Best Microeconomics Podcasts (2024)

1
S3E25: Avinash K. Dixit, Microeconomics, Princeton University 1:05:38

1h ago1:05:38

1:05:38

Welcome to this week’s episode of “The Mixtape with Scott”! My podcast tries to capture the personal stories of living economists and create an oral history of the profession from the narratives. And this week, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Avinash K. Dixit, a distinguished economist whose life’s work has influenced many fields within economics. But …

1
Solutions: How Can Childcare be a Solution to Poverty? 5:38

7h ago5:38

5:38

This video explores the concept of access to childcare and its critical role in addressing poverty. It delves into how providing reliable, safe, and affordable childcare services enables parents, particularly those from low-income families or single-parent households, to enter or stay in the workforce, thereby enhancing their economic stability and…

1
Solutions: How Can Shelter be a Solution to Poverty? 5:33

2h ago5:33

5:33

The video delves into the importance of access to shelter as a vital solution to poverty. It explains that access to safe, affordable, and secure housing not only provides a stable environment for individuals and families but also enables them to focus on education, employment, and participating in social activities, thus improving their overall we…

1
S3E26: Javier Gardeazabal, Political Economy and Econometrics, University of the Basque Country 1:29:48

1h ago1:29:48

1:29:48

Welcome to this week’s episode of the Mixtape with Scott, a podcast devoted to listening to the personal stories of living economists and creating an oral history of the profession. This episode is partly inspired by my visit to San Sebastián, Spain, with my daughter right now and partly inspired by a 2003 article co-authored with Alberto Abadie st…

1
Solutions: How Can Sanitation be a Solution to Poverty? 5:28

3h ago5:28

5:28

This video delves into the pivotal role of sanitation in alleviating poverty. It begins by defining sanitation and its importance in public health and environmental protection. The script argues that sanitation is crucial for reducing the spread of waterborne diseases, increasing productivity by reducing illness, and enhancing human dignity, especi…

1
Solutions: How Can Water Security be a Solution to Poverty? 5:40

4h ago5:40

5:40

This video explores water security as a comprehensive solution to poverty. It defines water security as the access to sufficient, safe water for health, livelihoods, and production, detailing its critical role in reducing poverty through improved health, agriculture, and economic development. It addresses potential challenges, including conflicts o…

1
Solutions: How Can Food Security be a Solution to Poverty? 6:11

2h ago6:11

6:11

This educational video delves into the concept of food security, outlining its importance as a solution to poverty. It explains food security from first principles, highlighting its four dimensions: sufficient food supply, access to food, nutrition and safety, and consistency over time. The narrative explores how food security can significantly red…

1
Solutions: How Can Healthcare be a Solution to Poverty? 6:08

2h ago6:08

6:08

This video explores how healthcare can be a pivotal solution to poverty by providing in-depth analysis on the role of healthcare in promoting physical and mental well-being, and thereby stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty. It discusses the importance of access to quality healthcare in preventing diseases and enabling individuals to par…

1
Solutions: How Can Financial Literacy be a Solution to Poverty? 6:20

11h ago6:20

6:20

This video explores the concept of financial literacy, defining it as the understanding of financial principles which enables informed financial decision-making. It delves into how financial literacy can combat poverty by empowering individuals with the knowledge to manage money wisely, save, invest, and avoid debt traps. The video also acknowledge…

1
The Economic Costs of a Phone-Based Childhood, with Jonathan Haidt 48:47

8h ago48:47

48:47

In one of this year's bestselling books, "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing An Epidemic of Mental Illness," New York University social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that today's childhoods spent under the influence of smartphones and overprotective parenting has led to the reported explosion in cases of tee…

1
Solutions: How Can Education be a Solution to Poverty? 6:17

39m ago6:17

6:17

This lesson dives into education's role in alleviating poverty, detailing how it empowers individuals with knowledge, skills, and improved employability, thus contributing to economic growth and social progress. It also examines opposing viewpoints, highlighting potential limitations such as systemic inequalities and the necessity of broader econom…

1
Solutions: How Can Microloans be a Solution to Poverty? 5:52

4h ago5:52

5:52

This video explores the concept of microloans, examining their potential as a solution to poverty. It defines microloans as small-scale loans aimed at empowering individuals, particularly those with limited access to traditional financial services, by providing them capital to start or expand businesses, invest in education, or meet basic needs. Th…

1
Solutions: How Can UBI be a Solution to Poverty? 6:25

21m ago6:25

6:25

This lesson dives into the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a potential solution to poverty, detailing its mechanisms, benefits, and criticisms. UBI is defined as a regular, unconditional cash payment to individuals, aiming to ensure a minimum level of financial support. The script discusses how UBI could help reduce poverty by providing …

1
Solutions: How Can Giving Money Directly be a Solution to Poverty? 6:28

3h ago6:28

6:28

This video discusses the concept of giving money directly, also known as unconditional cash transfers or universal basic income (UBI), as a strategy to combat poverty and economic inequality. It explains the benefits and criticisms of direct cash transfers, including their potential to provide immediate financial relief, increase agency among recip…

1
Systems Thinking Leverage Points for Poverty 6:57

4h ago6:57

6:57

This video discusses the concept of leverage points within complex systems and how identifying and targeting these points can lead to significant, lasting solutions for poverty. It introduces the idea that small, strategic interventions at these points can amplify efforts and resources, leading to substantial changes in overall system behavior and …

1
Why Should We Solve Poverty? 6:55

17h ago6:55

6:55

This video explores the crucial questions surrounding the issue of poverty, including why it's essential to solve poverty, who is affected by it, and the impacts of not addressing this issue. It highlights poverty as a critical humanitarian, social justice, and economic issue that affects millions of individuals and communities worldwide. The video…

1
Obstacles: How are Policies an Obstacle to Solving Poverty? 4:03

1d ago4:03

4:03

This lesson explores the role of policy in both hindering and aiding the fight against poverty. It begins by defining policy as a set of guidelines and actions designed by governments or organizations to influence societal outcomes in various domains. The video discusses how policy can obstruct poverty solutions by failing to prioritize poverty red…

1
Obstacles: How are Wars an Obstacle to Solving Poverty? 4:07

3d ago4:07

4:07

This lesson explores the concept of war, detailing its nature as a state of armed conflict and its various forms such as conventional and guerrilla warfare, civil wars, and international conflicts. It discusses the detrimental effects of war on efforts to solve poverty, highlighting the destruction of critical infrastructure, displacement of commun…

1
Obstacles: How Are Social Norms an Obstacle to Solving Poverty? 4:08

4d ago4:08

4:08

This video explores the concept of political instability, detailing its causes, impacts on poverty, and the importance of addressing it to foster sustainable economic growth and poverty alleviation. It discusses how political instability leads to economic downturns, social unrest, and diminished public services, all of which contribute to increased…

1
S3E24: David Autor, Labor Economist, MIT 1:00:51

15d ago1:00:51

1:00:51

Welcome to this week’s episode of "The Mixtape with Scott”! This podcast is dedicated to capturing the personal stories of living economists and creating an oral history of the profession through these narratives. This week, I’m excited to welcome David Autor, an esteemed labor economist from MIT, where he serves as the Daniel (1972) and Gail Rubin…

1
Stakeholders in Systems Thinking for Poverty 5:10

5d ago5:10

5:10

This video introduces the concept of stakeholders in the context of solving poverty, emphasizing their pivotal role and impact on the system. It explains that stakeholders can be individuals, groups, or entities with vested interests in the poverty alleviation system, capable of influencing or being influenced by the system’s outcomes. The script h…

1
Causes: How Does Political Instability Cause Poverty? 4:28

17d ago4:28

4:28

This video explores the concept of political instability, detailing its causes, impacts on poverty, and the importance of addressing it to foster sustainable economic growth and poverty alleviation. It discusses how political instability leads to economic downturns, social unrest, and diminished public services, all of which contribute to increased…

1
Causes: How Does Risk Cause Poverty? 4:16

7d ago4:16

4:16

This video explores the concept of risk and its significant contribution to poverty. It defines risk as the potential for facing uncertainty and unfavorable outcomes in various events, which can manifest in economic, health, environmental, or social forms. The video discusses why risk is a critical problem in the struggle against poverty, pointing …

1
Causes: How Does Inequality Cause Poverty? 3:58

8d ago3:58

3:58

This video explores the concept of inequality, its various forms, and its impact on poverty. It explains how inequality, through the uneven distribution of resources and opportunities, leads to poverty by hindering access to essential services and economic opportunities. The script highlights the importance of addressing inequality for social cohes…

1
Causes: How Do Debt Cycles Cause Poverty? 4:11

9d ago4:11

4:11

This video delves into the concept of debt cycles, exploring how they are a recurring pattern of borrowing and repayment that can lead to economic instability and hardship. It discusses the link between debt cycles and poverty, highlighting that high levels of debt can leave individuals with limited resources, pushing them into poverty. The video e…

1
Immigration in America: Data and Myths, Revisited With Leah Boustan 36:06

9d ago36:06

36:06

If democracy is a social contract, why don’t we allow everybody who is willing to sign it? Why don’t we have open borders for immigration? In their book "Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success," Princeton University’s Leah Boustan and Stanford University’s Ran Abramitzky provide insights from big data to explore how immigratio…

1
Causes: How Do Regressive Taxes Cause Poverty? 4:09

10d ago4:09

4:09

This script delves into the concept of regressive taxes, elucidating how they disproportionately burden lower-income individuals by taking a larger share of their income compared to higher earners. It explores the adverse effects of such a tax system, including its contribution to poverty by leaving less disposable income for essential needs and li…

1
S3E23: Adriana Lleras-Muney, Labor Economist, UCLA 1:29:19

14d ago1:29:19

1:29:19

Welcome to another exciting episode of the Mixtape with Scott! Today, I get to have on the show someone who has become something of a friend the last few years, an expert in health economics and social policy, Adriana Lleras-Muney at UCLA, a Professor of Economics at UCLA. Dr. Lleras-Muney's journey in economics is super impressive and even involve…

1
Causes: How Does Limited Basic Services Cause Poverty? 4:06

22d ago4:06

4:06

The video discusses the issue of limited access to basic services, such as clean water, sanitation, healthcare, education, and housing, and how it contributes to poverty. It explains the consequences of inadequate access, including increased susceptibility to diseases, hindered economic opportunities, and perpetuation of poverty cycles. The video h…

1
Causes: How Does Underemployment Cause Poverty? 3:53

12d ago3:53

3:53

This video explores the concept of underemployment, explaining it as a state where individuals work below their skill level, in part-time roles when seeking full-time, or for wages insufficient to meet their needs. The script identifies underemployment as a significant contributor to poverty, indicating that it leads to lower incomes, reduced job s…

1
Causes: How Does Unemployment Cause Poverty? 4:00

13d ago4:00

4:00

This episode dives into the relationship between unemployment and poverty, explaining unemployment as a state where individuals willing to work cannot find jobs, leading to financial instability and a lower standard of living. It highlights the implications of unemployment, including increased poverty, social unrest, and barriers to economic growth…

1
Causes: How Does Cost of Living Cause Poverty? 4:30

14d ago4:30

4:30

This video explores the concept of cost of living, its significant impact on poverty, and why addressing it is crucial. The cost of living is defined as the amount of money needed to maintain a certain standard of living, covering essential expenses like housing, food, healthcare, and transportation. The script outlines how a high cost of living co…

1
Causes: How Does Wage Inequality Cause Poverty? 4:37

15d ago4:37

4:37

This video explores wage inequality—its definition, causes, and consequences on poverty. It starts by explaining wage inequality as the disparity in earnings due to differences in skills, education, and job roles, fueled by the free-market economy. The video discusses how wage inequality exacerbates poverty by preventing low-wage earners from meeti…

1
Systems Thinking Iceberg Model for Poverty 10:32

16d ago10:32

10:32

This video script delves into the application of the Iceberg Model as a crucial tool in systems thinking, particularly for understanding and solving poverty. The Iceberg Model metaphorically illustrates both visible elements and hidden dynamics of a system or problem, akin to an iceberg's visible tip and its larger submerged portion. The model enco…

1
Systems: How Does Geopolitics Influence Poverty? 3:49

17d ago3:49

3:49

This video explores the concept of geopolitics and its crucial role in shaping global affairs, including the issue of poverty. Geopolitics is defined as the study of how geography, international relations, and political power influence global dynamics such as conflicts, alliances, trade, and resource distribution. The script delves into how geopoli…

1
Systems: How Does the Government Influence Poverty? 4:32

18d ago4:32

4:32

This video explores the concept and purpose of government, highlighting its responsibilities such as enforcing laws, providing public services, and managing the economy. It emphasizes the government's critical role in addressing poverty through policies and programs like social welfare, education, healthcare, and economic growth strategies. The scr…

1
S3E22: Manisha Shah, Development Economist, UC Berkeley (episode 100!) 1:26:15

18d ago1:26:15

1:26:15

We have officially passed 100 episodes with today’s guest, and it’s wonderful to get to do it with my good friend, Manisha Shah. Manisha is the Chancelor’s Professor of Public Policy at University of California Berkeley. Manisha is an applied microeconomist who has historically specialized in topics related to health, education, gender and labor, w…

1
Systems: How Does the Environment Influence Poverty? 4:06

19d ago4:06

4:06

This video explores the intricate relationship between the environment and poverty. It begins by defining the environment as the natural surroundings essential for the survival of all living organisms, including humans. The script outlines the environment's vital role in sustaining life on Earth through the provision of resources like clean air, wa…

1
Systems: How Does Microeconomics Influence Poverty? 4:16

20d ago4:16

4:16

This video introduces the concept of microeconomics as a foundational aspect of economic studies that focuses on individuals, households, and firms making decisions on resource allocation, thereby shaping the economy. It explains microeconomics' role in understanding market dynamics, consumer behavior, and price determination. Furthermore, the vide…

1
Systems: How Do Individual Economic Agents Influence Poverty? 4:39

21d ago4:39

4:39

In this episode the concept of individual economic agents is explored, including their role in shaping economies and addressing poverty. The episode delves into the importance of understanding economic agents, their impact on poverty, and strategies to positively influence them to alleviate poverty. ----- How to Solve Poverty is a course presented …

1
Systems: How Does Macroeconomics Influence Poverty? 5:01

22d ago5:01

5:01

The episode explores the topic of macroeconomics and its relationship to poverty. It delves into defining macroeconomics, discussing its importance in understanding the overall economy, and how it interacts with poverty. The episode also addresses how macroeconomics can be positively influenced to help solve poverty and suggests key skills for stud…

1
Systems: How Does the Economy Influence Poverty? 5:21

26d ago5:21

5:21

The episode delves into the fundamental concepts of the economy and its relation to the issue of poverty. The discussion covers the definition of the economy, its role in society, how it interacts with poverty, and strategies to positively influence the economy to address poverty. It also highlights the essential skills students can study to tackle…

1
Joseph Stiglitz's Vision of a New Progressive Capitalism 49:28

27d ago49:28

49:28

In the last 60 years, few economists have contributed more to exposing the failures of capitalism than Joseph Stiglitz. Formerly the chief economist of the World Bank and chair of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers under President Bill Clinton, Stiglitz won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2001 for his work showing that the possibility of having …

1
Did behavioral changes reduce COVID-19 deaths? 26:14

23d ago26:14

26:14

As COVID-19 swept across the globe, many nations struggled to define a cohesive public health strategy to prevent the spread of the disease. However, in spite of the lack of a clear plan, improvised strategies of behavioral changes—e.g., masking, social distancing—slowed transmission until a vaccine could be developed. The new BPEA paper, “The impa…

1
Systems: How Does Money Influence Poverty? 5:22

1M ago5:22

5:22

The episode discusses the concept of money, its role in poverty, and strategies to positively influence money to help solve poverty. The episode includes explanations on what money is, why it exists, how it interacts with poverty, and the skills students can develop to address poverty through financial and economic knowledge, policy analysis, and a…

1
How to Use Systems Thinking to Solve Poverty 9:52

25d ago9:52

9:52

The episode discusses the concepts of critical thinking and systems thinking in the context of understanding and addressing complex problems such as poverty. It explains the relationship between critical thinking and systems thinking, outlines the steps involved in systems thinking, and emphasizes the importance of analyzing systems as a whole to c…

1
(Repeat): S2:E1 Interview with Jeff Wooldridge, Economist and Econometrician 1:09:38

25d ago1:09:38

1:09:38

My producer is on vacation this week, and so I am unable to post my latest episode, so I thought I’d post an oldie but a goodie — my season 2 opening interview with Jeff Wooldridge, a much beloved econometrician and economist at Michigan State. So enjoy! Apologies and I’ll see you all next week with a new guest! Thanks again for all your support. C…

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