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The Secrets of Great Conversation (with Charles Duhigg)

2024/02/26

When EconTalk's Russ Roberts sat down with Charles Duhigg to talk about his new book on the art of conversation, Supercommunicators, Roberts tried to apply some of its lessons to his conversation with the author. The result is this special conversation between two people eager to connect and communicate. Enjoy.

A Lively Debate on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (with Robert Wright)

2024/02/19

Journalist and author Robert Wright invited EconTalk's Russ Roberts to his podcast, NonZero, to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, knowing that there would be plenty to disagree about. The two then agreed to release their back-and-forth on their respective podcasts. The result is a lively but respectful discussion that is more debate than the usual EconTalk episode. We hope there will still be much to learn from this slightly more combative than usual episode.

Year Zero of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (with Hillel Cohen)

2024/02/12

How far back should you go to understand the current moment in the relationship between Israel and its Palestinian neighbors and the attack of October 7? Some would say 2005, or 1967, or maybe 1948 when the State of Israel was founded. But for historian and author Hillel Cohen of Hebrew University, year zero was 1929. Listen as he explains to EconTalk's Russ Roberts the significance of that year for the current moment, and the challenge of being an open-minded historian when tribal issues loom large.

Should Israel Depend on the US? (with Michael Oren)

2024/02/05

For decades, American aid to Israel has sent a strategic message: the greatest superpower in the world stands behind the Jewish state. But does it really? Historian and former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren tells EconTalk's Russ Roberts that it's time for Israel to stop accepting U.S. foreign aid. He also explains why he's optimistic about Israel's future even as the Gaza War drags on.

What Palestinians Are Thinking (with Dahlia Scheindlin)

2024/01/29

Pollster and political scientist Dahlia Scheindlin has worked extensively with public opinion polls of both Palestinians and Israelis. Listen as she talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the dreams, fears, anger, and frustration of both sides. Along the way she analyzes the mood of Arab-Israelis and what optimism, if any, she has for a peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians in the aftermath of October 7th.

If Life Is Random, Is It Meaningless? (with Brian Klaas)

2024/01/22

How did a husband-and-wife vacation end up saving a city from the atomic bomb while destroying another? And how did a century-old murder of one family bring another into existence? Easily, explains political scientist Brian Klaas of University College London, who points out that history is replete with chance events that profoundly shaped both society and individual lives. Listen as Klaas discusses his book Fluke with EconTalk's Russ Roberts. Klaas argues that recognizing the randomness of everyday life and history can lead to a newfound appreciation for the meaning of every decision, and to a focus on joyful experimentation instead of relentless optimization.

Can a Nation Plunder Its Way to Wealth (with Noah Smith)

2024/01/15

Did nations get rich on the backs of other nations? Did the West get rich from imperialism? Noah Smith says no. But why not? If you can steal stuff, isn't that better than having to make it yourself? Listen as Noah Smith and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss the impact of imperialism and industrialization on growth and wealth. Smith argues that understanding plunder and where wealth comes from is more than an exercise in economic history--it matters for today's world, too.

The Challenge of Covering the Most Important Story on Earth (with Matti Friedman)

2024/01/08

Journalist Matti Friedman worked for the Jerusalem Bureau of the Associated Press from 2006 to 2011. Looking back at that experience, Friedman argues that little has changed in the journalism landscape. Listen as Friedman discusses with EconTalk host Russ Roberts the media's obsession with Israel and how and why the media often sidelines facts in service of ideology, and the challenge of objective reporting in wartime.

From the Second Intifada to October 7th (with Daniel Gordis)

2024/01/01

Over the 25 years he's lived in Israel, author Daniel Gordis of Shalem College has seen many chapters of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, beginning with the Second Intifada that followed the Oslo Accords. Listen as he and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss why Hamas's massacre of October 7th is different and is an existential threat to Israel. They also speak about why Israelis are demanding a different response to Hamas than they have in the past, and how and why this war will change Israel and the Jewish people.

Can Artificial Intelligence Be Moral? (with Paul Bloom)

2023/12/25

It seems obvious that moral artificial intelligence would be better than the alternative. But psychologist Paul Bloom of the University of Toronto thinks moral AI is not just a meaningless goal but a bad one. Listen as Bloom and EconTalk's Russ Roberts have a wide-ranging conversation about the nature of AI, the nature of morality, and the value of ensuring that we mortals can keep doing stupid or terrible things.

An Extraordinary Introduction to the Birth of Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict (with Haviv Rettig Gur)

2023/12/18

Israeli journalist Haviv Rettig Gur takes us on a deep dive into the origins of Israel--how European Jew-hatred gave birth to Zionism and the founding of the Jewish state in 1948. He then turns to the rise of Palestinian terrorism and explains why the Palestinian experience and the Israeli experience are so incompatible. Along the way, Gur places the Holocaust in a much broader European context. I learned an immense amount from this conversation and hope you do, too.

Niall Ferguson on Free Speech and Kissinger's Role in the Middle East

2023/12/11

How can we create a radically different atmosphere at American universities? Easy, says historian Niall Ferguson of Stanford University's Hoover Institution--have meaningful rules about free speech, and ensure that they're upheld. As with humans, as with institutions: It's all about incentives. Ferguson discusses the current state of free speech on American campuses and how the new University of Austin when it opens hopes to safeguard freedom of speech. The conversation shifts then to the war in the Middle East. Ferguson draws on his work on the biography of Henry Kissinger and compares the present moment for Israel to the Yom Kippur War and the role Kissinger played in 1973.

Read EconTalk podcast reviews

4.7 out of 5

4014 reviews

A Wyoming Friend 2024/02/06

Should Israel Depend on the US

Thanks for your excellent podcast today, with Michael Oren. Very informative, Russ. Really good.

gwebb730 2024/01/25

Awesome Podcast!

EconTalk is an awesome podcast! Russ Roberts is excellent in his discussions of salient issues with various people with a wide variety of knowledge. ...

FireShield95 2024/02/01

Not living up to its name anymore

There's too much non-econ talk for a show called EconTalk. I've listed to every episode of the show, and it was much better when it was a weekly show ...

Al012334567899013456790 2024/01/03

The best podcast

This is the best podcast. Many are good. Some are great. This is the best one.

the burning inch 2024/01/10

More Econ, Less Zion

I don’t listen to hear your hot takes on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I’m here for econ talk.

Vance Ginn 2023/12/31

Essential

If you’re not listening to EconTalk then you’re not learning key economic lessons. Don’t miss an episode!

jjiusbbbdhag 2023/12/23

Best

In terms of quantity and quality the single best podcast yet created. If I had one podcast on a deserted island this would def be it.

DanO 2001 2023/12/20

Easily the best interviewer in the podcast world

Regardless of the topic I come away feeling that I learned something valuable. Differing options are handled with a clear desire to search for the tru...

jonathanmichael12 2023/11/27

Must Listen

Of all the people I’ve never met, Russ Roberts has taught me more than anyone else.

PaintbrushDivide 2023/11/29

Look elsewhere for informative economics discussions

What once was a great economics podcast is now dedicated to addressing the personal interests of Russ Roberts. With all the current and approaching ec...

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