Economics

Economics

episodes

Interviews with economists about their new books.

Avner Greif et al., "Two Paths to Prosperity: Culture and Institutions in Europe and China, 1000–2000" (Princeton UP, 2025)

April 2, 2026

Two Paths to Prosperity

Avner Greif, Joel Mokyr, and Guido Tabellini
Hosted by Nicholas Gordon

It’s one of the biggest questions in economic history: How did a richer, more advanced China fall behind Europe? Why was Europe the home of the Indust…

What's Global about Sven Beckert's Capitalism (Paul Kramer, JP)

April 2, 2026

What's Global about Sven Beckert's Capitalism(Paul Kramer, JP)

Sven Beckert

John is joined by the brilliant and affable Paul Kramer of Vanderbilt (The Blood of Government) to discuss Capitalism: A Global History (Penguin, 202…

Kristin Ciupa, "The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market" (Brill, 2026)

March 29, 2026

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela

Kristin Ciupa

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market (Brill, 2026) is the latest book from Dr. Kristin Ciupa, As…

Dovev Lavie, "The Cooperative Economy: A Solution to Societal Grand Challenges" (Routledge, 2023)

March 27, 2026

The Cooperative Economy

Dovev Lavie
Hosted by Alfred Marcus

Societal grand challenges have taken a toll on humanity, which finds itself at a crossroads. The concentration of wealth and economic inequality, the …

Sarah Jaffe, "Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone" (Bold Type Books, 2021)

March 25, 2026

Work Won't Love You Back

Sarah Jaffe
Hosted by Thomas Discenna

In Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone (Bold Type Books, 2021), Sarah Jaffe argues that modern…

Stephen G. Brooks, "The Political Economy of Security" (Princeton UP, 2026)

March 22, 2026

The Political Economy of Security

Stephen G. Brooks

In his new book, The Political Economy of Security (Princeton University Press, 2026), Stephen Brooks provides a systematic empirical and theoretical …

Orsi Husz, "Bankminded: Banks As Intimate Agents of Everyday Life in Welfare State Sweden" (Palgrave MacMillan, 2025)

March 22, 2026

Bankminded

Orsi Husz

In today’s world, it is almost impossible to go through the day without interacting with a bank—whether through a salary payment, a debit card, a cred…

Elizabeth Mitchell Elder, "Company Towns: Industry Power and the Historical Foundations of Public Mistrust" (U Chicago Press, 2026)

March 22, 2026

Company Towns

Elizabeth Mitchell Elder
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

In Company Towns: Industry Power and the Historical Foundations of Public Mistrust (University of Chicago Press, 2026), Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell Elder …

César A. Hidalgo, "The Infinite Alphabet: And the Laws of Knowledge" (Allen Lane, 2026)

March 15, 2026

The Infinite Alphabet

César A. Hidalgo
Hosted by Caleb Zakarin

We all understand that knowledge shapes the fate of business and the growth of nations, but few of us are aware of the principles that govern its moti…

Bryan Caplan's Case Against Education

March 6, 2026

The Case Against Education

Bryan Caplan
Hosted by Caleb Zakarin

Today I’m speaking with economist Bryan Caplan about education and bullshit, with a particular focus on his book, The Case Against Education: Why the …

Claire Provost and Matt Kennard, "Silent Coup: How Corporations Overthrew Democracy" (Bloomsbury, 2023)

March 2, 2026

Silent Coup

Claire Provost and Matt Kennard
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

As European empires crumbled in the 20th century, the power structures that had dominated the world for centuries were up for renegotiation. Yet inste…

Jessi Streib, "The Accidental Equalizer: How Luck Determines Pay After College" (U Chicago Press, 2023)

March 2, 2026

The Accidental Equalizer

Jessi Streib
Hosted by Dave O'Brien

Are jobs fair? In The Accidental Equalizer: How Luck Determines Pay after College (U Chicago Press, 2023), Jessi Streib, an associate Professor of So…

Elliot Dolan-Evans, "Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF, and the Conflict in Ukraine" (Bristol UP, 2025)

February 28, 2026

Making War Safe for Capitalism

Elliot Dolan-Evans
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF, and the Conflict in Ukraine (Bristol UP, 2025) by Dr. Elliot Dolan-Evans examines the impact of W…

Alice Wiemers, "Village Work: Development and Rural Statecraft in Twentieth-Century Ghana" (Ohio UP, 2021)

February 28, 2026

Village Work

Alice Wiemers

Most development histories focus on large-scale projects and multi-year plans. But how would we understand development differently if we chose a diffe…

Josh Milburn, "Food, Justice, and Animals: Feeding the World Respectfully" (Oxford UP, 2023)

February 21, 2026

Food, Justice, and Animals

Josh Milburn
Hosted by Kyle Johannsen
Listen:

How would we eat if animals had rights? A standard assumption is that our food systems would be plant-based. But maybe we should reject this assumptio…

Joe Williams, "Inequality in the Digital Economy: The Case for a Universal Basic Income" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024)

February 21, 2026

Inequality in the Digital Economy

Andrew White
Hosted by Joe Williams

In this episode, Joe Williams speaks with Andrew White about how the digital economy is reshaping inequality, work, and the social contract. Drawing o…

Donald Chew, "The Making of Modern Corporate Finance: A History of the Ideas and How They Help Build the Wealth of Nations" (Columbia Business School Publishing, 2025)

February 18, 2026

The Making of Modern Corporate Finance

Donald Chew
Hosted by Alfred Marcus

In The Making of Modern Corporate Finance: A History of the Ideas and How They Help Build the Wealth of Nations (Columbia Business School Publishing, …

Ruixue Jia et al., "The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China" (Harvard UP, 2025)

February 15, 2026

The Highest Exam

Ruixue Jia and Hongbin Li with Claire Cousineau
Hosted by Peter Lorentzen

The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China (Harvard UP, 2025), provides a detailed, research-driven survey of the gaokao, China's high-stakes colle…

Daniela Stockmann and Ting Luo, "Governing Digital China" (Cambridge UP, 2025)

February 11, 2026

Governing Digital China

Daniela Stockmann and Ting Luo
Hosted by Peter Lorentzen

China's approach to digital governance has gained global influence, often evoking Orwellian 'Big Brother' comparisons. Governing Digital China (Cambri…

Ron Hayduk, "Untangling the Political Roots of Immigration and Inequality in the United States" (Routledge, 2026)

February 10, 2026

Untangling the Political Roots of Immigration and Inequality in the United States

Ron Hayduk
Hosted by Stephen Pimpare

Untangling the Political Roots of Immigration and Inequality in the United States (Routledge, 2026) examines the causes, consequences, and politics of…