The Rhodes Center Podcast with Mark Blyth

On this episode Mark talks with economist Pavlina Tcherneva about a policy proposal that’s bubbling under in the US policy debate: the creation of a federal jobs guarantee. Pavlina is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Bard College and author of 'The Case for a Job Guarantee.' As Pavlina describes it, a federal jobs guarantee isn’t just a good idea; in the face of our economic, environmental, and epidemiological crises, it may be a necessary one. You can watch her virtual visit to the Rhodes Center here. You can learn more about and purchase her book here.

On this episode Mark talks with Thea Riofrancos. Thea is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Providence College, and author of two essential reads on the challenges facing global left movements today: 'Resource Radicals: From Petro-Nationalism to Post-Extractivism in Ecuador' and 'A Planet to Win: Why We Need a Green New Deal.' Mark and Thea discuss why the Left in Ecuador fractured under the progressive Correa government starting in 2007, and the role resource extraction played in those divisions. As Riofrancos explains, this intra-left conflict isn’t just about political strategy or economic inclinations -- it’s also about competing visions of modernity, and it has lessons for progressive movements around the world.You can learn more about 'Resource Radicals' and 'A Planet to Win' here and here.You can learn more about the Watson Institute’s full network of podcasts here.

On this episode Mark talks with Luke Messac, physician, historian, and author of ‘No More to Spend: Neglect and the Construction of Scarcity in Malawi's History of Health Care.’ They discuss how Malawi’s politics over the last century has - like in many countries - been defined by a rhetoric of scarcity and austerity. As Luke shows though, this scarcity is more often the product of political decisions rather than structural pressures, with devastating consequences for the country’s healthcare system. If you’re interested in how geopolitics and economics affect the health of nations, this is the book (and podcast) for you.You can learn more about and purchase Luke’s book here.

On this episode Mark talks with economist Dan Davies about his book ‘Lying for Money: How Legendary Frauds Reveal the Workings of the World.’ Dan and Mark look at some of the great scams of modern history to explore how fraud works, why it persists, and what it can teach us about modern economies.

On this episode Mark talks with political economist Brett Christophers. Brett’s a Professor at Uppsala University, and author of ‘Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?’. In the book, Brett explains how neoliberalism and financialization have led to an explosion of rent-seeking businesses in a variety of sectors, from natural resource extraction and finance, to tech and hospitality. And while it allows some companies to thrive, Brett argues that mostly it stifles innovation, hurts competition, and defangs what’s left of organized labor. In Brett’s view, this new model of capitalism is one of the key economics challenges we face. After reading his book, you might agree. You can learn more about and purchase Brett Christopher's book here: [https://www.versobooks.com/books/3683-rentier-capitalism] You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/16-3YA3_gQpvbt29ESkZJGe5nuDtOHzEL/view?usp=sharing]

In this episode Mark talks with Boston University Professor Vivien Schmidt. Schmidt is an expert in the political economy of the European Union, and one of the keenest analysts of its institutions. Her new book, ‘Europe’s Crisis of Legitimacy: Governing by Rules and Ruling by Numbers in the Eurozone (2019),’ asks questions that each year grow more pressing. Why does the EU seem to have a constant legitimacy problem within its own membership, and what does this persistent legitimacy gap mean for Europe and the world? You can learn more about and purchase Schmidt's book here: [https://global.oup.com/academic/product/europes-crisis-of-legitimacy-9780198797067?cc=us&lang=en&] You can find a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/19GIO_qZSfKlq_ityoMfO5_Bt_H8Cfw7r/view?usp=sharing]

On this episode Mark talks with Stephanie Kelton, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Stony Brook University and author of 'The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People's Economy'. Kelton is one of the leading experts on modern monetary theory (MMT), a view of macroeconomics that upends many long-held assumptions about federal government spending. Mark and Stephanie start by unpacking a key tenet of MMT: when it comes to spending, debt, and savings, governments are NOTHING like households. But as you'll hear, that's only the tip of the MMT iceberg. You can learn more about and purchase Stephanie Kelton's book here: [https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/stephanie-kelton/the-deficit-myth/9781541736184/] You can read or download a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Th_TsKlZLpDPl7pznRz-_G5HPVuVe-b/view?usp=sharing]

On this episode Mark talks with Martin Sandbu, a journalist at the Financial Times and author of 'The Economics of Belonging.' In addition to having a great title, the book provides a penetrating explanation for why so many people have come to feel so left behind in wealthy Western countries. Mark and Martin discuss the role economics plays in this discontent, and look at how radical economic policy could help not just boost national GDP's and employment rates in the West, but renew a widespread sense of citizenship and belonging. You can read or download a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zj_lSC-q7JOXG2lqkeNQWqL_Comg83Az/view?usp=sharing] You can learn more about and purchase Martin's book here: [https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691204529/the-economics-of-belonging]

On this episode Mark talks with Jonathan Hopkin, author of 'Anti-System Politics: The Crisis of Market Liberalism in Rich Democracies.' Unlike most analyses of populism and the breakdown of party systems, Hopkin argues that the way countries' have governed their markets in the last 30 years has shaped not just the rise of populism, but a form of politics opposed to market liberalism that spans the ideological spectrum.  You can read or download a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/12E8x0QEsi0PR7RbUPs9ysl7DXrthCEht/view?usp=sharing] You can learn more about and purchase John Hopkin's book here: [https://www.amazon.com/Anti-System-Politics-Crisis-Liberalism-Democracies/dp/0190699760]

On this episode Mark talks with Alex Cooley and Dan Nexon, authors of 'Exit from Hegemony: The Unraveling of the American Global Order.' Scholars and pundits have been predicting the US's decline as the singular world power since at least the 1970s. Now, with President Trump's isolationist, nativist politics, many are saying this decline has finally arrived. Cooley and Nexon agree that the US's exit from hegemony has begun -- but as they explain, it started long before Trump's inauguration. You can learn more about and purchase they book here: [https://global.oup.com/academic/product/exit-from-hegemony-9780190916473?cc=us&lang=en&]