Looking from the early 2000s, the rise in international trade and financial flows seemed almost inexorable. Yet, political opposition to greater integration grew significantly over the past decade. This opposition intensified with the pandemic, which led people to question how dependent they should be on other countries for supplies of essential goods. What does this growing opposition portend for the future of globalization? And how does it play out in the political sphere in the U.S. and in other countries? To discuss these issues, EconoFact Chats welcomes back Jeffry Frieden of Harvard University.  Jeff is a Professor and Chair of the Government Department at Harvard University.

China's economic rise -- which brought hundreds of millions of its citizens out of poverty, and drove about one quarter of global GDP growth over the past two decades, has been among the most consequential events of the past century. However, like many countries, China's economy today faces deep challenges. To discuss some of these challenges, as well as the drivers of China’s growth over the past decades, EconoFact Chats welcomes back Eswar Prasad of Cornell University. Eswar is the Tolani Senior Professor of Trade Policy at Cornell University and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

The Pew Research Center reports that the U.S. public now views inflation as the top problem facing the country, by a wide margin. It's not hard to see why. After decades of low and stable inflation, the U.S. economy is witnessing a rate of price increase unseen since the 1970s and 80s. Why is inflation so high? Who does it hurt most? And what are the prospects for it coming down? Karen Dynan of Harvard University joins EconoFact Chats to discuss some of these questions. Karen is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Economics at Harvard University. She previously served as Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The S&P 500 index more than doubled between March 2020 and the end of 2021. It has recorded steady losses since then, falling by about 15% as of June 2022 . What determines stock prices? Were stock prices too high before 2022? Are they too low now? More generally, how do we gauge whether stock prices are too low or too high? Eric Zitzewitz of Dartmouth College joins EconoFact Chats to discuss these questions. Eric is Professor of Economics at Dartmouth. His expertise is in industrial organization and agency issues in the financial and informational industries.

The United States currently generates 20% of its energy supply from nuclear power; a figure that has been remarkably stable for decades. As the U.S. moves towards a carbon-free energy future, what role is nuclear power likely to play? What are the risks associated with fission power generation and waste storage? To discuss these issues, EconoFact Chats welcomes back Gilbert Metcalf. Gib is a Professor of Economics at Tufts University. His latest book is Paying for Pollution: Why a Carbon Tax is Good for America.

Intervention by the United States government helped the rapid development and large scale production of three COVID-19 vaccines. What were the economic, legal, and political challenges of developing and distributing vaccines in the face of an emerging deadly pandemic? How were these challenges addressed? And what were the successes and shortcomings of these policies? To discuss these issues, EconoFact Chats welcomes back Chad Bown of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Chad is the Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, D.C., and the host of the podcast Trade Talks that focuses on international trade and its attendant policies.

Some statistics indicate that the U.S. economy is thriving. Payroll employment rose by nearly 430,000 in March. Unemployment is at 3.6%. Consumer spending and business investment grew strongly in the first quarter of this year. But other statistics are concerning. GDP declined 1.4% in the first quarter of 2022. Inflation is at a 40 year high. Additionally, tighter fiscal and monetary policy, higher gasoline prices, and the broader economic impacts of Russia's invasion of Ukraine could all weigh heavily on growth. To understand the myriad factors affecting the outlook of the U.S. economy, EconoFact Chats welcomes back a panel of distinguished economic journalists -- Binyamin Appelbaum of the New York Times, Scott Horsley of NPR, Greg Ip of the Wall Street Journal, and Heather Long of the Washington Post.

The year ending July 1st, 2021 marked the slowest rate of population growth in the history of the United States, with the natural increase -- the number of births minus deaths -- at 148,000; one-tenth the typical value a decade before. Much of the slowdown stems from the low birth rate. As of 2020 the U.S. birth rate was 55.8 births per 1000 women of childbearing age; a decline of almost 20% from 2007. What's driving this decline? Melissa Kearney at the University of Maryland discusses her findings on this week's episode of EconoFact Chats. Melissa is the Neil Moskowitz Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is also the Director of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group, and a Senior Editor at the Future of Children.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the dollar was as “good as gold” – until it wasn’t. The dollar no longer served as the centerpiece of the world’s fixed exchange rate arrangement when the Bretton Woods system broke apart in the early 1970s. But the dollar has remained, to this day, the dominant currency for international trade and global finance. What advantages does the United States enjoy because of the special role of the dollar? Are other currencies, like the Euro or the Renminbi, or even cryptocurrencies, likely to replace the dollar’s hegemonic position? Megan Greene discusses this topic which has important implications for the United States economy as well as the stability of the world monetary system. Megan is a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard Kennedy School, and is also the first Dame DeAnne Julius Senior Fellow in International Economics at Chatham House, UK.

College costs are far from straightforward. For the vast majority of students attending four-year private colleges, the amount they pay is not the sticker price. Rather, colleges offer many different types of financial aid. But it's hard for families to figure out beforehand how much aid they're likely to receive. What are the problems that arise from the opacity of college costs for families? And for colleges and universities? What are some reasonable plans to make college more affordable? Phillip Levine joins EconoFact Chats to discuss these issues. Phil is the Katharine Coman and A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics at Wellesley College.