Economics & Beyond with Rob Johnson

Fred Block: Beyond Industrialism - Building Communities That Work for People

Fred Block, Research​ Professor of Sociology at UC Davis, joins Rob Johnson to discuss his latest book,​ The Habitation Society, which explores the need to move beyond industrial-era economic models to create an economy that prioritizes community well-being​. Block critiques how economic policies have fueled inequality and stagnation while offering solutions—such as restructuring public finance—to foster prosperity for all.

Lincoln Mitchell: Fear and Fascism: How America Reached a Political Breaking Point

Rob Johnson hosts Lincoln Mitchell, Political Science Professor at Columbia University, in a compelling conversation about the increasingly powerful fascist movement in the US. Mitchell outlines the elements of fascism present in the MAGA movement, including its dependence on a strongman leader, the scapegoating of minorities, threats of violence and curtailing of freedoms of speech and assembly. Reflecting on the failures of the media and political establishment, they discuss the importance of rebuilding democratic norms and institutions.

David Sirota: Money Talks - The Erosion of Democracy in the Age of Billionaire Influence

David Sirota joins Rob Johnson to examine the history and impact of money in U.S. politics, as explored in Sirota’s investigative podcast series, "Master Plan." Sirota discusses how a series of judicial rulings and policy changes since the 1970s enabled a system in which the voices of wealthy elites overshadow those of ordinary citizens.

Marjorie Kelly: The Other Dangerous Supremacy - Wealth Supremacy

​Author and Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Democracy Collaborative, Marjorie Kelly, talks about her recently released book, Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises (Berrett-Kohler, September 2023)​​, which also outlines a vision for democratizing the economy so that it serves the broader public good.

Steven Herrmann: America’s Shaman-Poets’ Vision for a Better Future

Rob Johnson and Steven Herrmann, an author and Jungian analyst, discuss the concept of "spiritual democracy" as explored in Herrmann's work and the writings of American poets like Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, and Emily Dickinson and how their vision might inform a renewal of American democracy.

America’s Burning

What happened to the American dream? Rob talks with David Smick about his new film and the inspiration for the project.

Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor - Solidarity: A World-Changing Idea

Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor talk to Rob about their recently released book, Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea. The wide-ranging conversation covers the importance of solidarity in addressing the current crises of economic inequality, climate change, and democracy, emphasizing the need for collective action and social movements to bring about change, as well as the role of education and the arts in fostering a sense of community and shared identity.

Rohinton Medhora: One Earth, One Family, One Future

Rohinton Medhora (INET's Board Chair, member of our Commission on Global Economic Transformation, and Distinguished Fellow at CIGI) discusses global social healing, India and the G20 with INET President Rob Johnson.

Adair Turner: India’s Leadership and Global Challenges of Climate and Finance

If we're going to address environmental catastrophe, we need to support each other on a global scale. Rob Johnson checks in with Adair Turner about his work, and practical solutions to address the climate crisis.

Angus Deaton: An Immigrant Economist Explores the Land of Inequality

Economics Nobel laureate Sir Angus Deaton discusses his latest book, Economics in America, which takes an autobiographical approach to how the field of economics addresses the most pressing issues of our time—from poverty, retirement, and the minimum wage to the ravages of the nation’s uniquely disastrous health care system.