Shows / Economics Happy Hour Podcast
Economics Happy Hour Podcast
Economics Happy Hour is a podcast where two economics educators talk through current events, teaching, and research over a drink. Conversations are unscripted and focused on how economists actually think about the world and the classroom.
www.econhappyhour.com
Episodes
Economics Happy Hour PodcastShould We Abolish Business Schools?
Should universities get rid of their business schools? A recent New York Times OpEd argues that business education encourages students to prioritize profits…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics
What does this year’s economics Nobel have to do with your savings account or your next big purchase? We unpack Robert Hall and Michael Woodford’s…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe 1990s Economy: From Recession to Internet Boom
The 1990s began with a recession that helped make the economy central to the 1992 presidential election. What followed was a long expansion, falling…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastHow did 9/11 Change the Economy?
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, we look at a difficult question: can economics help us understand terrorism? We start with Gary Becker’s…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastPrice Controls Are Popular Again
Price controls have traditionally been a policy that economists love to use as an example of unintended consequences, but new survey data suggests voters…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhen AI Does the Homework, Who Does the Learning?
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of the college classroom, whether instructors are ready for it or not. We talk about how we’re using AI to…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economy by Decade: The 2000s and The Great Recession
The 2000s were so important, we needed a Part 2 to tackle the Great Recession. We unpack how easy credit, soaring housing prices, risky lending, and the…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economy by Decade: The 2000s (Part 1)
The 2000s began with a strong economy, low unemployment, growing globalization, and plenty of optimism left over from the 1990s. Then came the dot-com crash…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastAmerica at 250: What Made the U.S. an Economic Power?
America turns 250 this year, so we take a step back to ask how the United States became one of the world’s richest economies. We explored the institutions…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe World Cup Is Making America Look Different
The World Cup has brought millions of international fans to North America, and many are discovering aspects of American life that locals take for granted. Matt…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economy by Decade: The 2010s
The 2010s were an unusual economic decade as there was a long recovery from the Great Recession without a major economic shock in the United States. We look at…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economy by Decade: The 2020s
The 2020s have already delivered one of the strangest economic decades in modern history. We unpack how the pandemic reshaped work, inflation, housing…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhy Teens Stopped Working
Teenagers today are far less likely to work than previous generations. This episode explores the long decline in teen labor force participation and tries to…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economics of Non-Compete Agreements
This episode breaks down what non-compete agreements are and why they’ve become such a hot topic in labor economics. Matt and Jadrian explore when these…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastHow Much Do You Know About Basic Money Questions?
Explore the current state of financial literacy as we celebrate Financial Literacy Month. We walk through the “Big 3” financial literacy questions and discuss…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastHow Early Should You Get to the Airport?
How early is too early to get to the airport? This episode looks at that question through an economic lens. We explore the tradeoffs between time, risk, and…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastCan Prediction Markets Really Predict the Future?
Prediction markets allow people to bet on future events, from elections to economic data releases, with prices reflecting the crowd’s expectations. Economists…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastIs Canada Really Poorer Than Alabama?
A recent headline claimed that Canada’s GDP per capita has fallen below Alabama’s. That sparked a broader conversation about what GDP per capita actually…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastCan We Experiment Our Way to Better Teaching?
We’re joined by Doug McKee to talk about how economists can use assessments and experiments to improve teaching and learning. Doug explains how learning…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhat Billionaires Fear Most
This episode looks at a JPMorgan survey of billionaires and what it reveals about how the ultra-wealthy think. We talk about their biggest fears, especially…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhy Are Championship Tickets So Expensive?
Ticket prices are in the spotlight as the NCAA football championship and the upcoming World Cup push demand to extremes. We dig into why resale markets exist…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastSeason 4 Launch and Goals for 2026
To kick off Season 4, we reflect on our personal and professional journeys over the past year. We discuss the challenge of sticking to goals like healthier…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastJobs That Didn't Exist 25 Years Ago
We reflect on what economics can teach us about work, technology, and the future. A new report by LinkedIn found that one in five Americans now work in jobs…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastPaternalism in the Classroom 🎓
College is often framed as the bridge between adolescence and adulthood, but how much should professors “step in” to guide student behavior along the way? In…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economics of Beer
Behind every pint of beer is a surprisingly complex story about choices, local identity, supply chains, and a maze of regulations. This week, we sit down with…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhy Colleges Pay Millions to Fired Coaches
College football is big business. While universities often talk about tradition, rivalries, and student spirit, the finances tell a story of massive contracts…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe 2025 Nobel Prize
We break down the 2025 Economics Nobel Prize, which was awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for their “having explained innovation-driven…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhy is it Tough to Teach Students About Taxes?
Let’s dive into a surprisingly tricky topic to teach: tax incidence. In this episode, we explore why this seemingly simple concept trips up so many students…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Demographic Cliff in Higher Education
We explore what the looming demographic cliff means for colleges and universities. As the number of high school graduates begins to shrink, institutions are…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Most Important Grocery Store Visit of All Time
Let’s dive into the unexpected legacy of Boris Yeltsin’s 1989 visit to a Houston grocery store. We explore how that moment shaped the Russian leader’s…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastTeaching Economics with Escape Rooms
We sit down with Tom Flesher and Noah Trudeau to talk about their JET SET session on using escape rooms to teach economics and statistics. Escape rooms are…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastControversy at the BLS
We dive into the sudden firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner following large downward revisions to the most recent jobs data. Everything is…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomics of Rewards Programs
This week, we dive into the economics behind rewards programs and credit card perks. We explore how loyalty schemes influence consumer behavior and how…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomics and Sports Betting
Dive into the economic concepts that have helped with the recent explosion of sports betting in the United States. Explore how sportsbooks set odds, the role…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastBobby Bonilla Day and the Value of Annuities
In this episode, we explore the economic concepts behind Bobby Bonilla Day, when the former MLB player annually receives a $1.19 million check from the Mets…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomics of Study Abroad
Matt and Jadrian explore several aspects of studying abroad. These include the economic benefits students gain, how study abroad programs differ from a typical…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomics of the Papal Elections
In this episode, we look at how economists think about the election of a new Pope. With the recent selection of Pope Leo XIV, Matt and Jadrian break down how…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomics of Broadway Shows and Awards
Matt and Jadrian explore the economic power of Broadway's biggest awards: the Tonys. We explain how Tony nominations influence ticket sales and why timing…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastHow Do Professors Spend Summer "Break"?
What do professors actually do all summer? In this episode, Matt and Jadrian break down the rhythm of the academic calendar and take listeners behind the…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomic Lessons from Bluey
This week, we explore how the children's show Bluey delivers surprisingly rich lessons in economics. We're joined by Lauren Shifflett and Stephen Day, who…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastPublic Health, Auctions, and Teaching
What could a research arc look like? Matt shares the story of his career pivot from a pure experimental economist to one that includes researching on teaching…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economics of Pets
Are pets a financial luxury or a household necessity? Matt and Jadrian break down the economics of pet ownership—from the true cost of bringing a furry friend…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomics of Spring Break
Spring break isn't just a vacation—it’s an economic event. This week, we consider the potential impacts of spring break on destination economies, from the…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe Economics of Abolishing the Penny
Should the U.S. eliminate the penny? In this episode, we dive into the economics of keeping or removing the one-cent coin, weighing its production costs…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhat Does an Economics Professor's Work Schedule Look Like?
Ever wonder what a professor's schedule really looks like? In this episode, Matt and Jadrian lift the hood on the academic calendar, from the chaotic first…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastResearch on Sports Economics & Economics Education
Regular listeners will know we love teaching economics, but Matt and Jadrian are also researchers! In this episode of Economics Happy Hour, Matt asks Jadrian…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastSeason 3 Launch and Our Goals for 2025
In this kickoff to Season 3, Matt and Jadrian share their personal and professional goals for the new year, focusing on growth and balance. They reflect on…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastSpecial Episode: 2024 Year in Review
In our shortest episode yet, we take a fun dive into our Spotify Year in Review for 2024. Join us as we share our live reactions to the data and reflect on…
Economics Happy Hour Podcast2024 Gift-Giving Guide
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the economist in your life? There are thousands of gifts you could buy someone you love, but what do you get for the…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhy Do We Love Price Discrimination?
Matt and Jadrian discuss the concept of price discrimination and how it’s taught in economics classrooms. They highlight some real-world examples like student…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhich Economists Should You Follow?
There are a lot of great economists providing meaningful content. There are so many people doing great work, but who’s worth the time to check out? We discuss…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomic Lessons from Halloween
It’s spooky season, so Jadrian and Matt are lightening the mood by talking Halloween economics! They dive into everything you wanted to know—and maybe things…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastThe 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics
Matt and Jadrian are joined by Brian O'Roark to share their initial thoughts on the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics announcement. This year’s award goes to Daron…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomists React to the Vance-Walz Vice Presidential Debate
Brian O’Roark is back again to join Matt and Jadrian as they watch the 2024 vice presidential debate between Governor Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance on October…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastIs "Big Econ" Problematic?
Matt and Jadrian explore the power and influence of elite economics departments, discussing whether "Big Economics" programs have too much sway in the…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastEconomists React to the Trump-Harris Presidential Debate
Join Matt and Jadrian with guest Brian O'Roark as they react to key economic statements from the second presidential debate of 2024 between Kamala Harris and…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhy Did We Choose Economics?
As millions of students return to school, many are questioning if their chosen major is the right fit. In this episode, Matt and Jadrian share their personal…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastBringing Economics to the Masses
Matt and Jadrian are joined by Abdullah Al Bahrani, the Executive Director of JET and a Professor of Economics at Northern Kentucky University. This episode…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastTeaching in Australia vs. the United States
Matt and Jadrian are joined by Wayne Geerling, a Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas in Austin. They discuss their experiences at the JET SET…
Economics Happy Hour PodcastWhat is Special About the AP Economics Exam?
How much do you know about the AP Economics exam? We doubt you know as much about it as Austin Green, award-winning Georgia AP Economics instructor and AP exam…