In this episode of Economics and Beyond with Rob Johnson, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson discusses her book The Purposeful Warrior, which explores choosing courage over fear and standing up for democracy. She reflects on her experiences during the 2020 election, her work in civil rights, education, and sports, and her potential run for governor. Benson emphasizes resilience, unity, and the power of arts and activism to inspire change. She encourages young people to define their paths with strength and purpose, offering a call to action for collective progress and principled leadership in challenging times.

Fred Block, Research​ Professor of Sociology at UC Davis, joins Rob Johnson to discuss his latest book,​ The Habitation Society, which explores the need to move beyond industrial-era economic models to create an economy that prioritizes community well-being​. Block critiques how economic policies have fueled inequality and stagnation while offering solutions—such as restructuring public finance—to foster prosperity for all.

Rob Johnson hosts Lincoln Mitchell, Political Science Professor at Columbia University, in a compelling conversation about the increasingly powerful fascist movement in the US. Mitchell outlines the elements of fascism present in the MAGA movement, including its dependence on a strongman leader, the scapegoating of minorities, threats of violence and curtailing of freedoms of speech and assembly. Reflecting on the failures of the media and political establishment, they discuss the importance of rebuilding democratic norms and institutions.

David Sirota joins Rob Johnson to examine the history and impact of money in U.S. politics, as explored in Sirota’s investigative podcast series, "Master Plan." Sirota discusses how a series of judicial rulings and policy changes since the 1970s enabled a system in which the voices of wealthy elites overshadow those of ordinary citizens.

​Author and Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Democracy Collaborative, Marjorie Kelly, talks about her recently released book, Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises (Berrett-Kohler, September 2023)​​, which also outlines a vision for democratizing the economy so that it serves the broader public good.

Rob Johnson and Steven Herrmann, an author and Jungian analyst, discuss the concept of "spiritual democracy" as explored in Herrmann's work and the writings of American poets like Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, and Emily Dickinson and how their vision might inform a renewal of American democracy.

What happened to the American dream? Rob talks with David Smick about his new film and the inspiration for the project.

Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor talk to Rob about their recently released book, Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea. The wide-ranging conversation covers the importance of solidarity in addressing the current crises of economic inequality, climate change, and democracy, emphasizing the need for collective action and social movements to bring about change, as well as the role of education and the arts in fostering a sense of community and shared identity.

Rohinton Medhora (INET's Board Chair, member of our Commission on Global Economic Transformation, and Distinguished Fellow at CIGI) discusses global social healing, India and the G20 with INET President Rob Johnson.

If we're going to address environmental catastrophe, we need to support each other on a global scale. Rob Johnson checks in with Adair Turner about his work, and practical solutions to address the climate crisis.

Economics Nobel laureate Sir Angus Deaton discusses his latest book, Economics in America, which takes an autobiographical approach to how the field of economics addresses the most pressing issues of our time—from poverty, retirement, and the minimum wage to the ravages of the nation’s uniquely disastrous health care system.

Mike Spence talks with Rob Johnson about his upcoming co-authored book "Permacrisis", India and the G20, and bringing the world together to address our shared challenges.Book: "Permacrisis: A Plan to Fix a Fractured World" https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/bo... Do you feel like we’re in a permacrisis? Chances are you feel some anxiety about the state of the world. Gordon Brown, Mohamed A. El-Erian, and Michael Spence certainly did. Three of the most internationally respected and experienced thinkers of our time, these friends found their pandemic Zooms increasingly focused on a cascade of crises: sputtering growth, surging inflation, poor policy responses, an escalating climate emergency, worsening inequality, increasing nationalism, and a decline in global co-operation.

Former Fed vice chair and Princeton University economics professor Alan Blinder takes a close look at what lessons still remain to be learned in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis.

On September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers, a giant investment bank with a storied history, filed for bankruptcy. The shock was profound; world markets melted down.   Over the next few days, one financial behemoth after another, including American International Group (AIG), Washington Mutual, and Wachovia collapsed. The crown jewels of Wall Street – Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs – slid toward the abyss. The Federal Reserve, the Treasury, and other regulators were forced to step in, sometimes in conjunction with famous private investors, to rescue the system. The government in effect nationalized AIG and, after two cliffhanging votes in Congress, it directly injected capital into leading private banks.  Ever since then, debates have raged about why the authorities – the Fed and the Treasury -- allowed Lehman to go broke, after earlier helping to salvage a series of other institutions.  In this Podcast, INET President Robert Johnson and INET Research Director Thomas Ferguson review those dramatic events. They also draw disquieting parallels between the Lehman debacle and more recent episodes of financial deregulation, including recent controversies over crypto and private equity.  

In a world that increasingly promotes distraction and isolation, the ability to pay attention to each other has become ever more important. Philosopher Christian Madsbjerg talks to Rob about his new book, Look, which outlines how we can recapture our ability to pay attention.

Steven Herrmann, Jungian psychoanalyst and author of the books, William James and C. G. Jung and of William Everson: The Shaman’s Call, among others, engages in a wide-ranging conversation about finding one's calling, the poet William Everson, and the importance of dreams. Referenced during the podcast: Robinson Jeffers on Moral Beauty, the Interconnectedness of the Universe, and the Key to Peace of Mind by Maria Popova

Simon Johnson, the co-author of the just-released book Power and Progress (co-authored with Daron Acemoglu), discusses the book, what new technologies hold in store for us, and how societies might better manage and govern them.

Brendan Ballou, talks to Rob about his forthcoming book, Plunder, about the growing harmful role of private equity in the US. Ballou is a federal prosecutor and served as Special Counsel for Private Equity in the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.

Historians Naomi Oreskes (Harvard University) and Erik Conway (Caltech) talk to Rob about their just-released book, The Big Myth: How American Business Taught Us to Loathe Government and Love the Free Market.

Jim Chanos, the president and founder of Kynikos Associates and well-known investment manager talks to Rob about the post-pandemic financial system, which has become more steeped in a casino culture than it has been in a very long time, and whether China's financial situation serves as an example or as a warning.