EconTalk
Russ Roberts
EconTalk: Conversations for the Curious is an award-winning weekly podcast hosted by Russ Roberts of Shalem College in Jerusalem and Stanford's Hoover Institution. The eclectic guest list includes authors, doctors, psychologists, historians, philosophers, economists, and more. Learn how the health care system really works, the serenity that comes from humility, the challenge of interpreting data, how potato chips are made, what it's like to run an upscale Manhattan restaurant, what caused the 2008 financial crisis, the nature of consciousness, the conflicts and history of the Middle East, and more. EconTalk has been taking the Monday out of Mondays since 2006. All 1000+ episodes are available in the archive. Go to EconTalk.org for transcripts, related resources, and comments.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 14, 2016 • 1h 13min
David Autor on Trade, China, and U.S. Labor Markets
David Autor of MIT talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the fundamentals of trade and his research on the impact on workers and communities from trade with China. Autor's research finds large and persistent effects on manufacturing jobs and communities where those jobs once were. Autor and Roberts discuss whether these results capture the full impact of increased trade with China and what the policy response might be that could help workers hurt by trade.
Mar 7, 2016 • 1h 7min
Will Davies on the Economics, Economists, and the Limits of Neoliberalism
Will Davies of Goldsmith's, University of London and author of The Limits of Neoliberalism talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the ideas in his book. Davies argues that the free-market vision of economists like Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek has de-romanticized politics and ensconced competition at the heart of our economy and culture. Davies argues for the value of a completely different perspective and pushes for a reduction in the influence and status of economists as policymakers and influencers. Along the way he gives his perspective on the role of economists in the financial crisis and in antitrust policy.
Feb 29, 2016 • 1h 11min
Alison Wolf on Women, Inequality and the XX Factor
Alison Wolf author of The XX Factor, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the changing roles of women in the family and the workplace. Wolf argues that highly educated women are increasingly similar to highly educated men in their lifestyles and choices while becoming very different from less educated women. Wolf traces the origins of these changes and the interaction between economic and cultural factors affecting men, women, the family, and the workplace.
Feb 22, 2016 • 1h 10min
Matt Ridley on the Evolution of Everything
Matt Ridley talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his latest book, The Evolution of Everything. Ridley applies the lens of emergent order to a wide variety of phenomena including culture, morality, religion, commerce, innovation, and consciousness.
Feb 15, 2016 • 1h 5min
Adam Cifu on Ending Medical Reversal
Why do so many medical practices that begin with such promise and confidence turn out to be either ineffective at best or harmful at worst? Adam Cifu of the University of Chicago's School of Medicine and co-author (with Vinayak Prasad) of Ending Medical Reversal explores this question with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Cifu shows that medical reversal--the discovery that prescribed medical practices are ineffective or harmful--is distressingly common. He contrasts the different types of evidence that support or discourage various medical practices and discusses the cultural challenges doctors face in turning away from techniques they have used for many years.
11 snips
Feb 8, 2016 • 1h 2min
Adam Ozimek on the Power of Econometrics and Data
Adam Ozimek, an economist at Moody's Analytics and blogger for Forbes, discusses the evolution of economic thought and the importance of empirical evidence. He highlights stories of economists changing their minds, emphasizing the impact of studies on trade, minimum wage, and fiscal stimulus. Ozimek explains the complexities behind public policies and the unique challenges of trade with low-skill countries. The conversation dives into how narratives and ideology influence economic views, calling for a balance between data and storytelling.
Feb 1, 2016 • 1h 2min
Timothy Taylor on Government vs. Business
Timothy Taylor, blogger at the Conversable Economist and editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the role of government and business in taking care of workers and creating economic growth. Taylor discusses the paradox that the political process seems to expect firms to take care of workers and government to create growth. The conversation then turns to a wide array of related issues including how Wal-Mart treats its workers. The conversation closes with a discussion of Taylor's role as founding editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives.
16 snips
Jan 25, 2016 • 1h 4min
James Heckman on Facts, Evidence, and the State of Econometrics
Nobel Laureate James Heckman shares insights on econometrics and the importance of addressing selection bias for accurate economic measurement. He discusses how labor statistics for minorities can be distorted by incarceration rates and how education shifts affect wage trends for women. Heckman critiques randomized control trials, emphasizing that while they can reduce bias, they also obscure economic interpretations. He highlights the necessity of incorporating economic theory into data analysis, advocating for humility in the face of complex empirical findings.
Jan 18, 2016 • 1h 3min
Josh Luber on Sneakers, Sneakerheads, and the Second-hand Market
How many pairs of sneakers do you own? Josh Luber of Campless and StockX talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the world of sneakerheads--people passionate for collecting and trading sneakers. Each week people line up to buy classic sneaker models Nike re-releases. Luber has collected millions of transactions from Ebay on these sneakers and others and has analyzed the return to investing in various sneaker models. The conversation includes a discussion of how Nike has helped to create this market and Luber's work creating a stock market for sneakers and other goods.
Jan 11, 2016 • 1h 6min
Greg Ip on Foolproof
When does the pursuit of safety lead us into danger? Greg Ip, of the Wall Street Journal and author of Foolproof talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the ideas in his book--the way we publicly and privately try to cope with risk and danger and how those choices can create unintended consequences. While much of the conversation focuses on the financial crisis of 2008, there are also discussions of football injuries, damage from natural disasters such as hurricanes, car accidents, and Herbert Hoover. Along the way, Herman Melville's insights into the mesmerizing nature of water make an appearance.
