The Beverage Report Podcast

In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, we interview Professor Pranab Bardhan, Professor Emeritus of Economics at UC Berkeley, former chief editor of the Journal of Development Economics, and the celebrated author of Charaiveti and A World of Insecurity. 

What impact does the rise of populism have on global development? How does economic policy shape democracies? And what can we learn from the intersection of politics and economics across India, China, and the West?

Professor Bardhan begins sharing his experience writing his memoir, Charaiveti. He delves into his global academic journey as someone who has a plethora of experience both researching and teaching around the world, he shares how his experiences from Kolkata to Cambridge to MIT have influenced his work on the political economy. He later discusses the shifting landscape of democracy, drawing from his observations on India’s evolving political climate, media influence, and institutional autonomy. Professor Bardhan also explores the "Americanization" of economics and the growing importance of development economics in addressing global inequality. He further advocates for independent institutions and competitive cultures to support innovation and autonomy in universities worldwide. 

Listen in as Professor Bardhan reveals thought-provoking insights on populism, economic security, and democracy with reference to his book: A world of insecurity. He offers a nuanced perspective on the current and future challenges facing economies around the globe such as toxic social media as an echo chamber. This episode will captivate anyone interested in the complex dynamics of economics, politics, and society.

Tune in to explore Professor Pranab Bardhan’s impactful research and his remarkable journey as an economist and global thinker!

In this episode of the Beverage Report Podcast, we interview Professor Carl Singleton, Senior Lecturer of Economics at the University of Stirling and Research Fellow Institute of Labour Economics.

What is Sports Economics and what direction is this field taking? What is the legacy of the Cold War on referee bias in international football today? How can market failures in football prevent the best talent from making the pitch? Do these market failures generalise to the broader labour market, for example, in the financial sector?

Professor Singleton answers these questions and more, drawing on his experience in the intersection of sports and economics. Interesting links are uncovered between sport and seemingly unrelated topics, for example, between Premier League football and local university admissions, leaving the listener curious as to what other areas of life are influenced by sports.

Tune into this episode to learn more about Professor Singleton’s research and journey from LSE BSc Economics to a career in Whitehall and in Economics!

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.