Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer Swiftynomics: Who’s Afraid of Women’s Economic Power? (with Misty Heggeness)
Mar 17, 2026
Misty Heggeness, an economist and author of Swiftynomics, uses Taylor Swift and pop culture to reveal how women's unpaid care and cultural power are invisible in standard economic models. She discusses why culture should count, how models exclude women, and policy ideas like measuring care and expanding childcare. Short, provocative, and focused on rethinking what economics actually counts.
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Economics Omits Women's Work And Cultural Power
- Economics routinely omits women's unpaid labor and cultural contributions from core models.
- Misty Heggeness uses Taylor Swift as a lens to reveal how data and models miss women's measurable economic power and cultural innovation.
Culture Is An Engine Of Innovation And Demand
- Art and culture drive innovation and shape social expectations that influence economic behavior.
- Misty argues culture informs rank, networks, and demand, so excluding it leaves models blind to major economic dynamics.
Choose Model Content Before You Math It Up
- Stop privileging math over thoughtful model design; decide what belongs in a model before formalizing it mathematically.
- Misty teaches an upper-level course with no math to force students to think about which factors belong in models.
