UChicago Economics Events and Conversations

Becker Friedman Institute at UChicago
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UChicago Economics Events and Conversations

The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago (BFI) serves as a hub for cutting-edge analysis and research across the entire UChicago economics community to uncover new ways of thinking about the field. Featuring conversations and lectures from premier BFI events, this podcast explores the latest economic insights and trends from leading voices in policy, business, the media, and academia, revealing how rigorous thinking shapes our understanding of the world.

  1. Lessons from Pandemic Unemployment Benefits: When Government Generosity Becomes Necessity

    05/09/2023

    Lessons from Pandemic Unemployment Benefits: When Government Generosity Becomes Necessity

    The U.S. government swung into action when the ranks of the pandemic unemployed swelled almost beyond recognition. Three years on, economists are continuing to study the effects of the largest increase in unemployment benefits in U.S. history. The Harris School of Public Policy’s Peter Ganong and Chicago Booth’s Joseph Vavra join The Pie to discuss the impacts on spending and job-finding.

    27 min
  2. The Hidden Economic Forces That Determine How Much You Earn

    22/08/2023

    The Hidden Economic Forces That Determine How Much You Earn

    How much effect do government policies have on doctors’ wages? And when those wages are high, does it drive inequality in other jobs? And how does Taylor Swift factor in? Or Beyoncé? Joshua D. Gottlieb of the Harris School of Public Policy joins The Pie to discuss his research using detailed data to study earnings and how they’re influenced by forces like public policy and rising inequality.

    21 min
  3. A Case for Public School Choice? Lessons from Los Angeles

    08/08/2023

    A Case for Public School Choice? Lessons from Los Angeles

    When the Los Angeles Unified School District combined some neighborhood high schools into Zones of Choice, schools had to compete for students. The result? Achievement gaps narrowed, and more kids reported that they liked school. Chris Campos of Chicago Booth joins The Pie to discuss the results of a new study.

    23 min
  4. Do You Even Crypto, Bro?

    25/07/2023

    Do You Even Crypto, Bro?

    The use of cryptocurrency is on the rise, but who exactly is on the bandwagon? Chicago Booth’s Michael Weber has examined the crypto market – who’s in it, why they believe in it, and what it might mean for the future. He joins The Pie to share the surprising (and also unsurprising) findings.

    24 min
  5. Social Distancing in 2023: The Economic Costs of Lingering COVID Fears

    11/07/2023

    Social Distancing in 2023: The Economic Costs of Lingering COVID Fears

    Many, if not most, citizens of working age have gone back to their jobs in the three-plus years since the start of the pandemic – but not everybody has. Part of the reason is a lingering fear about workplace safety. Chicago Booth’s Steven Davis has new research showing the effect of these fears on the overall economy.

    20 min
  6. Harvesting Green Investments: The Promise and Perils of ESG

    27/06/2023

    Harvesting Green Investments: The Promise and Perils of ESG

    In the stock market, we all want to do well, but for some investors it’s also important to do good. In this episode, Chicago Booth’s Lubos Pastor joins to discuss his research on sustainable investing and what two recent studies tell us about the returns on “green” vs “brown” assets.

    25 min
  7. How Debt Relief Raised Debts: The Untold Story of the Student Loan Moratorium

    06/06/2023

    How Debt Relief Raised Debts: The Untold Story of the Student Loan Moratorium

    Did borrowers and the American economy benefit from the federal government’s 2020 student debt moratorium? The picture is complicated according to new research from UChicago Economics’ Michael Dinerstein and Chicago Booth’s Constantine Yannelis. They join this week to share their surprising findings.

    24 min
  8. Quid Pro Vote: The Politics and Economics of Vote-Buying

    30/05/2023

    Quid Pro Vote: The Politics and Economics of Vote-Buying

    Vote-buying, or influencing voters’ decisions through favors or gifts, is pervasive in areas such as Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. UC Berkeley’s Frederico Finan, the TC Liu Distinguished Visitor at BFI, discusses his work studying how vote-buying unfolds on the ground in Paraguay. Finan describes how norms of reciprocity drive voters to opt for politicians who have treated them favorably in the past, and offers advice for how policymakers might disrupt this process to combat election fraud.

    19 min
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About

The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago (BFI) serves as a hub for cutting-edge analysis and research across the entire UChicago economics community to uncover new ways of thinking about the field. Featuring conversations and lectures from premier BFI events, this podcast explores the latest economic insights and trends from leading voices in policy, business, the media, and academia, revealing how rigorous thinking shapes our understanding of the world.

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