Expanding Economics

Hosted by CKUT 90.3fm Montreal

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Mar 2026

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About the show

Bringing new ways of thinking to the dismal science. Produced in collaboration with CKUT 90.3fm Montreal.

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23 recent

March 9, 202630 min

The Legacy of Extraction: Resource Curse

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, Noé and Zoya dive into the complex history and future of the natural resource trade. They explore how the wealth of developing nations—from oil in Venezuela to copper in Zambia—has been shaped by a legacy of colonial extraction and neocolonial influence. Their discussion traces the path from the 1884 Berlin Conference to the lost decade of the 1980s, analyzing how Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) often stripped nations of the tools needed for domestic development. By examining the Resource Curse and the double externality of environmental and social harm, they shed light on why resource abundance doesn't always lead to prosperity. Tune in to explore how modern strategies, such as moving up the value chain and leveraging the green transition, might finally allow developing nations to reclaim economic self-determination and sovereign growth. Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

March 9, 202628 min

Perfectly Discriminated: How Dynamic Pricing Works

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, Noelle and Zoya pull back the curtain on dynamic pricing—the invisible force changing the cost of everything from your Uber Eats order to your next concert ticket. While traditional models suggest that shifting prices simply balance supply and demand, the rise of Personalized Dynamic Pricing (PDP) tells a much more intrusive story. The episode explores the shift from surge pricing to surveillance pricing, where AI models crunch your location, browsing history, and even your battery level to predict your maximum willingness to pay. They break down the microeconomic theory of 1st-degree price discrimination and contrast it with the harsh reality of informational inequality and predatory privacy underclasses. By analyzing the DOJ's recent algorithmic price-fixing lawsuit against RealPage, they shed light on how these systems can exacerbate inequality and erode market trust. Tune in for a deep dive into whether allocative efficiency is worth the cost of our privacy, or if we need to start treating data breaches with the same urgency as environmental pollution. Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

February 3, 202638 min

Canadian Budget - November 2025

In this episode, Amelia and Zoya dissect the long awaited Mark Carney budget.

October 26, 202522 min

The Attention "Mint"

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, we dive into an emerging market, the attention economy. Noelle and Zoya explore how our attention is being traded like a currency by major companies and how that impacts our economy, our wellbeing, and our personal choices. They examine how platforms “mint” attention into metrics, set the exchange rates from views to dollars, and capture seigniorage along the way. From ad auctions that clear in milliseconds to the mental-health externalities of infinite scroll, they map the incentive loops that keep us doomscrolling—and who profits. Finally, they workshop heterodox fixes that shift value away from raw capture toward healthier, pro-social design.

March 14, 202536 min

Exploring the Economics of Abortion: A U.S. Case Study

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, we dive into a complex and often overlooked aspect of abortion discourse: economics. Sasha and Zoya explore the impact of abortion policies on economic outcomes, particularly for women. They examine how access to abortion influences issues such as workforce participation and income equality and how abortion access can fit into the broader framework of economic theory. By analyzing the issue through an economic lens, they shed light on how access to abortion affects both individuals and society as a whole. Tune in for a discussion that takes the landmark abortion rulings of the U.S., Roe v. Wade and Dobbs v. Jackson, as a case study to highlight the intersection of policy, economics, and well-being. Amici Brief: link to pdf March Of Dimes - Motherhood Care Deserts: https://www.marchofdimes.org/maternity-care-deserts-report Turn Away Study: https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/turnaway-study Check us out on social media! @expandingeconomics on instagram Learn more about us: www.expandingeconomics.com Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

November 5, 202432 min

Economics in Politics: Buzzwords

As the 2024 election season heats up, politicians are throwing around familiar economic buzzwords like “inflation,” “price gouging,” and “economic growth.” Behind these seemingly simple phrases lies a web of complex, interconnected issues that are often glossed over in campaign speeches. In this episode of the Expanding Economics Podcast, hosts Sasha and Zoya dive into the languages of the 2024 campaigns, exposing the true meaning—and potential misuse—of the economic buzzwords that dominate election debates. We break down what these popular phrases mean in economics, peeling back the layers of political rhetoric to reveal how they’re often oversimplified, misrepresented, or manipulated for political gain. They explore the real-world implications of this “jargon” and how such language can shape public opinion, affect voter behavior, and even obscure critical economic issues that need more than catchphrases to solve. If you’ve ever wondered whether the economic language used by politicians is honest or just a tool to manipulate public perception, this episode is for you. Join Sasha and Zoya as they analyze the political power of buzzwords and what these words really mean. Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

September 4, 202446 min

Cannabis: A Tale of Two Markets with Dr. Tiffanie Perrault

In this episode, Sasha and Zoya explore the unique dynamic between the newly emerging legal market for cannabis and the long established black market. When faced with a choice between legal and illegal, why do some consumers still choose the latter? Together with special guest Dr. Tiffanie Perrault we discuss the driving factors that determine the success (or failure) of the legal market, why the black market persists, and where consumers fit in to this complex relationship. This episode provides a comprehensive review of all things cannabis legalization: A primer on legalization and cannabis, the realities of legalization efforts from Uruguay to the Netherlands, and a discussion with Dr. Perrault about her critical work in this subject. Dr. Perrault is an assistant professor of economics at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Prior to this she was a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University. Learn more about her and her work here: https://tiffanieperrault.github.io/ Papers mentioned in this epsiode: Weeding out the dealers? The economics of cannabis legalization - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268123003505 Flying High? Legalization and the Black Market for Cannabis -https://tiffanieperrault.github.io/docs/PerraultT_jmp_current.pdf Check us out on social media! @expandingeconomics on instagram Learn more about us: www.expandingeconomics.com/ Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

January 19, 202424 min

Where are the Women in Economics?

Claudia Goldin is a labor economist at Harvard who is the most recent Nobel Laureate in economics “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes”. Among her many accolades and contributions, she has made history becoming the first woman to get tenure in Harvard's economics department as well as the first woman to receive the Nobel prize in economics solo. We wanted to congratulate Claudia Goldin on receiving the Nobel Prize in Economics. However, as we began to explore her contributions to the fields of labor and feminist economics our attention was drawn to something else... Women economists or, lack thereof. In this episode, first-time hosts Sasha and Zoya raise crucial questions about the roots of this disparity, starting with undergraduate education. Together, they discuss the far-reaching implications of this gender gap for the field of economics and actionable steps to foster inclusivity and equality. Tune in to gain insights and perspectives on dismantling barriers for women in economics on this episode of the expanding economics podcast. The papers referenced in this episode: WHAT DID UWE DO FOR ECONOMICS: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w31432/w31432.pdf Alice Wu Paper (Gendered Language on the Economics Job Market Rumors Forum): https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pandp.20181101 Check us out on social media!: https://www.instagram.com/expandingeconomics Find out more at: https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co/ Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

August 19, 202333 min

The Sociology of Money and Paradoxical Nature of Cryptocurrencies

In this episode, Sofia shares some of her previous work in Economic Sociology, a subfield that often clashes with Neoclassical economics in its analysis of various economic phenomena. Within it, the study of money and its social meanings is a central topic and subject to widespread debate. After outlining the various perspectives and theories posed by scholars in the field, Sofia searches to explain the rise of cryptocurrencies and other alternative monetary movements and the challenges they face. We hope you enjoy! Read the full paper and sources used here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TxIIG0UWcSZ84AO0Wn1qXPWMMcbKrTee/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106556826125274612654&rtpof=true&sd=true Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

May 25, 202328 min

The Politics of Green Growth with Jade Rinn

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Expanding Economics! To follow up on our last episode on Degrowth Economics, we invited Jade to discuss the attempts to implement green growth policies and how effective they are at achieving C02 reduction targets. After talking a bit about her own experience at McGill and some of the pros and shortcomings of studying economics and political science, we touch on why green growth is more politically appetizing, some of the tangible policies that have been implemented in the Netherlands and what's next for tackling the ecological crisis. If you want to get more involved with Expanding Economics, follow us on Instagram or Facebook for future opportunities! @expandingeconomics Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co

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