IMF Podcasts

IMF Podcasts

Listen to the World's top economists discuss their research and deconstruct global economic trends.

  1. Johan Norberg on What Makes and Breaks Golden Eras

    5 FEB

    Johan Norberg on What Makes and Breaks Golden Eras

    The most prosperous of civilizations were the most open. The Romans, for example, expanded their empire by integrating the populations they conquered, creating a melting pot of new ideas. Johan Norberg's latest book, Peak Human, examines the rise and fall of seven golden age civilizations. In this podcast, he says that if openness to learning and trade are what great societies make, building walls to protect their dominance often sparks their demise. Norberg is a historian and senior fellow at the Cato Institute. Transcript: https://traffic.libsyn.com/imfpodcast/Johan_Norberg-transcript-IMF_Podcast.pdf Read the article Finance & Development: IMF.org/fandd

    21 min
  2. Enrico Letta: Harnessing Europe's Single Market

    28 JAN

    Enrico Letta: Harnessing Europe's Single Market

    There is strength in numbers, and the idea of European integration through a single market was to capitalize on the EU as a whole. However, the single market is a product of the early 90s, and EU member states now appear reticent to pool sovereignty to the degree required to counter the geopolitical challenges of today's world. Enrico Letta is President of the Jacques Delors Institute and a champion of Delors' vision of creating a fully integrated European economic space. Letta's 2024 report, Much More than a Market, argues that adaptation of the single market should include all sectors rather than a select few and that fragmentation is holding Europe back. Transcript: https://traffic.libsyn.com/imfpodcast/Enrico_Letta-transcript-IMF_Podcast.pdf

    23 min
  3. Claudia Sahm on how Private Data can Augment Official Statistics

    18/12/2025

    Claudia Sahm on how Private Data can Augment Official Statistics

    While official statistics compiled by government agencies are still considered the most reliable, policymakers are increasingly using private data to get around their limitations. Claudia Sahm is a former principal economist at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and has studied the growing role of alternative data in monetary policy. In this podcast, Sahm says the immediacy and granularity of private company data should serve as a complement to traditional data, not as a substitute. Transcript: https://bit.ly/3MH31X6 Read the article at IMF.org/fandd

    21 min
  4. Governor Chang Yong Rhee on Bank of Korea's Innovative Approach

    10/12/2025

    Governor Chang Yong Rhee on Bank of Korea's Innovative Approach

    Price stability is the main goal for central banks, and monetary policy is how they achieve it. However, societies are always in flux, and central bankers who pay close attention to emerging trends are more likely to make better policy decisions. Bank of Korea Governor Chang Yong Rhee has expanded the scope of research to include structural issues like population aging to better understand the changing dynamics of Korea's economy. Before becoming Governor in 2022, Mr. Rhee held several senior roles in global financial institutions, including the IMF, where he led the Asia and Pacific Department.

    20 min
  5. Dante Disparte on Stablecoins and the Future of Finance

    02/12/2025

    Dante Disparte on Stablecoins and the Future of Finance

    Technology is often what drives big changes, but innovations like cryptocurrencies and blockchain are transforming the world of money at breakneck speed. While the volatility of digital currencies like Bitcoin has kept it out of traditional banking systems, stablecoin is gaining ground in the race for a suitable digital counterpart to fiat currency. Dante Disparte heads strategy and global policy at Circle, which issues two of the world's most widely used stablecoins. In this podcast, he says stablecoin money can help overcome inefficiencies in the traditional banking system without compromising financial security. Transcript: https://bit.ly/4odNIlK

    20 min
  6. Pablo Peña on why AI is No Match for Human Capital

    02/12/2025

    Pablo Peña on why AI is No Match for Human Capital

    While artificial intelligence continues to outperform our human abilities in many areas, Pablo Peña believes critical thinking and curiosity are what will keep us in the driver's seat. AI can only draw on human-produced knowledge, Peña says, "The version of AI that we know now is only a sophisticated remix of what we know already." Peña is an associate professor of economics at the University of Chicago and author of Human Capital for Humans: An Accessible Introduction to the Economic Science of People. In this Podcast, Peña and journalist Rhoda Metcalfe discuss his article in the December issue of Finance & Development magazine. Transcript: https://bit.ly/4ptL4cE Read the article at IMF.org/FANDD

    19 min
  7. Marc Palen on Peace Economics and Trade

    25/11/2025

    Marc Palen on Peace Economics and Trade

    Maintaining good relations promotes trade, but can trade repair bad relations? Marc Palen examines how Britain's repeal of the Corn Laws in the mid-1800s sparked its interest in free trade and the idea of economic interdependence for a peaceful and prosperous world. Palen, an archaeologist, historian, and author, discusses his latest book, Pax Economica: Left-Wing Visions of a Free World. In this podcast, he talks with journalist Rhoda Metcalfe about his research into the origins of globalization. Transcript: https://bit.ly/4ra9n0O Read the article at IMF.org/FANDD

    21 min
  8. Holding Steady: Athene Laws on sub-Saharan Africa's Outlook

    20/11/2025

    Holding Steady: Athene Laws on sub-Saharan Africa's Outlook

    Sub-Saharan Africa is holding its own despite a deteriorating global trade and aid landscape. The latest outlook projects growth to remain steady at 4.1 percent this year with a modest pickup in 2026. While the region has once again proven its resilience, what will it take to realize its full potential? IMF Economist Athene Laws helps pull together the biannual Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa. In this podcast, she says removing barriers to private firm growth is crucial for providing the jobs needed by the region's young and rapidly expanding labor force. Transcript: https://bit.ly/4i7F6vt Read the full report at IMF.org

    19 min
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About

Listen to the World's top economists discuss their research and deconstruct global economic trends.

Information

  • Creator
    IMF Podcasts
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    687
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    IMF Podcasts

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