The Drayton Discourse is an exciting podcast series brought to you by the Academic Events team of The Economist’s Society, here at University College London! Our episodes allow you to listen in to stimulating discussions with world-renowned economists. From ground-breaking ideas to revolutionary research, our guests share their thoughts, opinions and, most interestingly, personal stories which put together, teach us a good deal of economics and a great deal of life.
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Episode 1: Cass SunsteinIn this episode, renowned American legal scholar and co-author of 'Nudge', Professor Cass Sunstein discusses his views on a variety of topics ranging from COVID-19 to Star Wars, availability cascades to solution aversion. He highlights the role nudge theory can play in driving positive change during the pandemic and in the broader context of climate change. In the creative section of the interview, Prof. Sunstein talks candidly about his desires to visit the Roman Empire, advises us on how to select research topics, shares how he spends time in quarantine and a lot more!
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EPISODE 2: MARTIN WOLFCurious about the future of globalisation? Wondering what’s in store for the European Union? Listen to our second episode featuring none other than the Chief Economics Commentator of the Financial Times, Martin Wolf! He discusses everything from the Next Generation EU to structural changes in supply chains, government propaganda to a brilliant analysis of the economic and cultural consequences of the crisis. Thought-provoking and powerful, our personal section features Mr Wolf sharing his motivation for getting into economics, crucial lessons he learnt during his career and the ‘accidents’ that shaped his life!
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Episode 3: william easterlyIs foreign aid truly benefiting developing countries? Or is it violating the freedoms of the vulnerable? In this episode, listen in to our discussion with world-renowned development economist and author of 'The White Man’s Burden', Professor William (Bill) Easterly as he talks about the rights of the poor, the politicization of development, tackling racism in economics and a lot more! Profound and reflective, our personal section features Professor Easterly discussing the importance of humility and reciprocity in economists. Further, he also shares his experiences working at the World Bank! Our thought experiment takes us back to the founding of the Bank and unearths foundational mistakes that have led to some of its shortcomings.
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Episode 4: Jeremy SteinPondering about the financial implications of Covid-19? Intrigued by new economic tools argued in the news? Let your questions be answered by the American macroeconomist, former Board member of the Fed and Harvard academic, Professor Jeremy Stein! In this episode, our distinguished guest gives his opinion on how the pandemic is being addressed by policymakers, shares his thoughts on unorthodox ideas, such as Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), and reveals key insight on his career as an academic and at the Fed. In our thought experiment, Professor Stein muses about a better integration between the two main components of the Fed: monetary policy, and regulation and financial stability.
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Episode 5: Kenneth A. ReinertEver heard of the saying “Basic goods are basic rights”? Keen on learning the future of international trade? In this episode, deepen your understanding of multilateral trade agreements and discover a new way to measure human progress by listening to American public policy expert and international economist Professor Kenneth A. Reinert! Professor Reinert discusses everything from the impact of the Trump administration on the WTO to the drivers and obstacles to economic growth. Further, he highlights how narrowing the agenda from the 169 SDGs to 10 Basic Development Goals can be a more effective way of creating capabilities. Last but not least, our esteemed guest shares motivational advice and supportive words for graduating students all across the world.
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EPISODE 6: YANIS VAROUFAKISWhat is the twin-peaks paradox of capitalism? Do we live in an era of techno-feudalism, where "digital market-owners" like Amazon and Facebook operate like feudal lords? In the first 2021 episode of the Drayton Discourse, Greek Economist, Professor Yanis Varoufakis discusses his difficult transition from academic life into the political sphere, highlighting his numerous battles against the neoliberal establishment, and shares his views on the hottest topics of the day. He compares the coronavirus recession with the EU's economic response to the financial crisis, while also examining the G7's decision to instate a global minimum tax rate. After having investigated the role of government and privacy in his ideal future, we delve into the magical world of the 1920s and its numerous, economic, political, and cultural developments which would make it such a fascinating era to visit.
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EPISODE 7: TIM HARFORDTo what extent does patent protection incentivise innovation? Do meme "Stonks" have a future? In our seventh episode of The Drayton Discourse, Mr Tim Harford talks about his incredibly diverse career, with stints in Shell, the World Bank and podcasting, and discusses some of his FT articles in today's context. He also shares his thoughts on today's most pressing issues, the launch of his latest book on Statistics and why, among all historical figures, he would love to lost Florence Nightingale on his podcast.
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EPISODE 8: Julia SchorIn this episode, Professor Juliet Schor talks about her journey from an economist to a sociologist, and discusses the challenges posed by the emergence of the gig/platform economy. She then shares insights from her exciting research on consumption, productivity and growth, discussing the potential solutions to the challenges in these areas. She also comments on the impact of social media on today's lifestyle, and engages with a though-experiment on which bill should we introduce in the US Senate.
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EPISODE 9: Leah BoustanWhat is the role of big cities in the post-pandemic world? Could there be another “White Flight” after the civil unrest and COVID-19 in the US? In our last episode of the Drayton Discourse for this summer, the Economist’s Society is proud to host Prof Leah Boustan, an economist at Princeton University. In this episode, we discuss the use of technology to aid research in economic history, how more women can participate in Economics today, and to what extent has COVID-19 impacted patterns of migration and urbanisation. Prof Boustan also shares her insights on racial issues plaguing society today.
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EPISODE 10: David Yanagizawa-DrottIn this episode, development and political economist Professor David Yanagizawa-Drott shares his views on a number of areas including the importance of social norms, the impact of protests, and how to navigate media regulation alongside free speech. He emphasises the applicability of behavioural trends to various topics, such as female labour market participation and the Rwandan genocide. Professor Yanagizawa-Drott also gives his advice to young economists and students interested in research, as well as giving us an insight on who he would like to meet from the past.
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