Rephonic
Artwork for The Inequality Podcast
Inequality
Meritocracy
Wealth Inequality
Gender Inequality
Public Policy
Social Mobility
Socioeconomic Status
Intergenerational Mobility
Income Inequality
Neighborhood Effects
Mass Incarceration
Economic Inequality
Adam Smith
Affirmative Action
Economic Theory
Higher Education
Child Development
Incarceration Rates
Racial Disparity
Racial Inequality

Presented by the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, The Inequality Podcast brings together scholars across disciplines to discuss the causes and consequences of inequality and strategies to promote economic mobility. This podcast is hosted by sociologist Geoff Wodtke and economists Stev... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes60Founded3 years ago
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EducationSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Inequality Podcast

Latest Episodes

Americans have long been susceptible to certain myths about poverty, including that individuals become poor because of choices, as opposed to larger societal forces. This way of thinking has consequences, particularly at the level of policymaking. Ou... more

Critics of meritocracy often emphasize the ways merit-based thinking can justify grossly unequal outcomes, such as wide gaps in pay between rank-and-file workers and CEOs. Indeed, to some meritocratic thinkers, a sought-after executive receiving an e... more

It is a simple but persuasive idea: In a world of scarcity, rewards like jobs and pay should be distributed based on ability and effort, not birthright, connections, ways of living, wealth, and so on. Meritocracy, framed this way, may sound utterly u... more

Beginning in the 1980s, a new political order led policymakers to prize economic efficiency, often at the expense of public goods. What has followed, our guest argues, has been a withdrawal of ethics from policy making, as well as an “erosion of kind... more

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Recent Guests

David Brady
Professor and chair in the Department of Public Policy and Management at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
Episode: David Brady on the Politics of Poverty
Jahel Queralt
Political theorist; Professor at Pompeu Fabra University
Pompeu Fabra University
Episode: Jahel Queralt on the Costs of Moralizing Success and Failure
Thomas Mulligan
Visiting scholar at Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics
Georgetown University
Episode: Thomas Mulligan on Acting Meritocratically
Philip Kitcher
Philosopher, John Dewey Professor Emeritus at Columbia University
Columbia University
Episode: Philip Kitcher on the Erosion of Ethics in Policymaking
Michelle Jackson
Associate Professor of Sociology
Stanford University
Episode: Michelle Jackson on the Overworked Labor Force
Tom VanHeuvelen
Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
Episode: Tom VanHeuvelen on the Future of Organized Labor
Leslie McCall
Presidential Professor of Political Science and Sociology at the Graduate Center, CUNY
Graduate Center, City University of New York
Episode: Leslie McCall on Intersectional Inequality, AI, and Meritocracy
Joe Soss
Cowles Chair Professor for the Study of Public Service
University of Minnesota, Humphrey School of Public Affairs; Department of Political Science; Department of Sociology
Episode: Joe Soss on Welfare Reform and ‘Legal Plunder’
Mario Small
Quedley Professor of Social Science, Columbia University, sociologist
Columbia University
Episode: Mario Small on Networks and Urban Poverty

Hosts

Steven Durlauf
Host of The Inequality Podcast; University of Chicago/Stone Center affiliations; economist
Geoff Wodtke
Co-host of The Inequality Podcast; Stone Center affiliations; economist
Damon Jones
Co-host of The Inequality Podcast; University of Chicago
Ariel Kalil
Co-host of The Inequality Podcast; University of Chicago

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 40 ratings
  • One of the best economics podcasts.

    Wonderful podcast with a lot of valuable and interesting information.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    3.Elena
    United Kingdom5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Accessible, well-structured debates on complex topics.
Consistently valuable for researchers and practitioners interested in inequality
High-quality guests and nuanced analysis, not sensationalist.
Thoughtful, rigorous policy discussions with top researchers.
Strong panel variety; blends theory with practical policy implications.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Michelle Jackson on the Overworked Labor Force
Q: What is the most radical suggestion in Manifesto for a Dream, and how might it reshape policy to address inequality?
Constructed families and broader social networks above the traditional family could alter mobility dynamics by widening social ties, reducing background-based constraints, and creating incentives for parents to invest in broad-based education and health supports.
Michelle Jackson on the Overworked Labor Force
Q: So I thought we might turn to the implications of these ideas for labor market inequality, particularly wage disparities over the last half-century.
A key interpretation is that many inputs to work have increased without proportional rewards, suggesting that wage inequality may be driven by unrewarded effort and expanding task burdens, with unions sometimes enforcing higher-skill, higher-pay trajectories.
Michelle Jackson on the Overworked Labor Force
Q: It's a very broad question, but I'm just keen to know your thinking.
The discussion centers on two different angles: what is required to do jobs well under rationalization, and how tasks within jobs might promote equality and meritocratic outcomes in the future.
Tom VanHeuvelen on the Future of Organized Labor
Q: What are the main mechanisms connecting union decline to greater inequality?
Unions provide collective power that helps workers secure higher wages and protect against being fired when raising concerns; they also influence non-union workers through spillovers in industries and communities, and they cultivate a culture around fairness that stabilizes wages.
Joe Soss on Welfare Reform and ‘Legal Plunder’
Q: Could you walk us through maybe like kind of one particular example of a welfare policy or reform that was designed to discipline the labor supply?
There are examples across programs; in Florida's TANF-like WT program, new requirements included mandatory two-week classes, shifting language to 'candidates for jobs,' and implementing work requirements that often became make-work, with performance pressures tied to outcomes that privatization and new bureaucratic regimes could exploit.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Inequality Podcast

What is The Inequality Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rigorous, academically oriented discussion on inequality, mobility, and policy, featuring scholars from economics, sociology, history, philosophy, and related fields. Episodes frequently examine labor markets, education, welfare, immigration, and the historical underpinnings of wealth disparities, often proposing policy-responsive solutions grounded in empirical research. Noteworthy is the cross-disciplinary approach, the emphasis on rigorous argumentation, and the tendency to connect theoretical insights with real-world implications for opportunity and social equity. Potential listeners who enjoy thoughtful debates among top researchers and policy-focused storytelling will likely find this show compelling, especially if they value nuance... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Inequality Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Inequality Podcast:

1. Capitalisn't
2. The Gray Area with Sean Illing
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. Ones and Tooze
5. Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

How many episodes of The Inequality Podcast are there?

The Inequality Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 60 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 The Inequality Podcast?

Recent guests on The Inequality Podcast include:

1. David Brady
2. Jahel Queralt
3. Thomas Mulligan
4. Philip Kitcher
5. Michelle Jackson
6. Tom VanHeuvelen
7. Leslie McCall
8. Joe Soss

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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