Shows
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Vietnam War, Part 4: LBJ Cries "Uncle"Your intrepid host examines the role that policymaker ignorance played in some of the crucial events of the Vietnam War between mid-1965 and Spring 1968. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2025-08-0523 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Vietnam War, Part 3: Escalation ObfuscationScott analyzes the series of events and decisions (and lies, lots of lies) that led to the United States taking over the task of fighting the Vietnam War from the South Vietnamese. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2025-07-1223 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceTrump Tower (of Babel?): DOGE, Tariffs, and Policymaker IgnoranceScott analyzes DOGE's activities through the lens of the problem of policymaker ignorance and briefly considers Trump's tariff policies, whatever, exactly, they might be. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2025-04-1424 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Vietnam War, Part 2: The Kennedy YearsScott discusses the catastrophic reign of Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, the emergence of the Viet Cong and development of the Ho Chi Minh trail, and the calamitous technocratic approach of the Kennedy administration to the Vietnam imbroglio. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2025-03-3139 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Vietnam War, Part 1: The First Indochina War, Điện Biên Phủ, and All ThatScott discusses the role that policymaker ignorance played in the French decision to try to re-conquer their former colony in Indochina following WWII, the American decision to support the French, and the calamitous Battle of Điện Biên Phủ that ended the First Indochina War. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2025-01-2734 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Los Angeles FiresScott considers the role that policymaker ignorance played in the failure to contain the Los Angeles fires and the legitimacy of the "climate change" excuse for said failure. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2025-01-1711 min
The Hannah Frankman PodcastScott Scheall: The Declining Value of the Modern College DegreeScott Scheall spent the majority of his academic career at Arizona St. University, the largest university in the world, and is now a professor at the University of Austin, perhaps the smallest university in the world.
Expect to learn about the bureaucracy that exists in large academic institutions and the perverse incentives in place that make it so difficult for faculty to deliver a quality education. We dive into the war on free speech inside of college campuses and what the University of Austin is doing to protect free speech as a core pillar of the academic...
2025-01-091h 28
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the 2024 Presidential ElectionScott considers the 2024 American Presidential Election, the candidates, and their campaign promises through the lens of the problem of policymaker ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2024-10-3024 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceConsensus, Censorship, and the Problem of Policymaker IgnoranceScott discusses the relationship between the widespread obsession with maximizing consensus, increasing calls for censorship in Western societies, and the problem of policymaker ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2024-10-1445 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceMaking Democracy Effective in a World of Policymaker IgnoranceScott discusses various methods of promoting popular sovereignty in contexts where policymakers are too ignorant to realize goals associated with voters' preferences. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2024-09-1016 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceDemocracy, Popular Sovereignty, and Policymaker IgnoranceScott discusses the problems that policymaker ignorance raises for democratic government. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2024-09-0112 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePrice Controls, Industrial Policy, and Policymaker IgnoranceScott discusses the Democrats' price control policy and the Republicans' proposed industrial policy through the lens of the problem of policymaker ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2024-08-2619 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceAn Update on Some Previously Discussed TopicsScott returns to address a few issues discussed on previous episodes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2024-06-0640 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceWIPMI Book Club - James C. Scott's Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have FailedScott discusses a classic work of academic political science, James C. Scott's Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2024-04-0736 min
The Week in Policymaker Ignorance...And we're backScott returns after some time away to discuss policymaker ignorance and university administrators, and to offer some updates about a number of stories discussed on previous episodes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-12-1525 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Seventy Four: Scott ScheallFrançois, Jennifer, and Çinla chat with former Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar co-host Scott Scheall about his work on the methodology of the Austrian School of economics and the problem of policymaker ignorance. Scott's new book, Dialogues concerning Natural Politics, is available for free on his Substack page, The Problem of Policymaker Ignorance, where you can also find his new podcast, The Week in Policymaker Ignorance.
2023-12-151h 17
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Obama-Biden Iran Appeasement StrategyScott discusses the role that ignorance played in the failed Obama-Biden Iran appeasement policy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-11-0525 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceThe Problem of Policymaker Ignorance and the Hamas Terrorist Attacks on IsraelScott discusses the role that policymaker ignorance played in laying the groundwork for the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks on innocent Israeli civilians. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-10-2253 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceAn Upbeat Episode (for a Change)Scott considers how we should react to policymaker ignorance and what might be done to mitigate it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-10-0732 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceThat Time a Nazi Received a Standing Ovation on the Floor of the Canadian House of CommonsScott discusses the mind-boggling stupidity of Canadian politicians. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-09-3013 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceA Rant about the 2024 U.S. Presidential ElectionA short diatribe on voters' refusal to support competent candidates. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-09-2420 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceLord Dark Helmet's (Louche and Very) Limited HangoutWe made mistakes, but we're not going to tell you which of the decisions we made were mistakes, because we reserve the right to make the same mistakes again, when politically convenient... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-09-1723 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Tragedy in LahainaScott discusses the part that policymaker ignorance played in the tragic events in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, in early August. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-09-1015 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the End of World War I, Part 3Scott discusses the part that policymaker ignorance played in the Paris peacemakers' treatment of Germany and Japan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-08-1036 min
The Curious TaskScott Scheall - How Are Carl and Karl Menger Important For Liberalism?Alex speaks with Scott Scheall about Carl and Karl Menger and their influence on the history of economics, liberal theory, and - yes - mathematics.
Further Reading:
"Karl Menger as Son of Carl Menger" - Scott Scheall & Reinhard Schumacher
https://philarchive.org/rec/SCHKMA-4
Econlib Biography of elder Menger:
https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Menger.html
1871. Principles of Economics. Translated by J. Dingwall and B. F. Hoselitz, with an introduction by Friedrich A. Hayek. New York: New York University Press, 1981.
1892. “On the Origin of Money.” E...
2023-08-021h 03
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the End of World War I, Part 2Scott lays out the major actors and a timeline of significant events at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-07-3037 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the End of World War I, Part 1Scott discusses the state of play at the beginning of the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points," and goes off on a rant about how much he hates Wilson. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-07-2343 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceSome People Believe That Policymakers are GodsScott considers the implicit assumptions underlying various responses to two recent news items, the Supreme Court's decision in the affirmative action cases and the injunction against the Biden Administration's internet censorship program. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-07-1619 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Beginning of World War I, Part 3In this last part of a three-part series, Scott analyzes the role that policymaker ignorance played in a number of crucial events in the lead up to the beginning of World War One. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-07-0151 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Beginning of World War I, Part 2In the second part of a multi-part series on policymaker ignorance and the start of World War One, Scott discusses the pre-history of the Great War. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-06-181h 03
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Beginning of World War I, Part 1The first part of a multi-part series on the role of policymaker ignorance in the decision to go to war in 1914. In this episode, Scott lays out the cast of characters, describes some narratives, and explores some themes to feature in subsequent parts of the series. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-06-121h 10
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and Nutrition PolicyScott discusses some prior co-authored work on policymaker ignorance and the history of nutrition policy in the United States. Here's a link to a preprint version of the paper discussed in the episode:Social and Scientific Disorder as Epistemic Phenomena, or The Consequences of Government Dietary GuidelinesCo-authored with William Butos and Thomas McQuade. Butos and McQuade's recent (and relevant) book can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Hayekian-Systems-Structure-Interaction-Foundations-ebook/dp/B0BRYNMSKQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=C57NKABN712R&keywords=hayekian+systems&qid=1685833658&sprefix=hayekian+syste%2Caps%2C218&sr=8-1 ...
2023-06-041h 04
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the EPAScott discusses the wisdom (or lack thereof) of the EPA's new proposed greenhouse-gas emissions standards. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-05-2821 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceWhen Policymakers Hold False Beliefs...Scott considers the Durham Report in the light of the problem of policymaker ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-05-2316 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceWIPMI Book Club: NOT Zero by Ross ClarkDo policymakers know enough to slow the rise of the oceans and heal our planet? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-05-1435 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceReview and PreviewScott revisits several topics discussed in prior episodes that have once again been in the news recently and looks forward to a future episode on policymaker ignorance and environmental policymaking. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-05-0727 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the UK Online Safety Bill This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-04-2323 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and Internet CensorshipScott discusses Canada's Online Streaming Act and the RESTRICT Act currently making its way through the American Congress. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-04-1651 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Withdrawal from AfghanistanIn this week's episode of the WIPMI podcast, Scott discusses the role that policymaker ignorance played in the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan in 2021, and offers some updates on stories discussed in recent episodes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-04-0925 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and the Decision to Invade IraqScott analyzes the decision to invade Iraq in March 2003 through the lens of the problem of policymaker ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-04-021h 01
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceStray Thoughts on Ignorance and Ignorant PolicymakersScott discusses the new multi-part series on the general problem of ignorance in decision-making just started on the Problem of Policymaker Ignorance Substack page and offers some brief remarks on the latest news regarding bailouts, and the ongoing protests in Israel and France. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-03-2520 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceWIPMI Book Club: The Lords of Easy Money by Christopher LeonardScott discusses Federal Reserve policy over the last fifteen years or so through the lens of Christopher Leonard's book, The Lords of Easy Money, and its significance for the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, the subsequent bailout, etc. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-03-1735 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceWhy Do Policymakers Double-Down on Failed Policies? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-03-1237 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceTurning CHIPS into Cow ChipsScott discusses this week's additions to the Problem of Policymaker Ignorance Substack Page, plus the so-called "Lockdown Files" and how not to revive America's semiconductor industry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-03-0429 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceUp in the Air, Down in the WaterScott considers the Great Chinese Balloon Race Across America and the Not-So-Great Norfolk Southern Ohio Train Derailment in the light of the problem of policymaker ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-02-1832 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceHow are Policymakers Ignorant? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-02-0320 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceTolstoy's Theory of Social CausationScott reviews some recent instances of policymaker ignorance and discusses the political-epistemological implications of Leo Tolstoy's philosophy of history in War and Peace. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-01-2736 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePutin's Folly This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-01-2030 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker Ignorance and U.S. Immigration PolicyBiden forgets where he left...a lot of things. The FAA goes back to the future. Scott analyzes the prospects for a more rational U.S. immigration policy through the lens of the Problem of Policymaker Ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-01-1332 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceLockdowns and Policymaker IgnoranceThe first real officially official episode of The Week in Policymaker Ignorance (WIPMI?). Scott analyzes lockdown policies through the lens of the Problem of Policymaker Ignorance and briefly discusses the role of policymaker ignorance in the Russo-Ukranian War, as well as whatever is happening on the U.S.-Mexico border. Here's a link to the paper discussed in this episode, "A Case Study in the Problem of Policymaker Ignorance: Political Responses to COVID-19," by Scott Scheall and Parker Crutchfield:https://cosmosandtaxis.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/scheall_crutchfield_ct_vol9_iss_5_6.pdf This is...
2023-01-0651 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnorancePolicymaker ignorance is not stupidity or lack of educationWho are policymakers? What is a policy? What kind of knowledge and capacities do policymakers need to deliberately realize policy goals? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-01-0415 min
The Week in Policymaker IgnoranceIntroduction to the Week in Policymaker IgnoranceA short introduction to the host and series, and to the Problem of Policymaker Ignorance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policymakerignorance.substack.com
2023-01-0226 min
The Curious TaskScott Scheall - Why Is Spontaneity Important For Liberalism?Alex speaks with Scott Scheall about the importance of spontaneity for liberalism.
2022-10-191h 00
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Fifty Five: Annalisa RosselliÇınla, Scott, and Jennifer speak with Annalisa Rosselli, Senior Professor of History of Economic Thought at Tor Vergata University of Rome and Luiss University of Rome. Discussion topics include Professor Rosselli's work on the significance of speculation for the history of economic thought, Piero Sraffa, John Maynard Keynes, and the economic lessons taught by World War II. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2022-04-151h 11
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Fifty Four: Self-Promotion Extravaganza!Jennifer, Çınla, and Scott discuss some of their own recent research, what it takes to develop a successful research project, and offer some advice to graduate students and early-career scholars in the history of economics. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2022-03-151h 05
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Fifty Three: Podcasting and PedagogyIn this episode, Çınla and Scott discuss their experiences using podcasts as a teaching tool in the classroom and the value of using episodes of Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar to teach the history of economics. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2022-02-1535 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Fifty Two: Judith FavereauIn this episode, Çınla, Scott, and Jennifer interview Judith Favereau, Associate Professor of economics at Université Lumière Lyon 2, about her interesting work on the methodological aspects of field experiments in economics. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2022-01-1550 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Fifty One: Literature Review ResurrectionsJenn, Çınla, and Scott discuss a number of recent additions to the literature in history of economic thought and methodology. If you are interested in reading the papers discussed in this episode, here they are (unfortunately, some may be behind paywalls): Searching for a Tide Table for Business: Interwar Conceptions of Statistical Inference in Business Forecasting Laetitia Lenel History of Political Economy (2021) 53 (S1): 139–174 https://read.dukeupress.edu/hope/article-abstract/53/S1/139/175168/Searching-for-a-Tide-Table-for-BusinessInterwar Behavioural Insights Teams (BITs) and policy change: An exploration of impact, location, and temporality of policy advic...
2021-12-141h 14
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Nine: Antoine Missemer and Marco Paulo FrancoIn this month's episode, Çınla, Scott, Jennifer, and Carlos are joined by Antoine Missemer and Marco Paulo Franco to discuss their work on ecological economics and their forthcoming co-authored book on the history of the field. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-10-1559 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Eight: Çınla AkdereCarlos, Scott, and Jenn are joined by Çınla Akdere, Assistant Professor of Economics at Middle East Technical University in Ankara (and soon-to-be co-host of Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar). Topics discussed include the relationship between economics and literature, the use of literature as a tool for teaching economics, and the economic significance of various of the works of Charles Dickens and Stephen King. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-09-151h 10
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Seven: The Non-EpisodeJenn, Carlos, and Scott are taking off the month of August, but will return with a new episode and some exciting news in September! Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-08-1501 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Six: Cléo Chassonnery-ZaïgoucheJenn and Scott are joined by Cléo Chassonnery-Zaïgouche, Research Associate at Cambridge University's Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, to discuss several of her recent research projects. Topics include economists and econometricians as expert witnesses in American court cases, Milton Friedman's controversial paper "Capitalism and the Jews," Tim Leonard's book Illiberal Reformers, and the history of CSWEP, the American Economic Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession. Links to papers discussed in this episode: "How Economists Entered the 'Numbers Game': Measuring Discrimination in the US Cour...
2021-07-151h 20
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Five: Michele AlacevichScott, Carlos, and Jenn are joined by Michele Alacevich of the University of Bologna to discuss his new book, Albert O. Hirschman: An Intellectual Biography: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/albert-o-hirschman/9780231199827 Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-06-151h 25
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Four: Manuela MoscaJennifer, Scott, and Carlos are joined by Manuela Mosca, Professor of History of Economic Thought at the University of Salento in Italy. The conversation is focused on Professor Mosca's work on the role that concepts of power have played in economics, especially her book, Monopoly Power and Competition: The Italian Marginalist Perspective, which won the 2019 Jospeh J. Spengler Book Prize, awarded by the History of Economics Society. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-05-151h 31
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Three: James A. MorrisonSarvy, Carlos, Jenn, and Scott, are joined by James Ashley Morrison, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics. The conversation is focused on Professor Morrison's forthcoming book on the history of the gold standard. Topics include the roles that J. M. Keynes and Winston Churchill played in Britain's return to the gold standard in 1925, the political-economic significance of the gold standard, the relationship between the disciplines of political economy and IPE (International Political Economy), and Professor Morrison's approach to writing history. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by...
2021-04-151h 14
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty Two: Steven MedemaIn this episode, Carlos, Scott, and Jenn are joined by Professor Steven Medema, Research Professor of Economics at Duke University and Associate Director of Duke's Center for the History of Political Economy. Topics include the history and meaning of the Coase Theorem, Professor Medema's recent book, The Economics Book: From Xenophon to Cryptocurrency, 250 Milestones in the History of Economics, and the question of progress in the field of the history of economic thought. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-03-151h 20
The Curious TaskScott Scheall — What Is The Fundamental Problem of Political Life?Alex Aragona speaks with Scott Scheall as he explores how the knowledge problem and other epistemological considerations must be considered before political incentives.
References from Episode 84 with Scott Scheall
Scott Scheall is the author of the book, F. A. Hayek and the Epistemology of Politics: The Curious Task of Economics, which can be purchased from Routledge at this link.
You can read The Green New Deal resolution presented during the 1st session of the 116th Congress here.
David Hume’s essay, Of the Independency of Parliament, where he talks about political writers as a maxim...
2021-03-101h 02
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty One: Early-Career ScholarsJennifer, Carlos, Sarvy, and Scott are joined by three early-career scholars to discuss how the pandemic has affected their teaching and research, their conference experiences and their career prospects. Marina Uzunova is a PhD candidate in philosophy at the Free University of Amsterdam. David Coker is a PhD candidate in economics at George Mason University. Dorian Jullien is a professor of economics at University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-02-151h 02
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Forty: Tom StaplefordSarvy, Scott, and new co-host Jennifer Jhun interview Professor Tom Stapleford about his past work on historical epistemology, his more recent work on the engineer and statistician (and co-founder of the National Bureau of Economic Research) Malcolm Rorty, and about his current book project, which considers how to craft government statistics that conform to democratic principles. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2021-01-151h 15
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Thirty Nine: The Literature Review Strikes BackSarvy, Carlos, Gerardo, and Scott discuss several recent additions to the literature in history of economic thought and methodology. If you are interested in reading the papers discussed in this episode, here they are (unfortunately, some may be behind paywalls): ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE: PAUL SAMUELSON, RADICAL ECONOMICS, AND TEXTBOOK MAKING, 1967–1973 YANN GIRAUD Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Volume 42, Issue 2 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-history-of-economic-thought/article/abs/addressing-the-audience-paul-samuelson-radical-economics-and-textbook-making-19671973/C160BF7367B5A43F9B1B292A939904E2 A FACTORY AFIELD: CAPITALISM AND EMPIRE IN JOH...
2020-12-151h 21
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Thirty Seven: Jeff BiddleSarvy, Scott, and Carlos interview Jeff Biddle, Professor of Economics at Michigan State University and Past President of the History of Economics Society. Topics include the relationship between Biddle's historical work and his work as a labor economist, the history of agricultural economics, the business cycle work of Wesley Clair Mitchell, and Biddle's forthcoming book on the Cobb-Douglas production regression. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2020-10-151h 08
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Thirty Five: Jennifer JhunIn this episode, Scott and Gerardo and new co-host, Sarvnaz Lotfi, are joined by Jennifer Jhun, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Duke University and Faculty Fellow with Duke's Center for the History of Political Economy. The discussion revolves primarily around the uses and abuses of modeling in economics and other fields, such as epidemiology, the usefulness of models for policy purposes, and the significance of ceteris paribus clauses and equilibrium theorizing in economics. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2020-08-151h 01
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Thirty Three: The Bride of Literature ReviewScott, Gerardo and Carlos review three recent additions to the literature in the history of economic thought and economic methodology: Gerardo discusses a paper on the role of the “economic priest” in the cooperative movement in Ireland in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries; Scott reviews a paper addressing two contrasting views of ecological rationality in the works of Vernon Smith and Gerd Gigerenzer; and Carlos discusses a paper about the evolving meaning of “consumption” as an economic concept and the role of intoxicants in crafting its early uses. If you are interested in reading the papers discussed in this...
2020-06-151h 23
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Thirty Two: Ivan MoscatiCarlos, Scott, and Gerardo are joined by Ivan Moscati, Professor of Economics at Insubria University in Italy, to discuss his book, Measuring Utility: From the Marginal Revolution to Behavioral Economics (2018, Oxford University Press). Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2020-05-151h 04
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Thirty One: Ivan BoldyrevIn this episode, Gerardo, Carlos, and Scott interview Ivan Boldyrev, Assistant Professor of History and Philosophy of Economics at Radboud University. Topics include Ivan's work on economics and performativity, the history of economics in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia, and the significance of Hegelian philosophy and critical theory for economic thought. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2020-04-151h 05
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty Nine: Catherine HerfeldGerardo, Scott, and Carlos talk with philosopher of economics Catherine Herfeld, Assistant Professor of Social Theory and Philosophy of the Social Sciences at the University of Zurich. Topics include Herfeld's work on the various meanings and uses of the rationality principle in economics, the challenges of straddling the disciplines of economics and philosophy, and the pros and cons of different methods of research in the history of economics. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2020-02-1549 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty Eight: The Rise of Literature ReviewCo-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Gerardo Serra, and Scott Scheall discuss a few recent additions to the literature in the history of economic thought. Topics include the disagreement between Adam Smith and Edmund Burke over the East India Company, the evolving conceptualizations of "poverty" in African languages, and the role that policymakers' epistemic limitations may have played in the current "democratic crisis" in many Western democracies. If you are inclined to read the papers discussed in this episode, here they are (unfortunately, some may be behind paywalls): Gregory M. Collins: "THE LIMITS OF MERCANTILE ADMINISTRATION: ADAM S...
2020-01-151h 15
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty Six: Stefan KolevIn this episode, Scott Scheall sits down with Stefan Kolev, Professor of Economics at the University of Applied Sciences Zwickau, to discuss a range of topics, including the history and significance of the German Ordoliberal economists, the "Old" Chicago school of economics, the proper meaning of the term “neoliberalism,” and Stefan’s upbringing in post-communist Bulgaria. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast is supported by the History of Economics Society: www.historyofeconomics.org
2019-11-1559 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty Five: Robert LeonardGerardo, Scott, and Carlos talk with Robert Leonard, former President of the History of Economics Society and Professor of Economics at Université du Québec à Montréal. The discussion ranges from the history of game theory to the "Buddhist economics" of E. F. Schumacher, Professor Leonard's latest research subject, to his experiences studying under the late Craufurd Goodwin, a legendary figure in the field of history of economic thought. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast is supported by the History of Economics Society: www.historyofeconomics.org
2019-10-1542 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty Four: Alain Marciano and Jean-Baptiste FleuryIn this episode, co-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Gerardo Serra, and Scott Scheall are joined by Alain Marciano and Jean-Baptiste Fleury, co-winners of this year's Craufurd Goodwin Prize for Best Article in the History of Economics for their article "The Making of a Constitutionalist: James Buchanan on Education." In addition to their joint project on Buchanan, Marciano's forthcoming biography of Buchanan, Nancy MacLean's infamous book on Buchanan, Democracy in Chains, the discussion considers Fleury's work on the history of the law-and-economics tradition, his use of textbook material in his historical work, and what makes a successful collaborative project in the...
2019-09-151h 04
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty Three: Richard van den BergIn Episode Twenty Three, Professor Richard van den Berg of Kingston University London joins Carlos, Scott, and Gerardo to talk about the life and times, and economic ideas of Richard Cantillon, the early 18th-century Irish-French economist, banker, and financial rapscallion. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast is supported by the History of Economics Society: www.historyofeconomics.org
2019-08-1551 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty Two: History of Economics Society Young ScholarsIn this episode, recorded at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the History of Economics Society, co-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Gerardo Serra, and Scott Scheall are joined by five historians of economics still in the early stages of their careers to discuss several of the issues confronting young scholars in the field. The co-hosts are joined by Anna Noci of the University of Insubria, Matthieu Renault of the University of São Paulo, Chung-Tang Cheng of the London School of Economics, Matthew Panhans of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and Raphaël Fèvre of Cambridge University. Smith and Marx W...
2019-07-1529 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twenty: Return of the Literature ReviewCo-hosts Scott Scheall, Gerardo Serra, and Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak discuss a few recent additions to the literature in the history of economic thought. Topics include the intellectual relationship between David Hume and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the visit of a delegation of radical American economists to Mao's China during the Cultural Revolution, and the evolution of the structuralist research program in Latin American monetary economics. If you are inclined to read the papers discussed in this episode, here they are (unfortunately, some may be behind paywalls): Ryu Susato: “How Rousseau Read Hume’s Political Discourses: Hints...
2019-06-151h 04
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Eighteen: Bateman and Caldwell on Hayek-KeynesIn this episode, a recording of a public lecture held at Arizona State University, co-host Scott Scheall talks with Bruce Caldwell and Brad Bateman about the work of F. A. Hayek and John Maynard Keynes, as well as the professional relationship and personal friendship between the two famous economists. ERRATUM: At one point late in the episode, Scott mentions a postcard that Keynes sent to Hayek, in which the former praised the latter's famous Road to Serfdom. In fact, it was a letter, not a postcard that Keynes sent to Hayek.
2019-04-151h 03
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Seventeen: Hans-Michael TrautweinCo-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak and Scott Scheall are joined by Hans-Michael Trautwein, Professor of Economics at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg and Past President of the European Society for the History of Economic Thought (ESHET). The conversation covers the relationship between business-cycle theorizing and macroeconomics, the current state of macroeconomics ten years after the financial crisis, the study of economics and its history in China, and Hans-Michael's argument that historians of economics are the field's "last generalists." Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: ht...
2019-03-1658 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Sixteen: Malcolm RutherfordCo-host Scott Scheall is joined by Malcolm Rutherford, Professor of Economics at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, and 2014 Distinguished Fellow of the History of Economics Society, to talk about Professor Rutherford's work on the American Institutionalist economists. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2019-02-1549 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Fifteen: Marianne JohnsonCo-hosts Gerardo Serra, Scott Scheall, and Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak chat with Secretary of the History of Economics Society, Marianne Johnson of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Topics include Professor Johnson's work on the American Institutionalist economists, her thoughts on Democracy in Chains, historian Nancy MacLean's controversial book about James Buchanan and Virginia political economy, and about her experiences doing research in and about the country of Albania. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2019-01-1551 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Fourteen: Literature Review, The SequelCo-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Gerardo Serra, and Scott Scheall summarize and discuss several recent contributions to the scholarly literature in the history of economic thought. Topics include the funding practices of the Ford Foundation in 1960s Latin America, as well as the continuing relevance of both the socialist calculation and Hayek-Keynes debates to contemporary economics and, especially, economic policymaking. If you are inclined to read the papers discussed in this episode, here they are (unfortunately, some may be behind paywalls): Patrick Iber - "Social Science, Cultural Imperialism, and the Ford Foundation in Latin America in th...
2018-12-151h 15
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Thirteen: Young Scholars EpisodeCo-hosts Scott Scheall, Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, and Gerardo Serra are joined by three historians of economics still in the early phases of their respective careers -- Maria Bach of the American University of Paris, Kelly Goodman of Yale University, and Erich Pinzón-Fuchs of Universidad de los Andes -- for a discussion of the many fascinating challenges that confront young scholars in the field. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast is supported by the History of Economics Society: www.historyofeconomics.org
2018-11-1548 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Twelve: Mauro BoianovskyCo-hosts Gerardo Serra, Scott Scheall, and Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak interview Mauro Boianovsky, Past-President of the History of Economics Society, about his work on the history of development economics, the influence of Latin American scholars on contemporary history of economics, his experience as a graduate student with the post-Keynesian economic tradition at Cambridge, and the importance of travel writing to historical scholarship on economic thought. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast is supported by the History of Economics Society: www.historyofeconomics.org
2018-10-1559 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Eleven: Stephen MeardonCo-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Gerardo Serra, and Scott Scheall interview Stephen Meardon, Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade at Texas A&M International University. Discussion topics include Professor Meardon's work on the history of American trade protectionism and the relevance of this history to contemporary circumstances, as well as his tenure as editor of Journal of the History of Economic Thought. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast is supported by the History of Economics Society: www.historyofeconomics.org
2018-09-2146 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Ten: Tyler DesRochesCo-host Scott Scheall interviews Tyler DesRoches, Senior Sustainability Scholar and Assistant Professor in the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University. The conversation encompasses the ever-growing significance of interdisciplinary approaches to social inquiry, environmental economics and its history, the history of theories of natural capital, and the relation between philosophical and economic accounts of well-being. Now that the school break is over, Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar will return with our standard three-person interview format next month. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast is su...
2018-08-1536 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode NineIn this wide-ranging episode, co-host Scott Scheall interviews Ross Emmett, Professor of Political Economy and Director of the Center for the Study of Economic Liberty at Arizona State University. Discussion topics include Ross's work on Frank Knight and the circle of economists around Knight at the University of Chicago, Robert Malthus's contributions to economics, and Ross's friendship with the influential historian of economic thought Warren Samuels. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2018-07-1553 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Seven: Maria Pia PaganelliCo-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Gerardo Serra, and Scott Scheall are joined by Maria Pia Paganelli, Professor of Economics at Trinity University and one of the world's leading Adam Smith scholars. Topics include the significance of reading Adam Smith in the modern age, recent trends in Smith scholarship, how studying Smith affects one's outlook on society and politics, and the value of exercise to professional success in academia. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2018-06-1527 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Six: François AllissonCo-hosts Scott Scheall, Gerardo Serra, and Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak are joined by François Allisson, Senior Lecturer in the Walras-Pareto Center at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Discussion topics include Nikolai Sieber, the first Russian translator of Marx, Professor Allisson's work on the reception of marginalist economics in Russia, and life at the Walras-Pareto Center. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2018-05-1548 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Five: Literature ReviewJoin co-hosts Gerardo Serra, Scott Scheall, and Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak as they summarize and discuss a few contributions to the recent literature. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2018-04-1645 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastJimena HurtadoCo-hosts Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Gerardo Serra, and Scott Scheall are joined by the new co-editor of the Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Professor Jimena Hurtado of Universidad de los Andes. Discussion topics include the economic philosophies of political theorists Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Alexis de Tocqueville, the modern significance of classical economics, the importance of field work to development economics, and the leading role of Latin American scholars in today's community of historians of economic thought. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.or...
2018-03-1549 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastKevin HooverKevin Hoover, Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Duke University, joins co-hosts Scott Scheall, Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, and Gerardo Serra. The discussion covers an array of topics, including the current state of macroeconomics, the need for a degree of pluralism in economic science, the relationship between Hoover's work in economics and philosophy, the economics of the original pragmatist philosopher, Charles Sanders Peirce, and the tolerant attitude typically embraced by the international community of historians of economics. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2018-02-1851 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode Two: Maria Cristina MarcuzzoMaria Cristina Marcuzzo, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Rome La Sapienza, joins co-hosts Scott Scheall, Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, and Gerardo Serra for a wide-ranging discussion of her work on Keynes and Cambridge economics, the relationship between Keynes and his great rival, Friedrich Hayek, the contemporary relevance of Marxian economics, as well as the present state and future of the field of history of economic thought. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2018-01-1354 min
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics PodcastEpisode One: IntroductionIn this short, preliminary episode, Co-hosts Scott Scheall, Gerardo Serra, and Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak introduce you to a new podcast about the history of economic thought, Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar. Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar is supported by a grant from the History of Economics Society: http://historyofeconomics.org
2017-12-2104 min