Dialogues économiques

An online media outlet dedicated to making economics accessible, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and the general public. Dialogues économiques publishes articles, video interviews, and infographics, twice a month, providing information on a wide range of topics addressed by economic research. Available in both French and English, the content may be reproduced in its entirety, provided the authors and the source Dialogues économiques are credited (CC BY-NC-ND). Readers can subscribe to receive each new publication directly in their inbox.
"Make Democracy Great Again" inscrit sur une façade. Photo par Andreas Gruhl / stock.adobe.com
Dialogues économiques

From political commitment to populist mechanics
Why are populist speeches so appealing? Why do rigid, sometimes unrealistic promises appear more credible than nuanced commitments? A recent study analyses the strategic mechanisms of a political system hampered by a crisis of trust in institutions.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2025
SEPTEMBER 16, 2025
© J. Howard Miller — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Dialogues économiques

How does the past shed light on women's work?
What is the history of women's place in the workforce? By exploring the unpaid work carried out by women over the last 150 years in the United States, economists Barbara Petrongolo, Claudia Olivetti and Rachel Ngai reveal the often underestimated importance of their role.
MARCH 4, 2025
MARCH 4, 2025
Photo par Alexis Brown sur Unsplash
Dialogues économiques

Under the influence of our loved ones?
Who shapes our daily choices? Society, friends, family, colleagues, or neighbours? A team of economists examined how social interactions influence our decisions and what this means for public policy.
FEBRUARY 18, 2025
FEBRUARY 18, 2025
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Dialogues économiques

Could applying the original Monopoly® rules help promote financial solidarity?
Could rising property prices help create a fairer society? Following in a long tradition of economic thinking, Alain Trannoy and Etienne Wasmer suggest restructuring French taxation around property: land value assets, rather than capital or labour.
NOVEMBER 19, 2024
NOVEMBER 19, 2024
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Dialogues économiques

Inequality: a question of measurement?
Tools often used around the world to measure inequality, such as the Gini index, can act in unexpected ways in certain situations. This is highlighted by economists F. A. Cowell and E. Flachaire.
NOVEMBER 12, 2024
NOVEMBER 12, 2024
Dialogues économiques

Sovereign Wealth Funds Still Operating Behind a Smokescreen
What do the purchase of PSG by Qatar, Beijing's influence on New York real estate, and Norway's stakes in Total have in common? These investments are from sovereign wealth funds - investment funds owned by states. Economists Jeanne Amar and Christelle Lecourt have examined the reasons why these funds might seek to have, or continue without, stricter governance.
OCTOBER 28, 2024
OCTOBER 28, 2024
Dialogues économiques

Who takes care of the children when their mothers are working?
Is it possible to combine work and family obligations without compromising either? Childcare is an essential factor in the equation. Research by economists Mathieu Lefebvre, Laurène Thil, and Laté A. Lawson reveals how childcare practices vary from country to country, and depend on the mother's socio-economic status.
OCTOBER 28, 2024
OCTOBER 28, 2024
Dialogues économiques

Is money in politics good for business?
Economic interests often lie behind the funding of political parties. In the United States, private donations are said to represent a privileged channel through which companies seek favours from the federal government in obtaining public contracts. This is the hypothesis of a team of economic researchers who have looked into the risk of favouritism associated with campaign donations.
OCTOBER 28, 2024
OCTOBER 28, 2024
Photo par Roya Ann Miller sur Unsplash
Dialogues économiques

At what cost? Calculating the impact of climate change – today and tomorrow
Mostly unknown outside academic circles, the social discount rate (SDR) is vital for understanding the value of infrastructure investments far into the future. But if that’s especially relevant in a world threatened by climate change, governments and economists have long argued exactly what discount rate to use, or if a fixed rate is even necessary. Economists Christian Gollier, Frederick van der Ploeg and Jiakun Zheng recently developed a major survey to gauge opinion on the SDR across their profession. Between the theoretical importance of project-specific discount rates, and a reluctance to tweak rates in practice, their findings are worth exploring – especially once you consider the need to expand the debate beyond economics.
JUNE 18, 2024
JUNE 18, 2024
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Dialogues économiques

Building your identity on a minefield
Can mining influence the way in which we identify ourselves? According to economists Nicolas Berman, Mathieu Couttenier and Victoire Girard, mining in Africa may intensify feelings of ethnic belonging, by generating feelings of deprivation among the local population. Mining could therefore help explain ethnic fragmentation and certain conflicts observed in Sub-Saharan Africa.
JUNE 4, 2024
JUNE 4, 2024