Expanding Economics

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, Noé and Zoya dive into the complex history and future of the natural resource trade. They explore how the wealth of developing nations—from oil in Venezuela to copper in Zambia—has been shaped by a legacy of colonial extraction and neocolonial influence. Their discussion traces the path from the 1884 Berlin Conference to the lost decade of the 1980s, analyzing how Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) often stripped nations of the tools needed for domestic development. By examining the Resource Curse and the double externality of environmental and social harm, they shed light on why resource abundance doesn't always lead to prosperity. Tune in to explore how modern strategies, such as moving up the value chain and leveraging the green transition, might finally allow developing nations to reclaim economic self-determination and sovereign growth. Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, Noelle and Zoya pull back the curtain on dynamic pricing—the invisible force changing the cost of everything from your Uber Eats order to your next concert ticket. While traditional models suggest that shifting prices simply balance supply and demand, the rise of Personalized Dynamic Pricing (PDP) tells a much more intrusive story. The episode explores the shift from surge pricing to surveillance pricing, where AI models crunch your location, browsing history, and even your battery level to predict your maximum willingness to pay. They break down the microeconomic theory of 1st-degree price discrimination and contrast it with the harsh reality of informational inequality and predatory privacy underclasses. By analyzing the DOJ's recent algorithmic price-fixing lawsuit against RealPage, they shed light on how these systems can exacerbate inequality and erode market trust. Tune in for a deep dive into whether allocative efficiency is worth the cost of our privacy, or if we need to start treating data breaches with the same urgency as environmental pollution. Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

In this episode, Amelia and Zoya dissect the long awaited Mark Carney budget.

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, we dive into an emerging market, the attention economy. Noelle and Zoya explore how our attention is being traded like a currency by major companies and how that impacts our economy, our wellbeing, and our personal choices. They examine how platforms “mint” attention into metrics, set the exchange rates from views to dollars, and capture seigniorage along the way. From ad auctions that clear in milliseconds to the mental-health externalities of infinite scroll, they map the incentive loops that keep us doomscrolling—and who profits. Finally, they workshop heterodox fixes that shift value away from raw capture toward healthier, pro-social design.

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, we dive into a complex and often overlooked aspect of abortion discourse: economics. Sasha and Zoya explore the impact of abortion policies on economic outcomes, particularly for women. They examine how access to abortion influences issues such as workforce participation and income equality and how abortion access can fit into the broader framework of economic theory. By analyzing the issue through an economic lens, they shed light on how access to abortion affects both individuals and society as a whole. Tune in for a discussion that takes the landmark abortion rulings of the U.S., Roe v. Wade and Dobbs v. Jackson, as a case study to highlight the intersection of policy, economics, and well-being. Amici Brief: link to pdf March Of Dimes - Motherhood Care Deserts: https://www.marchofdimes.org/maternity-care-deserts-report Turn Away Study: https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/turnaway-study Check us out on social media! @expandingeconomics on instagram Learn more about us: www.expandingeconomics.com Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

As the 2024 election season heats up, politicians are throwing around familiar economic buzzwords like “inflation,” “price gouging,” and “economic growth.” Behind these seemingly simple phrases lies a web of complex, interconnected issues that are often glossed over in campaign speeches. In this episode of the Expanding Economics Podcast, hosts Sasha and Zoya dive into the languages of the 2024 campaigns, exposing the true meaning—and potential misuse—of the economic buzzwords that dominate election debates. We break down what these popular phrases mean in economics, peeling back the layers of political rhetoric to reveal how they’re often oversimplified, misrepresented, or manipulated for political gain. They explore the real-world implications of this “jargon” and how such language can shape public opinion, affect voter behavior, and even obscure critical economic issues that need more than catchphrases to solve. If you’ve ever wondered whether the economic language used by politicians is honest or just a tool to manipulate public perception, this episode is for you. Join Sasha and Zoya as they analyze the political power of buzzwords and what these words really mean. Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

In this episode, Sasha and Zoya explore the unique dynamic between the newly emerging legal market for cannabis and the long established black market. When faced with a choice between legal and illegal, why do some consumers still choose the latter? Together with special guest Dr. Tiffanie Perrault we discuss the driving factors that determine the success (or failure) of the legal market, why the black market persists, and where consumers fit in to this complex relationship. This episode provides a comprehensive review of all things cannabis legalization: A primer on legalization and cannabis, the realities of legalization efforts from Uruguay to the Netherlands, and a discussion with Dr. Perrault about her critical work in this subject. Dr. Perrault is an assistant professor of economics at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Prior to this she was a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University. Learn more about her and her work here: https://tiffanieperrault.github.io/ Papers mentioned in this epsiode: Weeding out the dealers? The economics of cannabis legalization - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268123003505 Flying High? Legalization and the Black Market for Cannabis -https://tiffanieperrault.github.io/docs/PerraultT_jmp_current.pdf Check us out on social media! @expandingeconomics on instagram Learn more about us: www.expandingeconomics.com/ Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

Claudia Goldin is a labor economist at Harvard who is the most recent Nobel Laureate in economics “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes”. Among her many accolades and contributions, she has made history becoming the first woman to get tenure in Harvard's economics department as well as the first woman to receive the Nobel prize in economics solo. We wanted to congratulate Claudia Goldin on receiving the Nobel Prize in Economics. However, as we began to explore her contributions to the fields of labor and feminist economics our attention was drawn to something else... Women economists or, lack thereof. In this episode, first-time hosts Sasha and Zoya raise crucial questions about the roots of this disparity, starting with undergraduate education. Together, they discuss the far-reaching implications of this gender gap for the field of economics and actionable steps to foster inclusivity and equality. Tune in to gain insights and perspectives on dismantling barriers for women in economics on this episode of the expanding economics podcast. The papers referenced in this episode: WHAT DID UWE DO FOR ECONOMICS: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w31432/w31432.pdf Alice Wu Paper (Gendered Language on the Economics Job Market Rumors Forum): https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pandp.20181101 Check us out on social media!: https://www.instagram.com/expandingeconomics Find out more at: https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co/ Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

In this episode, Sofia shares some of her previous work in Economic Sociology, a subfield that often clashes with Neoclassical economics in its analysis of various economic phenomena. Within it, the study of money and its social meanings is a central topic and subject to widespread debate. After outlining the various perspectives and theories posed by scholars in the field, Sofia searches to explain the rise of cryptocurrencies and other alternative monetary movements and the challenges they face.  We hope you enjoy!   Read the full paper and sources used here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TxIIG0UWcSZ84AO0Wn1qXPWMMcbKrTee/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106556826125274612654&rtpof=true&sd=true Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Expanding Economics! To follow up on our last episode on Degrowth Economics, we invited Jade to discuss the attempts to implement green growth policies and how effective they are at achieving C02 reduction targets. After talking a bit about her own experience at McGill and some of the pros and shortcomings of studying economics and political science, we touch on why green growth is more politically appetizing, some of the tangible policies that have been implemented in the Netherlands and what's next for tackling the ecological crisis. If you want to get more involved with Expanding Economics, follow us on Instagram or Facebook for future opportunities! @expandingeconomics Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

As we all grapple with the threats posed by the climate crisis, economists, politicians, and everyday people outside the ivory tower are searching for a way forward. The Degrowth movement offers a solution that challenges the traditional pursuit of perpetual economic growth as the ultimate goal for society. Instead, it proposes a steady state economy that prioritizes social and ecological well-being over economic growth, calling for a fundamental rethinking of our approach to the economy. In today's episode, Sofia and JP will delve into the reasons why he believes that Degrowth is the way forward. They will also explore the steps that are being taken in this direction to achieve a more sustainable and equitable economic system. Stay tuned for our next episode on Green Growth and decide for yourself. Check out JP's article in Climatalk: https://climatalk.org/2023/03/05/degrowth-post-growth-policies-green-economics-economy/?fbclid=IwAR3nUQInC-uMrfIoDvDztWu_Vq8tz_v0AF6MQxb3IY1LjfDGu51QxMehClc Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/expandingeconomics/ Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

Professor Kristen Ghodsee teaches Russian and East European studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She is known for her ethnographic work in post-soviet countries where she studies gender relations and other legacies of 20th century communism. In her book, Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism, she argues that when the state steps in to support families with reproductive labour and care work, women are able to gain financial independence which leads to more egalitarian and fulfilling romantic relationships. In this episode, Sofia and Professor Ghodsee discuss how exactly socialist state intervention impacted women's working lives behind the iron curtain, what this tells us about capitalism and what neoclassical economics has to do with any of this. Read her original op-ed here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/12/opinion/why-women-had-better-sex-under-socialism.html Access the full text: https://www.boldtypebooks.com/titles/kristen-r-ghodsee/why-women-have-better-sex-under-socialism/9781568588896/ Check out her future work: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Everyday-Utopia/Kristen-R-Ghodsee/9781982190217 Follow us for more updates: https://www.instagram.com/expandingeconomics/?hl=en Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

In this episode we are joined by Michael Babcock; Ph.D. candidate at McGill University where he studies natural resource development and teaches Ecological Economics. After taking Michael's class myself, I felt that the way I viewed the discipline of economics and the world more broadly had been drastically changed. Economists of the future must be thinking about how we will go on to power society and the impacts that have on the environment, Ecological Economics provides an opportunity for us to update our economic thinking and goals to be better suited to what is arguably the most pressing issue of our time.

For the last few episodes the Expanding Economics team has been discussing inflation, crashing markets, and whatever other economic problems we uncovered along the way. This time, we wanted to hear from someone outside of the group and see how their economic perspective differs from ours. On this episode, we are joined by fellow economics undergrad Georges Rigas to see how well our education has (or has not) equipped us to discuss some of the most pressing economic questions of the moment. We hope you enjoy it - if you are interested in being our next podcast episode, contact us with a pitch! expandingecon.mtl@rethinkeconomics.org

In this episode Sofia and Andrew discuss NIMBYism and why it is pervasive and harmful to the Canadian housing market. After months of consecutive record breaking highs, Canadian housing prices have finally begun to show signs of decline in response to rising interest rates, but what caused this boom in the first place? Has housing just become another speculative asset or do prices reflect market fundamentals of too much demand and constricted supply?

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast, in part three of our series on inflation, we delve into the economic history of inflation to better understand why it is a problem and how we keep getting ourselves into this situation. We discuss post-WW1 Germany, the 1970s oil crisis, and how the low inflation in the decades since led us to where we are today. Finally, we ask ourselves the age-old question that has been dividing economists for decades... "is inflation a monetary phenomenon?".

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics Podcast!   This episode is part one of a three-part series on inflation. As inflationary pressures continue to rise throughout the world, we look at how we got here, what it signals for future economic outcomes and what economic theory does or does not have to say about it.   In part one we start with the impact of the pandemic and government fiscal policies on supply chains, aggregate demand and employment. To what extent was government intervention necessary to help keep the economy afloat and what trade-offs had to be made and could we have done better? While there are no clear-cut answers, in this episode we attempt to make a start at dissecting such issues.   Thanks for listening and stay tuned for part two!

Montreal is an international hub for artificial intelligence research, with the world’s largest academic AI research community. Industry has quickly followed, with leaders in big tech such as Microsoft establishing research labs in Montreal. In this episode, we unpack the current state of the local AI industry and AI governance with scholar Ana Brandusescu to understand the impacts of this industry on the city of Montreal.  If you would like to read more of Ana’s work, you can check out her website, https://www.anabrandusescu.com/ or follow her on Twitter @anabmap.

While many universities are divesting from fossil fuels in response to the climate crisis, McGill University continues to invest about $40 million in oil and gas. The student activists at Divest McGill have been working hard since 2012 to change this, but McGill’s Board of Governors is not budging. In this episode, we discuss why fossil fuel divestment is important for the environmental justice movement, why institutions often claim that financial investments are not a political issue, and why McGill refuses to divest. We talk to Noah Fisher, a student activist at McGill, and Dr. Darin Barney, a former faculty representative on the Board of Governors, who resigned from the board along with Dr. Derek Nystrom in 2019 when McGill’s Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR) once again refused to divest. You can learn more about Divest McGill on their website, divestmcgill.com. Darin Barney’s work can be found at darinbarneyresearch.mcgill.ca and griersonresearchgroup.ca.

In this episode, we dive into a topic that is ignored by many economists: the role of race and group identity in economics. We have an obligation to acknowledge how, by externalizing race, economic theory upholds racist systems and perpetuates socially unequal outcomes. Our economic status quo fails to support black lives, especially amidst economic shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We speak with Joelle Gamble, principal of the reimagining capitalism team at Omidyar Network, to better understand how racial bias is deeply rooted in economics— in our conception of the “economy”, its focus on objective outcomes, and in the assumptions embedded in economic theory. Part 2 of our 2 part series examining the role of the economy in serving public interest