The Great Antidote

Send us a textGiandomenica Becchio is a professor of economics and the history of economic thought at the University of Torino. Today, she tells us about feminist economics and why it’s an important criticism of neoclassical economics. Without understanding the role of typical gender and family roles, we cannot correctly understand or think about the true division of labor between genders in the workforce and in the home. She talks to us about how to measure these statistics, the history of the field, and the differences between types of feminists. We later discuss how to account for religion or other cultural preference-shaping institutions in measuring what equality looks like. She tells us about her favorite feminist economist, Barbara Birdman. Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textDavid Henderson is a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the editor of the Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. He is also an emeritus professor of economics with the Naval Postgraduate School. Today, we talk about another famous economist who has recently passed, Robert Solow. Henderson tells us about the Solow model, a still relevant model used in macroeconomics relating to economic growth, and we discuss its origin and its flaws. He talks to us about Solow’s career, his reputation, and his attitude (Solow had a career-long grudge against Milton Friedman). Henderson leads us on a multi-media experience, where he reads us quotes from a book containing and interview of Solow about Friedman, and you can listen to it here, on the podcast!Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textDavid Boaz is a distinguished senior fellow of the Cato Institute and for over more than four decades, he was the executive vice president. He has written many books, including The Libertarian Mind and Libertarianism: A Primer. Today, we talk about the historical origins and importance of liberalism and rehash the discussion of what to do about it and the current disillusionment with it. Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textThomas Stratmann is a Distinguished University Professor of economics and law at George Mason University, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Institute, and the creator of the Reservation Economic Freedom Index. Today, we talk about reservations in America and the economic wellbeing of Native Americans. He explains to us how he got interested in reservation economics and the barriers to increased economic wellbeing for Native Americans, also explaining why economic wellbeing is an important metric to focus on. He has great stories about trade and property rights in Native American history, too!Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textKristi Kendall is the director of the documentary Undivide Us, about the toxic polarization in America and practical steps to solving it through deep, face to face conversations in our communities. Today, we talk about the production of the documentary and how to communicate ideas through film. She tells us about how her career led her to directing the documentary and why she did it, all while explaining the roles in the filmmaking industry to us. Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textAlice Temnick teaches IB Economics for the United Nations International School in Manhattan and is an education consultant with Liberty Fund’s Adam Smith Works and Econlib. Today, we begin what is going to be a long conversation about Adam Smith and education. We begin with Adam Smith’s upbringing and education and talk about our own. We discuss how important being a student is to being a teacher. Stay tuned for more! Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Urban planner Alain Bertaud discusses the impact of culture and regulations on shaping cities, using examples like donuts and urban sprawl. He advocates for a free market approach to urban planning and shares personal career stories. The podcast explores the dynamics of urban diversity, migrant integration, and the challenges of regulations in cities.

Send us a textBen Klutsey is the Director of Academic Outreach and the Director of the Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He is also one of the masterminds behind a recent documentary, Undivide Us, which tackles the affective polarization in America and how to remedy it through thoughtful conversation. We talk about Ben’s journey and how it led him to this project, the findings of the Undivide Us documentary, and potential solutions to the divisions in society today. Near the end, we discuss the relationship between technology and affective polarization, and the limitations of virtual interactions. Ben gives advice to individuals and institutions longing for deeper connections across perceived boundaries and divisions. Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textRobert Lawson is the Jerome M. Fullinwider Centennial Chair in Economic Freedom and is director of the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom in the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. Today, we talk about James Gwartney, a great economist who recently passed but leaves a significant legacy, from accessible and interesting textbooks to the creation of the Economic Freedom of the World index. Unlike many academics, he even left his desk to pursue his ideas! We discuss Gwartney’s life and how his work has transformed the teaching of and measurement in economics. Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us a textAdam White is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the Co-Director of the C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University. He also leads seminars with the Hertog Foundation, one of which I had the chance to attend this summer. Today we talk about the American judicial system, from its structure to its founding to its role in American society. We address whether courts function differently today than we have in the past, looking at the issues debated like court-packing and precedent. Support the showNever miss another AdamSmithWorks update.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.