AEA Research Highlights

Mar 19 2025 91 ep. 21 mins 1.5k
AEA Research Highlights Podcast artwork

A podcast featuring interviews with economists whose work appears in journals published by the American Economic Association.

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Ep. 85: America’s public safety net

Mar 19 2025 21 mins  
The patchwork nature of America's public safety net has evolved over centuries, shaped by political winds and changing views on poverty. Understanding this complicated history may help shed light on the core tensions that continue to define debates about who deserves assistance and how it should be provided. In a paper in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, author Christopher How

Ep. 84: Media salience and polarization

Feb 19 2025 18 mins  

Ep. 83: The returns to industrial policy

Jan 23 2025 27 mins  
Between 2006 and 2013, China’s government poured enormous resources into its shipbuilding industry through various subsidies—from providing free coastal land to offering financing assistance for ship buyers. But estimating the true scale and impact of these policies is challenging, as governments are often opaque about their industrial support programs. In a paper in the Journa

Ep. 82: Service quality in the financial advisory industry

Dec 17 2024 18 mins  
A growing number of US households hire advisers to assist with major financial decisions, such as planning life events or making portfolio choices for retirement. But some advisers exploit the inherent complexity of these decisions and the lack of sophistication of their clients to benefit themselves. In a paper in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, Mark Egan, Gregor Matvos, and

Ep. 81: Assessing the Effects of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act

Nov 20 2024 21 mins  
In 2017, then-President Trump signed into law the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, which was arguably the largest corporate tax cut in US history. The TCJA significantly lowered the statutory rate that corporations pay in taxes and reshaped numerous tax rules. Proponents said it would boost US competitiveness on the international stage and juice business investment. But its overall effects ar

Ep. 80: Agricultural productivity and chronic disease

Oct 24 2024 20 mins  
A half a century ago, new high-yield varieties of crops were introduced to India, and it transformed the country's farming. This so-called “Green Revolution” significantly boosted agricultural output, allaying concerns about famine and food security. But it may have had some unanticipated consequences for long-term health outcomes. In a paper in the American Economic Journal: A

Ep. 79: Social organization and redistribution

Sep 26 2024 20 mins  
Qualitative accounts of anthropologists indicate that social structure plays an important role in how resources are shared in society. But quantitative evidence measuring the impacts of social organization on financial ties and transfers has been lacking. In a paper in the American Economic Review, authors Jacob Moscona and Awa Ambra Seck helped to fill that gap. They found that in

Ep. 78: Broader economic impacts of the Paycheck Protection Program

Aug 28 2024 19 mins  
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the hopes that it would keep businesses from laying off workers during government shutdown measures taken to contain the spread of the disease. Initial estimates of the direct impacts have been mixed, with some studies suggesting that the cost was hundreds of thousands of dollars per job sa

Ep. 77: The political power of historical narratives

Jul 31 2024 24 mins  
In 2005, Austria’s most prominent far-right party proclaimed a “Third Turkish Siege of Vienna.” The campaign warned voters that, like their ancestors who were almost overrun by the Ottoman Empire four centuries ago, they were being culturally invaded by Muslims. The campaigners hoped to use long-past historical events to shape the behavior and sentiments of modern-day voters.

Ep. 76: The political consequences of NAFTA

Jul 02 2024 27 mins  
In 1993, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was passed with bipartisan support and near universal endorsement by economists. In hindsight, the economic costs and political consequences were far greater than many contemporary observers would have imagined. In a paper in the American Economic Review, authors Jiwon Choi, Ilyana Kuziemko, Ebonya Washington, and Gavin Wrigh