Viviana Zelizer

Viviana Zelizer is a prominent American sociologist, born in 1946. She currently holds the position of Lloyd Cotsen '50 Professor of Sociology at Princeton University, where she specializes in economic sociology. Her research focuses on how cultural and moral meanings are assigned to economic activities, exploring the intersection of the sacred and the economy.

Zelizer's work examines the economic valuation of intimate and sacred aspects of life, including life insurance settlements and financial transactions within personal relationships. Her contributions to the field have been recognized through various honors. She was elected to the PEN American Center in 2006, and the following year, she became a member of both the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, solidifying her reputation as a leading scholar in her field.