From Big Idea to Big Economy

The mysteries of innovation and productivity, and why we need to solve them

The Paradox of Frozen Liquidity

How unusable liquidity can prevent bank runs — a tale of sunspots and…

The Economic Toll of Incarceration

University of Chicago economists explored the steep social and…

The Role of Intermediaries in Asset Pricing

Why does the economy bounce back from some financial…

After a Fiscal Crisis, Economic Pain Fades Fast

The conventional wisdom says that financial crises cause severe and long-lasting economic damage, but that view may be much too simple, according to new evidence from University of California, Berkeley economists Christina Romer and David Romer.

Debt and Taxes, War and Peace

Should a government pay its debts? Should a central government pay debts incurred by subordinate…

Optimizing Surprise

Economics is a powerful tool to study everything — even entertainment.

Doing the Math: Which Educational Interventions Work?

By the time students get to high school, it’s costly and difficult to boost the academic achievement of those who are seriously lagging.