Beverage Report Podcast: Recent Episodes
LSE Department of Economics
The Beverage Report Podcast was founded by two LSE BSc Economics students to share the pioneering work of the LSE Department of Economics with the wider LSE community and beyond. Matthew and Tommy share a passion for economics and curiosity in exploring contemporary policy debates. They realised a great way to do this would be to engage with the experts working down the corridor: people who have changed the world through their policy work for institutions like the World Bank and Bank of England; or whose research has been so impactful that they have they been awarded the Nobel Prize.
In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, we interview Professor Camille Landais, Professor of Economics & Director of STICERD at the LSE.
What is the child penalty and how come even countries at similar levels of development, such as Scandinavian and German-speaking countries, demonstrate large variations? Why is inheritance taxation an unpopular concept, and how could the current system be reformed? What are the benefits and potential drawbacks of short-term work compared to unemployment insurance schemes?
Professor Landais answers these questions and more, explaining the context and rationale behind his research, as well as the applicability of the results. Drawing on his expertise, Professor Landais shares his insights and carefully weighs up potential benefits and disadvantages of certain policies, allowing listeners to draw informed conclusions.
Tune into this episode to learn more about Professor Landais' research and his personal journey as an economist.
*Special thanks for this episode goes out to Dave, the wider Beverage Report Podcast team & the Department of Economics at the LSE.
In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, we interview Professor David Luke, Professor in Practice and Strategic Director at the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the LSE.
How does the AfCFTA change the current trade regimes in place in Africa? Is rapid growth we have seen in sub-Saharan Africa in recent decades indeed not sustainable due to "poor prospects for industrialisation"? How can Africa best prepare itself for the EU's CBAM legislation?
Professor Luke answers these questions and more, drawing on his immense expertise marrying theory and practice in the field of trade policy and negotiations, as well as development in Africa. Describing his expansive career, Professor Luke divulges how current students and young professionals seeking to go into similar areas of work can do so, and what to look out for while laying the foundations for such a career.
Tune into this episode to learn more about Professor Luke's research and his personal journey as an economist!
*Special thanks for this episode goes out to Dave, the wider Beverage Report Podcast team & the Department of Economics at the LSE.
In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, we interview Professor Keyu Jin, Associate Professor of Economics at the LSE Department of Economics & author of the new book 'The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism'.
What are the West's biggest misconceptions about China? How has the one-child policy impacted policy regulations and aggregate household savings? What insights can we glean from the collapse of SVB?
Professor Jin explores these topics and more, sharing her insights and work on some of the most important and impactful current areas of research: the Chinese economy, international trade & finance.
Tune into this episode to learn more about Professor Jin's research and her personal journey as an economist!
In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, we interview Baroness Dambisa Moyo, a member of the House of Lords serving on a number of corporate boards, with a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford, and a Master's degree from Harvard University!
How might geopolitical instability mould the landscape of investment opportunities? In what ways might AI impact growth and human development? Which sectors are the most vulnerable to the need to refinance maturing corporate debt as interest rates remain high?
Lady Moyo shares her insights and outlook on some of the most important current trends globally, including inflation, interest rates, geopolitics, climate change, AI and more. With an illustrious and expansive career, Lady Moyo also discusses key lessons she has gained from her experiences, and imparts wisdom for those interested in a career in economics and politics.
Tune into this special episode to learn more about Baroness Dambisa Moyo's academic and professional journey.
In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, Raza Rasool interviews Professor Matthias Doepke, our very own Professor of Economics at the LSE Department of Economics! Professor Doepke shares his insights on various topics within the field of family economics.
Do parenting decisions influence inequality? What is Scandinavian-style parenting? How is fertility related to income?
Professor Doepke also discusses his best-selling book‘Love, Money, and Parenting: How Economics Explains the Way We Raise Our Kids’, as well as some other publications, and shares how his research on family economics have influenced his own views of parenting.
Tune into this episode to learn more about Professor Doepke's research and his personal journey as an economist.
In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, Raza Rasool interviews Professor Imran Rasul, a professor of economics at University College London and co-director of the Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Professor Rasul shares his insights on various topics in labour, development and public economics, such as inequality, vocational training, social mobility and policy evaluation. He also gives some advice for students who are interested in pursuing a career in economics or related fields. Tune in to this episode to learn more about Professor Rasul's research and his personal journey as an economist.
In this episode of the Beverage Report podcast, we resume our conversation with Asli Demirguc-Kunt, a Turkish economist and a non-resident Fellow at the Center for Global Development. Asli is a former chief economist of the Europe and Central Asia Region of The World Bank, where she also served as the Director of Research, Director of Development Policy, and the Chief Economist of the Finance and Private Sector Development Network. She has authored more than 100 research papers and books, and is widely cited and recognized as one of the top women in economics.
We talk to Asli about her research on the determinants and consequences of banking crises, which she has studied extensively using cross-country empirical methods. We discuss how bank concentration, regulation, supervision, and institutional quality affect the likelihood and severity of systemic banking distress. We also discuss her role as the chief economist of the Europe and Central Asia region at the World Bank, where she oversaw the production of analytical reports and policy advice on various topics related to the economic development and integration of the region. We explore the main challenges and opportunities facing the region in terms of growth, trade, innovation, governance, and human capital. Finally, we talk to Asli about her experience as a woman in economics, and her advice for young women who want to pursue a career in this field.
In this episode of the Beverage Report podcast, we are honored to have a conversation with Asli Demirguc-Kunt, a Turkish economist and a non-resident Fellow at the Center for Global Development. Asli is a former chief economist of the Europe and Central Asia Region of The World Bank, where she also served as the Director of Research, Director of Development Policy, and the Chief Economist of the Finance and Private Sector Development Network. She has authored more than 100 research papers and books, and is widely cited and recognized as one of the top women in economics.
We talk to Asli about her role in creating and leading the Global Findex Database, the world’s most comprehensive database on financial inclusion. The Global Findex Database provides almost 300 indicators on topics such as account ownership, payments, saving, credit, and financial resilience for 123 economies. The database is used to track progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to inform policy makers, researchers, and practitioners on how to expand access to financial services for individuals and businesses.
We also discuss her research on the impact of financial inclusion on economic development, poverty reduction, and gender equality. We explore how digital financial services, powered by fintech, can lower costs, increase speed, security, and transparency of transactions, and allow for more tailored financial services that serve the poor. We also examine the challenges and opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access finance and grow their businesses in developing countries.
This is part one of a two-part interview with Asli Demirguc-Kunt. Stay tuned for part two, where we will delve into some of her other research topics.
In this episode of the LSE Beverage Report podcast, we continue our conversation with Sir Oliver Hart, a British-born American economist and Nobel laureate. Sir Oliver is the Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor at Harvard University, and one of the leading experts on contract theory. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2016, together with Bengt Holmström, for his contributions to the theory of incomplete contracts.
We talk to Sir Oliver about some of his more recent research topics, such as corporate social responsibility, shareholder rights, and behavioral contracts. We discuss how corporations should balance their profit objectives with their social and environmental impacts, and whether shareholders should have a say in these matters. Sir Oliver shares with us his views on the opportunities for young economists, and his advice for students who want to pursue a career in economics.
This is part two of a two-part interview with Sir Oliver Hart. If you missed part one, where we discussed his life and career, his groundbreaking work on the roles that ownership structure and contractual arrangements play in the governance and boundaries of corporations, and his influential work on the hold-up problem.
In this episode of the LSE Beverage Report podcast, we are delighted to have a conversation with Sir Oliver Hart, a British-born American economist and Nobel laureate. Sir Oliver is the Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor at Harvard University, and one of the leading experts on contract theory. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2016, together with Bengt Holmström, for his contributions to the theory of incomplete contracts.
We talk to Sir Oliver about his life and career, from his early days as a student, to his groundbreaking research on the roles that ownership structure and contractual arrangements play in the governance and boundaries of corporations. We also discuss his influential work on the hold-up problem, the property rights approach to the theory of the firm, and the implications of incomplete contracts for public policy and institutional design. Sir Oliver shares with us his insights on how he came up with his seminal ideas and what challenges he faced along the way.
This is part one of a two-part interview with Sir Oliver Hart. Stay tuned for part two, where we will explore some of his more recent research topics, such as corporate social responsibility, reference points, and behavioral contracts.
In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, we're joined by Professor Leah Boustan, an economic historian at Princeton University. Professor Boustan is the author of two books, Competition in the Promised Land and Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success. In our conversation, we discuss the Great Migration, white flight, and the impact of immigration on the American economy. We also talk about how machine learning is being used to track immigrants and their descendants, and how the concept of the American Dream has evolved over time. Professor Boustan is a leading expert on immigration and the economics of race. Her research has important implications for policymakers who are grappling with the challenges of immigration today.
In the second part of our conversation with Professor Bryan Caplan, he shares his insights on the selfless reasons to have more kids, shedding light on the benefits beyond individual gains. As a strong proponent of open borders, he argues against the criticism regarding the potential strain on welfare systems. Professor Caplan explains why he chose the title for his book, "Don't be a feminist," despite receiving advice against it. He also outlines his vision for public education, arguing against government subsidies. Lastly, we explore harmful status quo positions and get a teaser of his upcoming book on housing. We conclude by asking Professor Caplan what gives him hope. We hope you enjoy this final part of our conversation with Professor Bryan Caplan.
In this episode, we are thrilled to be joined by Professor Bryan Caplan, a renowned American economist and author known for his unorthodox views on various economic and social issues. In the first part of our conversation with Professor Caplan, we explore the importance of challenging the status quo, the myth of the rational voter, and the merits of open borders.
Professor Caplan shares his motivation to pursue economics and emphasizes the value of evading dogma in economic thinking. He delves into the reasons why dogmas exist and highlights the biases of an irrational voter, discussing where these biases come from and how they affect voting trends.
We also discuss the politics of medical innovations and the relationship between politics and religion. Finally, Professor Caplan sheds light on the issue of immigration and advocates for open borders, explaining his reasoning behind this controversial topic.
Tune in on Friday for the second part of our conversation, where we dive into why you should have more kids, Professor Caplan's book titled "Don't be a feminist," and his thoughts on spending less on public education and building more houses.
In this episode, Rida Samreen explores the economics involved in the media industry with Professor Matthew Gentzkow from Stanford University. They discuss conventional media, the rise of modern media, the rationality of media bias, and the recent phenomenon of digital addiction.
Matthew Gentzkow is the Landau Professor of Technology and the Economy at Stanford University. He studies applied microeconomics with a focus on media industries. He received the 2014 John Bates Clark Medal, given by the American Economic Association to the American economist under the age of forty who has made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge.
In this episode of the Beverage Report, Raza Rasool discusses the 4-day workweek, consumerism, and sustainability with Prof. Juliet Schor. We explore the success of the 4-day work week pilot in the UK, its implications, and potential barriers to implementation. As well as, exploring the impact of global crises on consumer behavior and transitioning to greater sustainability.
Juliet Schor is an economist and sociologist at Boston College. Schor’s research focuses on work, consumption, and climate change. A graduate of Wesleyan University, Schor received her Ph.D. in economics at the University of Massachusetts. Before joining Boston College, she taught at Harvard University for 17 years, in the Department of Economics and the Committee on Degrees in Women's Studies. Schor's most recent project is researching trials of companies who are implementing four day workweeks. Schor’s previous books include the national best-seller The Overspent American.
In this episode, Rida Samreen explores Dr Ng Kok Hoe’s research with the National University of Singapore. They discuss his landmark nationwide street count in 2019, its success in bringing homelessness to public discourse in Singapore, and the minimum income standard debate.
Dr Ng Kok-Hoe is a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Case Study Unit in the School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. He also leads the Social Inclusion Project, a research programme dedicated to analysing the role of public policies in creating opportunities for participation. His research is mainly concerned with income security, minimum income standards, social housing policy and homelessness.
In our third episode, Raza Rasool takes a deep dive into the state of the technological revolution and its impact on the environment with Carlota Perez, the author of “Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital”. They discuss the theory of technological revolutions, the current state of the technological cycle, the role of government in technology, Universal Basic Income and the future of a green golden age.
Carlota Perez is a British-Venezuelan researcher, lecturer and international consultant. She studies the mutual shaping of technical change and society and the lessons provided by the history of technological revolutions for economic growth and development.
In our second episode, Rida Samreen takes a deep dive into the Chinese economy and its global relations with Mr Sitao Xu, the Chief Economist at Deloitte China. They discuss recent protests over the double-edged zero Covid policy, the real estate crisis and its global implications, the future outlook of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the escalating US-China trade war.
Sitao Xu is the Chief Economist and Partner of Deloitte China, spearheading Deloitte's economic and industry research. Prior to Deloitte, he was Chief Representative of China and EIU forecasting director at the Economist Group from 2004 to 2014.
Dr Bapu Jena, PhD, is the Joseph P. Newhouse Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and a physician in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research. As an economist and physician, Dr. Jena’s research involves several areas of health economics and policy including the use of natural experiments in health care, the economics of physician behavior and the physician workforce, medical malpractice, the economics of health care productivity, and the economics of medical innovation. Dr. Jena graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his MD and PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago and completed his residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the host of the Freakonomics, MD podcast, which explores the “hidden side of health care.”
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah speaks with Dr Rachel Ngai from the Department of Economics at LSE. She explains Africa’s structural transformation and how African women’s time allocation in home production and market jobs has changed over time. She also talks about the Hukou System in China.
Andrés Velasco Brañes is a Chilean economist and professor who served as Minister of Finance in the first government of President Michelle Bachelet from March 2006 to March 2010. He is currently the Dean of the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics.
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah speaks with Professor Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy at LSE. He talks about his role as the Minister of Finance in Chile. He also explains the need for unconventional fiscal policies in the post-pandemic world, and why it’s essential for policymakers to understand the feedback loops between medical and economic factors.
Lesetja Kganyago is a South African economist and central banker. He is the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank.
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah speaks with Lesetja Kganyago, Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). He explains how his role as a policymaker varies from being in the Treasury to the central bank. They also discuss SARB’s inflation targeting strategy and inflation expectation anchoring.
Claudia Goldin is an American economic historian and labor economist who is currently the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University. She is a co-director of the NBER's Gender in the Economy Study Group and was the director of the NBER’s Development of the American Economy program from 1989 to 2017.
In our seventh episode, Sarah speaks with Professor Claudia Goldin from Harvard University. Goldin is an economic historian and a labour economist, which gives her a unique perspective when studying the role of women in the economy and the gender pay gap.
They talk about her recently published book Career and Family with a special focus on the novel idea of greedy work. They also explore how maternity penalty evolves as children grow up and become more independent, and the way the pandemic changed the price of work flexibility.
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah speaks with Professor Thomas Sampson from LSE Economics. He explains the cross-region differences in the impact of Brexit on living standards in the UK. He also discusses which aspects of the performance of the UK economy are expected or surprising.
Hyun Song Shin is a South Korean economic theorist and financial economist who focuses on global games. He has been the Economic Adviser and Head of Research of the Bank for International Settlements since May 1, 2014.
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah speaks with Hyun Song Shin, Head of Research at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). He explains the role BIS plays in connecting central banks around the world to facilitate financial inclusion and stability. We also explore Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and the challenges facing CBDCs. Finally, we talk about the recent rise of Decentralised Finance and its implications on the traditional financial system.
Professor Ben Moll is a German macroeconomist who is Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics. He is the recipient of the 2017 Bernacer Prize for his "path-breaking contributions to incorporate consumer and firm heterogeneity into macroeconomic models and use such models to study rich interactions between inequality and the macroeconomy".
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah speaks with Professor Ben Moll on inequality. He explains how technology leads to higher inequality through income and wealth differences, and discusses whether the impact of financial asset ownership on wealth inequality is similar across developed and developing countries.
Alan Stuart Blinder is an American economist and the Gordon S. Rentschler Memorial Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He served as the 15th Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve from 1994 to 1996. Blinder is among the most influential economists in the world according to IDEAS/RePEc.
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah speaks with LSE alumnus Professor Alan Blinder from Princeton University on how his experience differs working for the Federal Reserve and the US Government, and what his opinions are on President Biden’s economic policies.
Edward Ludwig Glaeser is an American economist and Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University. He is also Director for the Cities Research Programme at the International Growth Centre.
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah Wang speaks with Professor Edward Glaeser from Harvard University on urban economics and how the role of cities evolved over time.
In this Beverage Report episode, Sarah Wang, the new host, speaks with LSE alumnus Dr Flavio Toxvaerd from Cambridge University on economic epidemiology.
In the podcast’s second Summer Special, Matthew Bradbury sits down with former Home Secretary and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Kenneth Clarke to discuss his life and times at the frontier of politics.
Matthew Bradbury interviews the CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority, Dr Andrea Coscelli, to discuss the triple challenges he has faced navigating Brexit, COVID-19 and regulation of the digital monopolies.
Matthew Bradbury sits down to discuss with Professor Justin Yifu Lin his work as Chief Economist at the World Bank, the reform and opening up of China and what the objectives should be of development policy going forwards.
Sami Petersen speaks to Professor Janet Hunter about economic history as a discipline, Japanese history, and the effects of COVID-19 on Japan.
Sami Petersen speaks to Dr Swati Dhingra about COVID-19 in India, the pandemic’s effect on globalisation, and the updated economic effects of Brexit.
Sami Petersen speaks to Danny Quah about the economic modelling of international relations, COVID-19 in Southeast Asia, and the post-pandemic world.
Podcast host Matthew Bradbury speaks to Melissa Dell about the economics of institutions, and what economists can learn from other disciplines.
Christopher Pissarides was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2010, jointly with Peter Diamond from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Dale Mortensen from Northwestern University for their work on the economics of unemployment, especially job flows and the effects of being out of work.
10 years on, Matthew Bradbury interviews Christopher Pissarides about his Nobel Prize, life at LSE before and after this event, and his work with the Greek government, defining Greek economic policy going forwards.
In part 2Matthew speaks to Lord Adair Turner about his work as former Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change and his current role as Chairman of the Energy Transitions Commission.
In part 1 of this 2-part episode, Matthew Bradbury speaks to Lord Adair Turner about his work as former Chairman of the Financial Services Authority and his hand in rebuilding the financial sector in the wake of the 2008 Financial Crisis.
Dr Rachel Glennerster discusses Development Economics and her experience at the forefront of both the academic and policy worlds.
Podcast host Matthew Bradbury speaks to Professor Linda Yueh about her work as Chair of the LSE Economic Diplomacy Commission.
Matthew Bradbury sits down with Dr Anneliese Dodds, Labour Shadow Chancellor, to discuss COVID-19, the Labour Party and being the first female Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Podcast host Matthew Bradbury interviews Martin Wolf CBE, to discuss the role of economists and the UK economy - then both in light of COVID-19.
Lord David Willetts discusses his work on Intergenerational Fairness and the impact of his policies as Universities Minister, and how both of those are affected by COVID-19.
In this summer special edition of The Beverage Report, Tommy Sharpe interviews Kevin Watkins on how COVID-19 is impacting the world's poorest children, the need for educational reform, and whether charities are paternalistic.
Kevin Watkins is Chief Executive of Save the Children UK. He was previously Head of Research at Oxfam and has directed three Human Development Reports for the United Nations Development Program.
Matthew Bradbury speaks to Professor Sir Tim Besley about COVID-19 in the developing world.
Professor Sir Tim Besley is School Professor of Economics of Political Science and W. Arthur Lewis Professor of Development Economics in the Department of Economics at LSE.
Matthew Bradbury speaks to Lord Nick Macpherson - former Permanent Secretary to the Treasury - about his time under successive governments, what he has learnt from it and advice that he would pass on to his successors today.
Matthew Bradbury discusses all things monetary policy with Professor the Lord Mervyn King.
Mervyn King was Governor of the Bank of England from 2003 to 2013 and is currently Professor of Economics and Law at New York University and School Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
In an episode we recorded before COVID-19 escalated, we sat down to record an episode with Professor Silvana Tenreyro about how the Financial Crisis has changed the operation of Central Banks, followed by a discussion on women in economics. Silvana is the Professor of Economics at LSE and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
An interview with Professor Ricardo Reis - one of the most eminent macroeconomists working in the UK - where we pick up from the previous discussion with Professor Wouter den Haan by discussing the role of macroeconomists, then launching into a discussion of the Eurozone Crisis, and what the Eurozone needs to become if it is to continue into its third decade. Ricardo Reis is A W Phillips Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics.
During a visit to the London School of Economics, the Queen famously asked why no one saw the 2008 financial crisis coming. Here, Professor Wouter Den Haan, a prestigious macroeconomist - co-director of the Centre for Macroeconomics and key figure within the LSE Department of Economics (Deputy Head of Department [Education])- discusses how macroeconomics has changed as a response to the crisis, and where he thinks it should have changed further. Interviewed by Tommy Sharpe.
In the second episode, Matthew speaks to Professor Sir Charles Bean - former Chief Economist and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England - about the response from inside the Bank. Charles Bean is the Professor of Economics at the LSE.
In this episode, Matthew speaks to Lord Alistair Darling about the response to the financial crisis from his perspective at the heart of government. Alistair Darling was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2015 (most recently for Edinburgh South West) and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010. Lord Darling served continuously in the Labour government’s cabinet from 1997 to 2010.