

LSE IQ podcast
London School of Economics and Political Science
LSE IQ is a monthly podcast from the London School of Economics and Political Science in which we ask some of the smartest social scientists - and other experts - to answer intelligent questions about economics, politics or society. #LSEIQ
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 1, 2024 • 34min
What’s it like to win a Nobel Prize?
Contributor(s): Professor Esther Duflo, Elizabeth Lewis Channon, Khari Motayne, Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides | While there are always rumours about who might win a Nobel Prize every year, there is no short list for the globally revered academic awards. This means that winning one always comes as a complete surprise. In this episode of LSE iQ, we explore what it’s like to win the prestigious prize and how it changes your life.
The Nobel Prizes were established in 1900 at the behest of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish Chemist, Inventor and Industrialist, known in particular for his invention of dynamite. In his will he stated that his fortune was to be used to reward those who have made the most significant contributions to humanity. The prizes would recognise achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. The prize for economics would come much later in 1968. The prizes are awarded in October every year.
Sue Windebank and Charlotte Kelloway talk to two Nobel Laureates, Professor Esther Duflo and Sir Christopher Pissarides, as well as to the family of the first black person to win the Nobel Prize in Economics, Sir Arthur Lewis.
Contributors
Professor Esther Duflo
Elizabeth Lewis Channon
Khari Motayne
Sir Christopher Pissarides
Research
Professor Esther Duflo published papers
Sir Christopher Pissarides published papers
Economic Development with Unlimited Supplies of Labour , Manchester School, by Sir W. Arthur Lewis
The theory of economic growth, University Books, by Sir W. Arthur Lewis
We’re keen to find out more about our audience so we can better tailor our content to suit your interests. With this in mind, we would be grateful if you could please take the time to fill out this short survey and share your feedback.

Sep 3, 2024 • 29min
How can we solve the gender pay gap?
Contributor(s): Nina Rousille, Camille Landais, Jane Garvey | This episode of LSE iQ explores whether gender pay gap reporting, pay transparency and tackling gender norms can reduce the gender pay gap.
On average across the globe, for every pound earned by a man, a woman earns around 80 pence, according to a 2023 report from the United Nations.
But despite huge advances in access to education, the labour market, and the introduction of the UK Equality Act of 2010, which guarantees equal pay for men and women doing equal work, those figures have pretty much remained the same for the past two decades. Still, the gender pay gap - the difference between the average earnings of men and women - endures. So, how can we solve it?
Anna Bevan talks to broadcaster Jane Garvey about the impact of gender pay gap reporting and what happened to her after the BBC was forced to publish its gender pay gap report.
She also speaks to Nina Rousille, the Executive Director of LSE’s Hub for Equal Representation and Assistant Professor of Economics at MIT, about the role of the Ask Gap and pay transparency, and Camille Landais, Professor of Economics at LSE about the Child Penalty.
Research
The Role of the Ask Gap in Gender Pay Inequality by Nina Rousille
The Child Penalty by Camille Landais, Henrik Kleven and Gabriel Leite-Mariante, also displayed here
Who has the power to address the child penalty globally? LSE Festival online exhibition
LSE iQ is a university podcast by the London School of Economics and Political Science.
We’re keen to find out more about our audience so we can better tailor our content to suit your interests. With this in mind, we would be grateful if you could please take the time to fill out this short survey and share your feedback.

May 21, 2024 • 35min
Will the US remain the world’s superpower?
Featuring Elizabeth Ingleson, who analyzes America's global status, John Van Reenen, who critiques the mythologization of the U.S., and Ashley Tellis, who examines the concept of America's fading power. They discuss the narrative of America's decline and the implications of its shifting position as a superpower. The conversation touches on economic foundations, the challenge posed by China, shifts in foreign policy, and the urgency of rethinking priorities to address the climate crisis, emphasizing the intertwined nature of global dynamics.

Apr 9, 2024 • 19min
China, war and the civilizational state
Professor Christopher Coker discusses the rise of civilizational states, potential US-China conflict, and China's approach to values. They explore military aspects of China's Belt and Road Initiative and speculate on future global power dynamics.

Mar 5, 2024 • 0sec
Are we on the verge of a weight-loss revolution?
Contributor(s): Nikki Sullivan, Paul Frijters, Sarah Appleton, Helen | Joanna Bale talks to Helen, who found Ozempic ‘life-changing’, Clinical Psychologist Sarah Appleton, and LSE’s Nikki Sullivan & Paul Frijters.
LSE iQ is a university podcast by the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Feb 6, 2024 • 10min
Why do so many people mistakenly think they are working class? | Extra iQ
Professor Sam Friedman, a sociologist, discusses why many middle-class individuals in the UK mistakenly identify as working class. Topics explore the challenges faced by working-class individuals in elite occupations, the fluidity of class identity, and the nuances of social perceptions and privilege.

Dec 12, 2023 • 27min
How can we tackle loneliness?
Contributor(s): Heather Kappes, David McDaid, Molly Taylor | According to the Office for National Statistics, 7.1 per cent of adults in Great Britain - nearly 4 million people - say they 'often or always' feel lonely. Look around you when you’re in a crowded place – a supermarket or an office - 1 in 14 of the people you’re looking at are likely to be lonely, not just sometimes but most of the time.
And that’s half a million more people saying that they feel chronically lonely in 2023 than there were in 2020 – suggesting that the pandemic has had some enduring impacts in this respect.
Sue Windebank talks to a young person who responded to her own deep feelings of loneliness by campaigning to help others. She hears how people can be influenced to feel more or less lonely – at least for a short time. And she got a surprising insight into which group of people are the loneliest.
Sue talks to: Heather Kappes, Associate Professor of Management at LSE; David McDaid Associate Professorial Research Fellow in the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre at LSE; and Molly Taylor, Loneliness Activist, Founder of #AloneNoMore.
LSE iQ is a university podcast by the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Nov 7, 2023 • 29min
Can we change the world?
Contributor(s): Faiza Shaheen, Duncan Green, Dr Jens Madsen | Experts will discuss how change isn't as straightforward as we'd like it to be – How it can be all in the timing and that, at times, you just need to wait for the right moment to make change happen. We’ll hear from an academic striving to become a Member of Parliament and make change from within the political system, rather than by lobbying from the outside. And an author and strategic advisor to Oxfam will explain how change is built around communities and groups of people rather than the individual.
Mike Wilkerson talks to: Faiza Shaheen, an author and a Labour candidate running to become an MP; Dr. Jens Madsen an Assistant Professor at LSE’s Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science; and Dr. Duncan Green a Professor in Practice and Senior Strategic advisor to Oxfam.
Contributors
Faiza Shaheen
Duncan Green
Jens Madsen
Research
How change Happens: Duncan Green

Oct 3, 2023 • 31min
What’s it like to be criminalised for being gay?
LSE's Dr Ryan Centner, James, a British gay man, and Jamal, an Emirati gay man, discuss the creation of covert communities for gay men in Dubai, the criminalization of homosexuality, and their experiences of living in Dubai. They highlight the fear, danger, and struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in a society where being gay is illegal, as well as the improvements and vulnerability for western gay men. The emotional impact of living in the closet and the desire to live authentically are also explored. Insights on the global state of LGBTQ rights are provided.

Sep 7, 2023 • 30min
Is AI coming for our jobs?
Professors Sir Christopher Pissarides and Charlie Beckett, along with Dr. Giulia Gentile, discuss the potential effects of AI on professions like journalism and the labor market. They explore the use of AI in teaching, healthcare, and legal fields, raising the question of AI replacing human judges. The speakers also touch upon the need for regulations in the fast-developing field of AI and express concerns about job displacement and worsening income distribution. They emphasize the importance of digital training, adaptability, and embracing AI technology for a future of innovation.


