Russ Roberts interviews authors and economists on ideas from classical liberalism to AI.
EconTalk treats conversation as slow inquiry rather than performance. Russ Roberts uses books, biography, markets, institutions, and personal reflection to test ideas about AI, maintenance, introversion, Saudi Arabia, basketball lines, and moral life.
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EconTalk is a long-running, single-host interview show; Russ Roberts is the only constant presence across episodes, with no co-host or ensemble cast. The standard format pairs Roberts with one guest per episode for an unscripted conversation, frequently built around the guest's recently published nonfiction book. Although the show originates in economics, its recurring subject matter spans development economics and foreign aid, classical liberal political philosophy, the history of Zionism and Jewish identity, religion's relationship to liberal democracy, and AI's effects on employment, education, and governance. Guests are drawn mainly from academia, journalism, and nonfiction publishing — economists, historians, and authors rather than industry commentators. Michael Munger of Duke University is a heavily recurring guest, noted in one episode as making his 51st appearance, typically using everyday scenarios like ticket queues or sports economics to illustrate core mechanisms of scarcity and incentives. Tyler Cowen of George Mason University is another frequent guest, appearing to discuss topics such as AI's impact on higher education and the labor market. Other guests featured include historians and journalists such as William Easterly, Jonathan Rauch, Matti Friedman, Rachel Cockerell, and Stephen Witt, usually appearing once to discuss a specific book or thesis. Conversations lean toward tracing an idea or historical arc — consent versus GDP as a measure of progress, the origin of the phrase 'melting pot,' the founding narratives of Zionism — rather than presenting statistics or policy prescriptions. The show suits listeners who want extended, unhurried argument about ideas in history, politics, religion, and economics, often tied to current nonfiction releases, and who are comfortable with a conversational, low-production style that favors dialogue over scripted segments.
Made for: Listeners who enjoy long-form, idea-driven conversation connecting economics to history, religion, and politics, often centered on a recent nonfiction book.
What sets it apart: Unlike data-focused economics shows, EconTalk consistently drifts outside economics into Zionist history, religion and democracy, and AI policy, held together by Roberts's single-host Socratic interview style rather than a panel or news-analysis format.
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, how potato chips are made, what it's like to run an upscale Manhattan restaurant, what caused the 2008 financial crisis, the nature of consciousness, the conflicts and history of the Middle East, and more. EconTalk has been taking the Monday out of Mondays since 2006. All 1000+ episodes...
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Russ Roberts turns economics, technology and reading into careful conversations about how ideas alter institutions and individual lives.
EconTalk follows Russ Roberts into conversations where economics becomes a way of examining ordinary judgment. With guests including Stephen Dubner, Doug Irwin and Dwarkesh Patel, Roberts moves from trade and industrial change to AI's possible effects on firms, work and human…
Russ Roberts keeps the question alive until economics starts arguing with everyday life.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A company history becomes a grounded account of how AI turned chips into infrastructure.
Stephen Witt's portrait of Jensen Wang and NVIDIA widens into a history of the digital age, with Russ Roberts tracing how a founder and his company came to hold such a central place in AI.
AI becomes a classroom tool, sharpening the question of whether writing is a skill or a way to think.
Tyler Cowen and Russ Roberts treat AI in the classroom as a practical test of what education is meant to do. Students can now use machines to shape prose, but writing still matters because it teaches thinking.
A wartime mission, Hannah Senesh's writing, and the making of an Israeli legend.
A small wartime mission opens into a thoughtful look at how private writing can become public memory. The episode follows Hannah Senesh from her liberal Budapest childhood toward Zionism, then turns to the diaries and other writing that helped secure her place as an enduring…
A Duke-UNC rivalry story becomes a sharp look at queues, student-made rules, prices, and scarcity as social life.
Scarcity comes into focus as Michael Munger uses the Duke-UNC rivalry to examine prices, rationing, queues, and belonging. His account of Kayville, the annual student-run tent village with its streets, lights, customs, constitution, police force, and appeals process, gives…
A clear, reflective conversation on how social instincts can become sincerely held moral commitments.
Hanno Sauer's conversation with Russ Roberts follows morality from Adam Smith's concern for others into the evolutionary pressures that make cooperation and virtue possible.
Coyle's case that flourishing is always a group project, tested against Roberts's own leap to Jerusalem.
Roberts opens by accusing Coyle of picking a title -- "Flourish" -- calculated to land him on EconTalk, and the joke works because it's probably right.
A measured conversation about public hosting, ideas, and AI's limits.
EconTalk uses its conversation with Anna Gatt to examine InterIntellect as a place for open discussion about ideas and politics. Gatt makes the strongest case for why hosting should not be limited to professors and famous intellectuals, and that argument gives the piece its main…
Kevin Mitchell makes a biological case for free will that begins with bacteria and ends with self-knowledge.
Kevin Mitchell comes to EconTalk with a stripped-back argument: free will is real, evolved rather than mystical, and traceable to the moment organisms first learned to act for their own persistence.
Ira Glass frames weekly theme-driven segments spanning family secrets to Portland's protest conflict.
Shankar Vedantam unpacks the psychology behind relationships, careers, and money through researcher interviews.
David McRaney interviews researchers on cognitive bias, motivated reasoning, and why minds change.
Ryan Holiday pairs daily Stoic lessons with long-form guest conversations at his Texas bookstore.
NHPR's Jason Moon investigates the Bear Brook barrel murders and a New Hampshire wrongful-conviction case.
Amit Varma's marathon interviews on Indian history, economics, and cricket.
Jonathan Rauch, a self-described 'atheistic homosexual Jew' at the Brookings Institution, joins EconTalk on March 24, 2025 to discuss his book 'Cross-Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy.' Rauch argues that Christianity in America has split into three dysfunctional forms — thin (mainline churches that blended into secular culture), sharp (white evangelicals radicalized by partisan politics), and thick (the healthier ideal that is countercultural yet supportive of liberal democracy).
William Easterly, Professor Emeritus of Economics at NYU, joins EconTalk on November 11th, 2025 to discuss his book 'Violent Saviors: The West's Conquest of the Rest,' arguing that colonialism and modern development share a common flaw — removing the agency of those they claim to help.
NVIDIA gets told as a history of the digital age.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Stewart Brand about his book on maintenance, exploring how maintenance sustains civilization and personal life, with Brand sharing insights from his experiences at age 87.
Russ Roberts of EconTalk interviews Tyler Cowen of George Mason University on his February 2026 views on AI's impact on employment and higher education, prompted by a talk Cowen gave at the University of Austin.
EconTalk host Russ Roberts interviews journalist and author Matti Friedman about his book 'Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe,' which follows 32 Jewish parachutists from British Mandate Palestine who dropped back into Nazi-occupied Europe in 1944.
EconTalk host Russ Roberts and Michael Munger, a Duke faculty member making his 51st appearance on the show, use the allocation of Duke basketball student tickets for the Duke-UNC rivalry game as a vehicle to teach the four mechanisms for managing scarcity — price, queuing, lottery, and authority — and the concept of deadweight loss.
Morality starts with a Smithian question: why do people care about anyone beyond themselves?
A person leaves dinner to read.
Saudi Arabia is changing at uncommon speed.
Swiss watches run into a practical problem: Japanese watches are simply too useful.
Andrew Fox, a former British Army officer and conflict researcher, provides a military analysis of Israel's war in Gaza based on his firsthand access.
Flourishing starts with a definition.
Rachel Cockerell wanted a nice, normal book.
December 22nd, 2025, starts with a provocation.
Mattering starts as a longing.
Conversation is the real subject here.
Intuition gets a fair hearing here.
The claim offends Russ Roberts.
Free will gets a careful hearing.
Band becomes the frame.
Status is unavoidable.
Free will gets handled with care here.
Shampoo is the hook.
Russ Roberts starts with the idea of intelligence itself.
Mathematics begins as a hunch.
Twenty years is a long time.
Joe McReynolds discusses his book 'Emergent Tokyo,' exploring how bottom-up urban design, flexible zoning, and supportive policies create Tokyo's vibrant micro-businesses and affordable housing.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Toby Stewart about his book 'Anointed,' exploring how social status and hierarchy shape opportunity, resource allocation, and decision-making in modern society.
Host Russ Roberts interviews journalist Julia Belluz about her book 'Food Intelligence,' co-authored with Kevin Hall.
Steven Pinker discusses his book on common knowledge, exploring how shared awareness shapes coordination, social norms, and everyday interactions.
EconTalk host Russ Roberts speaks with Brian Potter, senior infrastructure fellow at the Institute for Progress and author of the Construction Physics Substack, about how the United States produced 325,000 aircraft during World War II — more than Germany, Japan, and Italy combined, and more than all commercial aircraft built in the entire history of aviation.
Colin Fisher discusses his book 'The Collective Edge,' exploring how groups and teams function, the importance of task design and purpose in overcoming free rider problems, and why structure often outweighs coaching in team success.
Russ Roberts of EconTalk interviews primatologist Christine Webb of NYU, author of The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters, about how the assumption that humans are categorically superior to other animals distorts scientific research and contributes to ecological destruction.
Host Russ Roberts interviews English professor David Wyatt about Ernest Hemingway's novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, exploring its setting in the Spanish Civil War, themes of grace under pressure, and Hemingway's evolution as a writer.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Tim Ferriss about his journey as a lifehacker and podcaster, exploring topics like the burdens of fame, health optimization routines, AI's impact on work, and the philosophy behind self-experimentation.
Russ Roberts interviews David Marquet, former U.S.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Lowry Presley about his book 'The Right to Oblivion,' exploring privacy beyond information control.
Doug Lemov discusses the science of reading, critiquing failed educational fads like whole language and emphasizing the importance of phonics, background knowledge, and vocabulary.
Host Russ Roberts interviews writer James Marriott about the art and habit of reading, covering topics like balancing physical books and digital devices, strategies for choosing books, and the unique power of literature to foster deep understanding.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Chris Arnade about his global walking journeys, exploring how walking reveals authentic cultures and communities.
Economist Mike Munger joins Russ Roberts to explore the essence of capitalism, framing it as a three-stage system: voluntary exchange, markets, and capitalism itself.
Mathematician Paulina Rowinska discusses her book 'Mapmatics', exploring how maps as representations of reality involve deep mathematical principles, from projection distortions and coastline measurement paradoxes to subway map design and delivery route optimization.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Dr.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Leon Kass about Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 'Discourse on Inequality,' exploring how civilization transforms human nature, creates false needs, and fosters social vices like vanity and jealousy, with insights into modern discontent and psychological roots of conflict.
Economist Noah Smith discusses his evolving views on libertarianism and Econ 101 with host Russ Roberts.
In this 1000th episode monologue, host Russ Roberts reflects on nearly 20 years of EconTalk, sharing insights on the podcast's origins, evolution from debate to conversation, and key lessons learned from guests.
Psychologist Paul Bloom debates host Russ Roberts on the enduring relevance of the nature vs nurture question, challenging modern views that it blurs together.
Host Russ Roberts interviews Patrick McKenzie on the economics of credit cards, covering how they make money through interchange fees and interest, the complexities of fraud and chargebacks, and debates over rewards programs and financial inclusion.
Author Tiffany Jenkins discusses her book 'Strangers and Intimates,' exploring the historical rise and modern erosion of private life.
Economist Doug Irwin joins host Russ Roberts to discuss the economics of tariffs and trade, covering trade deficits, capital flows, and the impacts of protectionism.
Host Russ Roberts interviews podcaster and author Dwarkesh Patel about his book 'The Scaling Era,' exploring the thesis that AI's explosive progress is driven more by massive increases in computing power than algorithmic genius.
Host Russ Roberts interviews journalist Ross Douthat about his book 'Believe, Why Everyone Should Be Religious,' exploring how intelligent, rational people can maintain religious faith in the modern era.
Host Russ Roberts interviews author Ian Leslie about his book 'John and Paul, A Love Story in Songs,' exploring the musical partnership and legacy of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
This episode explores the concept of the moral circle, discussing whether rights and moral consideration should extend beyond humans to animals and artificial intelligence, based on Jeff Sebo's book.
Russ Roberts interviews Matt Ridley about his book on bird mating behavior and the distinction between natural and sexual selection.
Russ Roberts introduces the podcast and shares the top 10 favorite episodes from 2024 as voted by listeners.
Russ Roberts interviews Will Guderra about his book on unreasonable hospitality and leadership lessons from running a top restaurant.
An interview exploring the fundamentals of the Israeli parliamentary democracy, its lack of a constitution, and the controversies surrounding judicial reform.
Historian James Barr discusses the French-British rivalry that shaped the modern Middle East after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
Host Russ Roberts interviews physician Adam Sifu about the challenges and rewards of being a doctor, starting with the Declaration of Geneva.
Host Russ Roberts interviews sculptor Sabin Howard about his design and philosophy behind the World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Russ Roberts interviews economist Noah Smith about poverty, which he calls 'the elemental foe,' discussing its nature and implications.
Neuroscientist Eric Hoel discusses how parenting makes you a better person, covering personal transformation, public policy, and moral dimensions.
Russ Roberts interviews Professor Eugene Kondorovich about the legal and political status of the West Bank, examining arguments for and against Israel's role as an occupying power.
Russ Roberts interviews Cynthia Haven about the life and ideas of French theorist René Girard.
Russ Roberts interviews economist Michael Munger about government failure, contrasting it with market failure.
Russ Roberts interviews Yuval Levin about his book 'American Covenant' and how the Constitution can unify a divided nation.
Russ Roberts interviews poet and lawyer Dwayne Betts about Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the role of books in prison.
Host Russ Roberts interviews oncologist Vinay Prasad about the scientific success and flawed policy implementation of COVID-19 vaccines.
Russ Roberts interviews philosopher Nick Bostrom about his book 'Deep Utopia' exploring a future of material abundance and infinite leisure.
Host Russ Roberts interviews author A.J.
Russ Roberts hosts a conversation marking EconTalk's 18-year anniversary, reflecting on the show's history and the significance of the number 18 in Jewish tradition.
Psychologist Paul Bloom discusses the potential blessing and abomination of AI mimicking real people for a form of immortality.
Russ Roberts and Teppo Faleen discuss human cognition, AI, and whether AI will surpass human thinking in high-level decision making.
This episode explores the differences between habits, routines, and rituals, focusing on how rituals add emotional meaning to everyday actions, based on psychologist Michael Norton's book 'The Ritual Effect'.
Psychologist Adam Mastroianni discusses his essay on why happiness levels remain stable over time despite major events like recessions and wars, exploring the concept of an emotional thermostat.
This episode explores the concept of 'unbiased' in the digital age, using AI developments as a starting point to discuss internet culture, outrage, and shaming online.
This episode features activist Ahmed Alkhatib discussing his personal experiences and pragmatic ideas for humanitarian aid and post-war security in Gaza, based on his family's losses and displacement.
Host Russ Roberts interviews technology expert Azeem Azhar about exponential technological change and its implications, based on his book and background bridging computing and economics.