Economist Roland Fryer discusses discrimination, disparity, and measuring intangible skills in labor markets and education. They share personal anecdotes about dining preferences and racial discrimination, reflect on the influence of their grandmother, and explore game theory and statistical discrimination. The challenges of accurately measuring discrimination, overstating research findings, and addressing bias in hiring practices are also discussed.

Harvard Professor Roland Fryer challenges common beliefs on racial bias in police interactions, facing backlash for presenting data revealing no racial differences in lethal force. The discussion shifts to solutions for reducing bias and improving community-police relations, emphasizing the importance of truth-seeking in academia despite challenges.

The good news about educational reform, says Harvard economist Roland Fryer, is that we know what it takes to turn a school around. The bad news is that it's hard work--and implementing it won't win you any popularity contests. Listen as the MacArthur Genius Award Winner and John Bates Clark medalist speaks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about how pizza parties revealed the potential of incentives to improve students' test scores, and why he's far more concerned about closing the racial achievement gap than keeping the love of learning pure. He also discusses the five best practices of successful schools, and why it's his failures far more than his successes that keep him in this fight.

Roland Fryer, a controversial Harvard economist, discusses his challenging journey through academia, including his suspension and the complexities of diversity initiatives. He dives into police practices and educational strategies, emphasizing the need for data-driven approaches to understand racial disparities. Fryer advocates for the empowerment of Black identity through education, while exploring how behavioral economics can influence aspirations in marginalized communities. He also examines the balance between incentive programs and genuine learning in schools.

The controversial Harvard economist, recently back from a suspension, “broke a lot of glass early in my career,” he says. His research on school incentives and police brutality won him acclaim — but also enemies. Now he’s taking a hard look at corporate diversity programs. The common thread in his work? “I refuse to not tell the truth.”