129. Franklin Obeng-Odoom - 2024 Annual Conference: Existential Crises: The Four Biggest Threats from the Polycrisis

Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next nine weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions. Today’s panelist is Dr. Kris Feder. Dr. Feder is a recently retired professor at Bard College, where she taught courses on environmental, urban, and ecological economics. She has held numerous fellowships and taught at multiple universities such as West Chester University, Temple University, and Franklin and Marshall College. Dr. Feder has contributed to and coauthored three books: The Corruption of Economics, Beyond Neoclassical Economics: Heterodox Approaches to Economic Theory, and Critics of Henry George. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her Ph.D. from Temple University.  Together, the Henry George School joined Dr. Feder to discuss modern monetary theory, the benefits of The Green New Deal, and how a land-value tax can be used to pay for its initiatives. To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next ten weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions. Today’s panelist is Dr. Franklin Obeng-Odoom, professor of Global Development Studies at the University of Helsinki in Finland.  Dr. Obeng-Odoom is a Fellow at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and has received numerous awards for his scholarship and teaching. He is the author of several books, including Global Migration Beyond Limits; The Commons in an Age of Uncertainty; and Property, Institutions, and Social Stratification in Africa. A productive author, Dr. Obeng-Odoom has authored dozens of journal articles and is on the American Journal of Economics and Sociology editorial board.  We were lucky enough to join Dr. Obeng-Odoom to discuss climate refugees, why environmental justice must include land tenure, and how Georgist philosophy can be broadened to better consider the environment.  To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next eleven weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.  Our first panelist will be Mr. Fred Harrison, a long-time friend of the Henry George School, who will be discussing the four biggest threats emerging from the global polycrisis. Mr. Harrison received his bachelor’s from Oxford University and his master’s from the University of London. He is a veteran journalist who has served in multiple news agencies such as The People and Wellington Journal. In 1988 he became the Research Director of the Land Research Trust, London, and has advised several corporations and international governments on tax and economic policy. Fred places an emphasis on the housing market and its interaction with the economy as a whole. He is the author of many books, including The Corruption of Economics, The Power in the Land, and A Philosophy for a Fair Society, all of which critique mainstream economic thinking. Together, we discussed how the current tax system worsens inequality, why Georgist policies can reduce these inequalities, and Boston’s stark disparities in life expectancy. To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Symposia is a longer-form podcast where we explore ideas from our previous seminars. Symposia will offer deeper dives on relevant issues to provide listeners with expansive insight. Whether you’re an expert or just someone who wants to hear a different perspective, Symposia offers listeners a college-level lecture for everyone to learn from. We want all our listeners to find our discussion stimulating, and hope you walk away having learned something new.  Today's discussion comes from our most recent annual conference, “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?”, and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next twelve weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.  Our conference content will kick off with a keynote address from our long-time friend of the Henry George School, Mr. Fred Harrison. Mr. Harrison received his bachelor's from Oxford University and his master’s from the University of London. He is a veteran journalist who has served in multiple news agencies such as The People and Wellington Journal. In 1988 he became the Research Director of the Land Research Trust, London, and has advised several corporations and international governments on tax and economic policy. Fred places an emphasis on the housing market and its interaction with the economy as a whole. He is the author of many books, including The Corruption of Economics, The Power in the Land, and A Philosophy for a Fair Society, all of which critique mainstream economic thinking. Together, we discussed how Henry George initiated a global reformist movement within politics and economics, how to reinvigorate the Georgist movement, and how this can reverse democratic backsliding around the world. To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Welcome back to the Henry George School Podcast. We hope you all enjoyed your summer, wherever you are.  If you don’t remember me or are new, I’m one of your hosts, Nathan Greene, a researcher here at the Henry George School of Social Science. As you may or may not have known, the podcast has been on a bit of a hiatus. We took a break to work on some exciting projects and organize some interesting talks that we’re excited to share with you. Next week, we’ll be starting the podcast back up again, beginning with some content from our Annual Conference: Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution? Please keep a look out for the episode wherever you get your podcasts at our regular time, Thursdays at 9 AM. If you’re a subscriber to the show, it will automatically appear in your feed. And if you’re not a subscriber already, go ahead and give it a try. We’re looking forward to sharing all of our work from over the summer, and we hope you enjoy it. We’ll see you next Thursday, but until then, stay curious and keep questioning everything. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

If you’re a subscriber of our show, you’ve probably noticed that we’ve switched up the types of content we’ve published lately. We’re working on a lot of new projects, and talking to some interesting people, and we’re excited to share the results our listeners. But until those projects are completed, the conversations are had, and the podcasts are published, we are going to be on a brief hiatus. Our goal is to return with fresh perspectives, new topics, and exciting interviews that will continue to enrich your understanding of the world of economics and Georgism. We’ll be back before you know it; we’re expecting sometime in August or the early fall. We’ll be sure to keep you in the loop with any new updates or announcements about the show. We deeply appreciate your support and patience during this time. I encourage you to revisit some of our past episodes—there’s plenty of content to explore after all, and you might discover new insights you missed the first time around. Stay connected with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, or our website, hgsss.org. We can’t wait to come back stronger and better, delivering the quality content you’ve come to expect from The Henry George School Podcast. Thank you for being part of our community. Until we meet again, stay curious and keep questioning everything. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Today our discussion comes from our most recent seminar “The Rise of Automation and AI – Curse or Blessing for the Working Class?” and was recorded in May of 2024. Our Talk is hosted by our Director of Education, Ibrahima Drame, who is joined by Dr. Sandeep Sacheti, Dr. Ansel Schiavone, and Mr. Ed Dodson. Dr. Sandeep is an Executive Vice President at Wolters Kluwer, an IT and software company for professional services. He received his doctorate from UC Berkeley and has 20 patents in decision science, fraud verification, and identification. Dr. Ansel Schiavone is an economics professor at St. John’s University where he researches inequality, microeconomics, and the political economy. He received his bachelor’s degree from Dension University and his PhD from the University of Utah, both in economics. Mr. Dodson attended Shippensburg University and Temple University where he received his economics degree. Ed was also a manager at Fannie Mae. Edward is also the author of a three-volume book series titled The Discovery of First Principles. Together we discussed why AI won’t replace as many jobs as we think, how Neo-classical labor models fail to hold up in the real world, and the Georgist perspective on how AI would impact labor throughout the economy.  To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Dr. Semmler is the Arnhold Professor of International Cooperation and Development at the New School in New York City, where he researches macroeconomics, the economics of climate change, and financial markets. Dr. Semmler is also a Fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Capitalism and Society, an institute that examines the shortcomings of orthodox economics and looks to understand the economy through a more realistic and complex lens. Willi has also taught at other universities such as the American University in Washington D.C., the University of Berlin, and the University of Bielefeld in Germany. He is the author of numerous journal articles and has written many books such as Asset Prices, Booms, and Recessions and Sustainable Macroeconomics, Climate Risks, and Energy Transitions. Dr. Semmler is a trustee and long-time member here at the Henry George School as well. He is an expert on all things macroeconomics, sustainability, and business cycles. Dr. Semmler studied at the University of Munich and Technical University in Germany and earned his PhD from the Free University of Berlin. Together we discussed why economics should begin considering the environment in its analysis, why environmental risks pose economic risks, and how the profit motive incentivizes conservation or degradation. To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Dr. Horn is the Director of Practical Philosophy and Ancient Philosophy at the University of Bonn. Most of his work focuses on classical philosophers like Plato or Aristotle and how we deal with modern questions of ethics and morals. However, Dr. Horn has also written extensively on political philosophy, and the roles ethics and justice play within politics. In addition to his position at the University of Bonn, Dr. Horn also teaches at the New School. He is an alum of the New Institute, a German think tank dedicated to understanding the relationship between well-being and living standards, and how this impacts the human condition. Today, Dr. Horn joined us to explain environmental ethics, some of the different schools of thought within ecological ethics, and introduced us to the idea of political ecology. It was quite a fascinating discussion, to say the least. To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Dr. Rowland served in the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as a Senior Project Manager for Environmental Remediation to help the city improve environmental quality. He has taught at various institutions, such as Pace University and here at the Henry George School of Social Science. He is also a Senior Fellow with the Asset Leadership Network, a group that promotes financial awareness to achieve social objectives. Dr. Marty Rowland earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and his master’s from the University of New Orleans, both in Environmental Engineering. He later went on to earn his Ph.D. in Natural Resource Economics from the University of New Orleans as well. We were joined by Dr. Rowland to discuss Henry George’s work on monetary policy and central banking, some critiques of George’s analysis, and the difference between metal-backed currencies versus fiat currencies.  To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support