EconTalk
Encyclopedia
EconTalk is a weekly podcast
hosted by professor
Russell Roberts
at George Mason University
. Roberts interviews guests—often professional economists—on topics in economics.
EconTalk is hosted by the Library of Economics and Liberty
(sponsored by the Liberty Fund
). The podcast received 2nd place awards in 2006 and 2007 in the Weblog Awards
, followed by 1st place in 2008. Roberts has interviewed several Nobel Prize
laureates on EconTalk.
and related Hayekian
themes which emphasize the role and nature of knowledge. This often finds form in how societies organize themselves in not just economic but in social and political spheres as well. A running question Roberts poses to guests in this vein is how we should set out to describe this critical idea, as normal conversation rarely captures the essence of the idea.
's division of labor plays a recurring role in the podcasts, particularly in how it contributes to the creation of wealth. These increases in productivity are notably striking and often appear in conversations concerning trade, growth, and technology.
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
hosted by professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Russell Roberts
Russell Roberts (economist)
Russell Roberts is a professor of economics at the George Mason University Mercatus Center. Roberts founded and directed the Management Center at the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis...
at George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
. Roberts interviews guests—often professional economists—on topics in economics.
EconTalk is hosted by the Library of Economics and Liberty
Library of Economics and Liberty
The Library of Economics and Liberty is a free online library of economics books and articles from a libertarian view and is sponsored by the private Liberty Fund.-Content:...
(sponsored by the Liberty Fund
Liberty Fund
Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It is dedicated to the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals...
). The podcast received 2nd place awards in 2006 and 2007 in the Weblog Awards
The Weblog Awards (Wizbang)
The Weblog Awards, presented by Kevin Aylward's Wizbang LLC, were an annual blog award that have been presented since 2003. They were one of the largest blog awards, with winners determined through internet voting by the public. The Weblog Awards are covered by many major news organizations...
, followed by 1st place in 2008. Roberts has interviewed several Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
laureates on EconTalk.
Themes
Major themes include the way markets evolve, spontaneous order, and the division of labor. Guests often include authors of recently published books of current interest in economics. A few guests appear regularly and converse with Roberts about questions that arise in the press or in classrooms. Topics of interest to guests as well as topics suggested by commenters and listeners sometimes become extended themes in subsequent podcasts. Additional themes include the economics of sports, health, the law, public choice, and education.Spontaneous order
Roberts has a particular interest in spontaneous orderSpontaneous order
Spontaneous order, also known as "self-organization", is the spontaneous emergence of order out of seeming chaos. It is a process found in physical, biological, and social networks, as well as economics, though the term "self-organization" is more often used for physical and biological processes,...
and related Hayekian
Friedrich Hayek
Friedrich August Hayek CH , born in Austria-Hungary as Friedrich August von Hayek, was an economist and philosopher best known for his defense of classical liberalism and free-market capitalism against socialist and collectivist thought...
themes which emphasize the role and nature of knowledge. This often finds form in how societies organize themselves in not just economic but in social and political spheres as well. A running question Roberts poses to guests in this vein is how we should set out to describe this critical idea, as normal conversation rarely captures the essence of the idea.
The division of labor
Adam SmithAdam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
's division of labor plays a recurring role in the podcasts, particularly in how it contributes to the creation of wealth. These increases in productivity are notably striking and often appear in conversations concerning trade, growth, and technology.