courvisanos; Alex Millmow; Jeremy Smith; John Pullen
   

Both examiners placed it in the top 5% of theses they have examined. Both examiners nominated it for the Dean’s Award of Excellence.
 

Examiner Report Excerpts:

“Frith has written a highly commendable thesis and should be congratulated. The work is thorough, carefully executed, and insightful. It constitutes an important contribution to the history of economic thought, re-examining the American protectionist school of thought... Frith is breaking new ground by showing the American protectionists had a coherent conceptual foundation on which they built a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of the economy... This thesis should stand as the authoritative treatment of the American protectionist school of economic thought.”
— Emeritus Professor Harry Bloch, Curtin University
 

“Frith’s dissertation is an accomplished piece of scholarly research fully justifying the conferral of the title of Doctor of Philosophy on its author... There is no question in my mind that this work meets the standards of relevance and originality expected from a dissertation in the history of economics… The dissertation succeeds in establishing its main claim, namely, that the American Protectionists from the long 19th century constituted a coherent and systematic school of economic thought, which stood its ground alongside other, more well-known traditions of political economy... I could offer no greater praise of this dissertation than to confirm that once we reach the discussion of international trade… all the pieces seem to fall very naturally into place... this provides a powerful vindication of the author’s claim that the protectionists were indeed systematic political economists, rather than mere ideologues.”
— Associate Professor Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, American University of Paris

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2017 — Bachelor of Economics (Honours, Class 1), University of New England, Australia
 

2016 — Bachelor of Economics, University of New England, Australia
 

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Awards and Recognitions
2025 — Terenzio Maccabelli Prize for Best PhD Dissertation on the History of Economic Thought.

Awarded by the Italian Association for the History of Economic Thought (AISPE). Value: €500.00
 

2025 — HES Best Conference Paper by a Young Scholar Award.
Awarded by the History of Economics Society (HES).
 

2024 — HETSA Prize for Best PhD Dissertation on the History of Economic Thought.
Awarded by the History of Economic Thought Society of Australia (HETSA). Value: AU$300.00

 

Academic Employment
10/2024 – present — Level B Lecturer, UNE Business School, University of New England.

 

04/2019 – 09/2024 — Faculty Member (Sessional), UNE Business School, University of New England.

 

Publications

Scholarly Books

Frith, M. A. (2026). America’s Neglected Protectionist Tradition: The Economics That Forged a Nation. London: Anthem Press. (in press) Link

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Scholarly Articles

Under Review

Frith, M. A. (Under peer-review). “Van Buren Denslow and Migratory Theory of Profit.” Journal of the History of Economic Thought.
 

Frith, M. A. (Under peer-review). “The Theory of Tariff Incidence: Alexander Hamilton and his Nineteenth Century Followers.” The European Journal for the History of Economic Thought.
 

Published or In Press

Frith, M. A. (2026). “Alexander Hamilton, Tench Coxe, and the Diversity of Talents: A Neglected Argument in Early American Protectionist Thought.” History of Economics Review. doi.org/10.1080/10370196.2026.2657703
 

Frith, M. A. (2024). “An Outline of ‘American Protectionist Thought: The Economic Philosophy and Theory of the 19th Century American Protectionists.’” History of Economics Review, 89(1), 31–39. doi.org/10.1080/10370196.2024.2435160
 

Scholarly Conference Papers

Frith, M. A. (Accepted). “The Role of Genius in John Rae’s Political Economy.” 2026 History of Economic Thought Society of Australia and Japanese Society for the History of Economic Thought Joint Conference. 28–29 September 2026. Doshisha University.
 

Frith, M. A. (2026). “The Theory of Tariff Incidence: Alexander Hamilton and his Nineteenth Century Followers.” 2026 European Society for the History of Economic Thought and History of Economics Society Joint Conference. 26–29 May. Université Côte d’Azur.
 

Frith, M. A. (2025). “Alexander Hamilton, Tench Coxe, and the Diversity of Talents: A Neglected Argument in Early American Protectionist Thought.” 2025 Winter Institute for the History and Philosophy of Economics, 18–22 December. University of Austin (UATX).
 

Frith, M. A. (2025). “The Theory of Individuality in American Protectionist Thought.” Annual History of Economic Thought Society of Australia Conference. 16–18 July, University of Western Australia.
 

Frith, M. A. (2025). “Van Buren Denslow and the Migratory Theory of Profit.” 52nd Annual History of Economics Society Conference, 28–30 June, University of Richmond.
 

Frith, M. A. (2024). “American Protectionist Thought: A Summary of a Neglected Tradition in the History of Economic Thought.” Annual History of Economic Thought Society of Australia Conference, 26–27 September, Alphacrucis University College.
 

Frith, M. A. (2019). “The Economics of Henry Charles Carey.” Annual History of Economic Thought Society of Australia Conference, 2–4 October, University of Sydney.
 

Presentations, Seminars, and Special Lectures

Frith, M. A. (2025). “Alexander Hamilton, Tench Coxe, and the Diversity of Talents: A Neglected Argument in Early American Protectionist Thought.” UNE Business School Seminar Series, 22 November, University of New England.
 

Frith, M. A. (2025). “Van Buren Denslow and the Migratory Theory of Profit.” UNE Business School Seminar Series, 28 February, University of New England.
 

Frith, M. A. (2024). “The Theory of Individuality in American Protectionist Thought.” UNE Business School Seminar Series, 2 May, University of New England.
 

 Frith, M. A. (2021). “Theories of Diversity and Individuality in Early American Protectionism.” Federation Business School Research Seminar Series, 29 October. Also presented at the Federation University HDR Research Conference, 24 November, Federation University Australia.
 

Frith, M. A. (2019). “The Economics of Henry Charles Carey.” Federation University HDR Research Conference, 25 July, Federation University Australia.

 

Scholarships, Grants, & Funding

2025 — University of Austin (UATX) Winter Institute for the History and Philosophy of Economics Honorarium, December 2025. Value: USD$1,250

2024 — Young Scholar Initiative Funding, Institute for New Economic Thinking. Value: AU$400

2022 — Research Grant (towards the 3-month research trip in the United States), Federation University Australia. Value: AU$4,000

2020–2024 — Research Training Program Stipend, Federation University Australia. Value: AU$28,092 per annum (equivalent to 3 years)

2019–2024 — Research Training Program Fee-Offset Scholarship, Australian Government. Value: AU$21,000 per annum (equivalent to 3 years)

2016 — New Colombo Plan Short Term Mobility Program Scholarship. Value: AU$3,000

 

Teaching Experience

University of New England:

• AGB123/423: Agibusiness: Principles and Issues

• BUS202/502: International Business

• MM324: Organisational Leadership

• MM322/551: Business Ethics, CSR and Sustainability

• ECON101: Introductory Microeconomics

• ECON102: Introductory Macroeconomics

• ECON121/221: Food Security and Environmental Scarcity

• ECON143/243: Australian Economic Institutions and Performance

• ECON144/244: The International Economy

• ECON345: India and China in the Asian Century

• ECON320/420/520: International Political Economy

• AFM524: Entrepreneurship
  
   

Archival Research

05/2022 – 08/2022 — Harvard Special Collections; Harvard Archives; University of Pennsylvania Archives; Kislak Manuscript Centre; Princeton Special Collections; University of Delaware Special Collections; University of Wisconsin Special Collections; Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Massachusetts Historical Society; Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College; Huntington Library; The Hagley Museum and Library, Delaware.
Sponsored by Federation University Australia.

 

Roles, Service, & Other Positions

2025 – present — Secretary, History of Economic Thought Society of Australia (HETSA). Initiatives:

• Created a HETSA LinkedIn account

• Overseeing the creation of a new HETSA website

• Implementing an online payment system for HETSA memberships

2025 — Academic Panel Member for EFMD Accreditation for Bachelor of Business

11/2024 – present — Academic Integrity Officer (Team Lead), UNE Business School

2021–2022 — Treasurer, Earle Page College Senior Common Room

04/2017 – 10/2019 — Student Advisor, UNE Student Support Services

2016 — Academic Mentor for Economics and Business, Earle Page College

2015 — Resident Fellow, Earle Page College

2015 — Debater, Earle Page College Debating Team

2014 — President, UNE Economics and Business Students Society

2014 — Academic Mentor for Economics and Statistics, Earle Page College

2014 — Student Representative, Teaching & Learning Committee, UNE Business School

Late 2013 — Vice-President, UNE Economics and Business Students Society

2013 — Secretary, UNE Economics and Business Students Society

2012 — Prefect, Coonabarabran High School

 

Affiliations & Memberships

• 2013 – present — UNE Economics and Business Students Society

• 2019 – present — History of Economic Thought Society of Australia (HETSA)

• 2022 – present — History of Economics Society (HES)

• 2024 – present — The Economic Society of Australia (ESA)

• 2025 – present — Italian Association for the History of Economic Thought (AISPE)