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EconTalk

Russ Roberts
Artificial Intelligence
Israel
Hamas
Economics
Education
Gaza
Happiness
Parenting
Psychology
Decision-Making
United States
Industrial Policy
Intuition
Opera
VAR
Football
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Public Health
Birds
Mohammed Bin Salman

EconTalk: Conversations for the Curious is an award-winning weekly podcast hosted by Russ Roberts of Shalem College in Jerusalem and Stanford's Hoover Institution. The eclectic guest list includes authors, doctors, psychologists, historians, philosophers, economists, and more. Learn how the health care system really works, the serenity that comes from humility, the challenge of interpreting data, ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes1062Founded20 years ago
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CoursesEducationScienceSocial Sciences

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Artwork for EconTalk

Latest Episodes

Six months into a stage-four pancreatic cancer diagnosis that gave him 90 days to live, Ben Sasse sits down with EconTalk's Russ Roberts for a conversation that refuses easy comfort. The former U.S. senator and University of Florida president is cand... more

Most discourses about Israel or Palestine are morality plays of good guys vs bad guys. Egyptian-born Hussein Aboubakr Mansour takes a different approach, seeing the conflict as a self-reproducing system of political and economic extraction where Arab... more

What is wilderness when seven billion people share the planet and nowhere remains truly untouched? Author and journalist Cal Flyn discusses her book The Savage Landscape with EconTalk host Russ Roberts, weaving together journeys to some of Earth's mo... more

What happens when a poet who survived prison sits down with the world's oldest war story--and reads it in three sleepless, wandering days? In this second episode of the EconTalk Book Club on the Iliad, Dwayne Betts and EconTalk host Russ Roberts trad... more

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Recent Guests

Hussein Aboubakr Mansour
Author; affiliated with JINSA; substack author of Abrahamic Metacritique
JINSA (Jewish Institute for National Security of America)
Episode: The Political Economy of Palestine (with Hussein Aboubakr Mansour)
Cal Flyn
Author and journalist
Author of The Savage Landscape
Episode: Savage Landscapes (with Cal Flyn)
Dwayne Betts
Poet and author, guest on EconTalk
Episode: Dwayne Betts on the Iliad
Ronnen Harary
Entrepreneur, television and film producer, co-founder of Spin Master
Spin Master
Episode: From Sawdust to Paw Patrol: The Spin Master Story (with Ronnen Harary)
Ido Hevroni
Colleague at Shalem College who teaches the Iliad and Odyssey
Shalem College
Episode: EconTalk Book Club on the Iliad (with Ido Hevroni)
John Mandrola
Cardiac electrophysiologist
Sensible Medicine (Substack)
Episode: Do Less, Heal More: The Case for Medical Conservatism (with John Mandrola)
Philip Auerswald
Economist and author of A Phone is a Cow
George Mason University
Episode: Can a Phone Be a Cow? (with Philip Auerswald)
Rowan Jacobsen
Author of In Defense of Sunlight
Author, In Defense of Sunlight
Episode: The Case for Sunshine (with Rowan Jacobsen)
Luke Burgis
Author of The One and the Ninety-Nine; discusses social contagion and identity
Author, The One and the Ninety-Nine
Episode: The Self, the Crowd, and Social Contagion (with Luke Burgis)

Host

Russell Roberts
Host of the program, known for guiding in-depth conversations with guests across economics, science, and public life.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 6.5k ratings
  • Intriguing topics

    But why not focus on different walks of sociey, for a change, when discussing societal themes. Your target audience can still be the educated and/ well-heeled, but please introduce more anecdotes from and about diverse audiences.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Workforce Consultant
    United States21 days ago
  • What’s the appeal?

    I don’t really understand the appeal of this podcast. I’ve tried. But I find the host less intelligent and competent than he seems to believe himself to be. A lot of faux profundity. A misplaced sense of self-importance.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    NicolasAJD
    United States2 months ago
  • One of my favourite episodes

    Podcast Addict
    5
    sean
    2 months ago
  • Always interesting

    Always interesting

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    C_L3K
    United States4 months ago
  • Used to be

    This used to be a great podcast. Now just pro Israel propaganda media. So sad.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    R3hauer
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host steers thoughtful, authentic conversations with fantastic guests.
Some episodes attract strong critique around perceived political stances and topic choices.
Listeners value the deep, idea-forward discussions and multidisciplinary approach.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Savage Landscapes (with Cal Flyn)
Q: Did you feel anything at Mount Sinai?
Cal recalls feelings of amazement and aesthetic appreciation rather than a definitive transcendence, noting moments of realization during research, and explains how famous wilderness sites can become crowd-managed or touristy, which can dilute the sincerity of personal epiphanies.
Savage Landscapes (with Cal Flyn)
Q: Two questions. First, describe what historically human beings have turned to the wilderness to commune with the divine or something transcendent.
Cal describes Sinai and other sacred landscapes as opening sequences that show wilderness as a site for transcendence across religions, with early literature like the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Ramayana illustrating this perennial search for enlightenment and meaning in wild places.
EconTalk Book Club on the Iliad (with Ido Hevroni)
Q: Why should a thoughtful reader engage with the Iliad?
The guest argues the Iliad is foundational to Western culture and a source for understanding heroism, moral complexity, and the roots of Western storytelling, offering a framework to analyze leadership, fate, and human emotion in ways that resonate today.
EconTalk Book Club on the Iliad (with Ido Hevroni)
Q: When did you first read the Iliad and why did you read it?
Ido explains his early exposure through popular culture and family readings, then describes how his later, self-guided study—focused on liberal education and the Greek mythic tradition—deepened his understanding and appreciation for the text.
From Sawdust to Paw Patrol: The Spin Master Story (with Ronnen Harary)
Q: What makes Paw Patrol sustainable after 13 years?
Paw Patrol endures because it preserves core tone and structure, integrates a strong narrative universe with a consistent production ecosystem, and continually expands with new stories while keeping the same kid-focused, virtuous framing.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About EconTalk

What is EconTalk about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful, wide-ranging conversations with leading thinkers across economics, science, technology, history, philosophy, and public life. Topics span mortality and consciousness, AI governance and policy, innovation and business history, education and labor markets, and cultural narratives that shape global affairs. The host steers rigorous, often unpacking complex ideas with guests who blend scholarly depth with accessible storytelling, producing episodes that reward careful listening and intellectual curiosity. The show's notable strengths lie in its patient dialogue, willingness to challenge assumptions, and a roster of guests who are both rigorous and engaging, making it a strong fit for listeners who enjoy long-form, idea-forward discu... more

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Which podcasts are similar to EconTalk?

These podcasts share a similar audience with EconTalk:

1. Conversations with Tyler
2. GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History & Geopolitics
3. Uncommon Knowledge
4. The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg
5. Conversations with Coleman

How many episodes of EconTalk are there?

EconTalk launched 20 years ago and published 1062 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on EconTalk?

Recent guests on EconTalk include:

1. Hussein Aboubakr Mansour
2. Cal Flyn
3. Dwayne Betts
4. Ronnen Harary
5. Ido Hevroni
6. John Mandrola
7. Philip Auerswald
8. Rowan Jacobsen

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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