Economics and finance

Boston Fed President & CEO Susan M. Collins, our former Ford School dean, holds a conversation about monetary policy, the breadth of the Federal Reserve's work, and her career path. November, 2024. 

Federal Reserve Bank Vice Chair Michael Barr, former dean of the Ford School, discusses the workings of the Fed, his work on banking reform, and the lessons of leadership he has learned. March, 2024.

As the 2024 presidential campaign ramps up, candidates are facing pressure to pledge not to touch Social Security.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo will reflect on economic growth, innovation, and American competitiveness in conversation with Professor Betsey Stevenson. September, 2023.

JJ Prescott will discuss three of his recent papers supporting banning non-competition agreements in employment contracts, including the use and impact of noncompetes on employees, the role of noncompetes in employee mobility, and the subjective b

Professor Sanjukta Paul will discuss her draft chapter, part of a larger book project, that the surrounding developments in the law, in economic thought, and in the organization of economic activity. March, 2023.

Education policy researcher Kathy Michelmore addresses systemic inequities and educational disparities on the Michigan Minds podcast. 

Jeffery Zhang presents his research, co-authored with Jeremy Kress, which argues that using the term “macroprudential” to describe modern financial regulation is a myth. February, 2023.

Professor Seyhun and his collaborators investigate racial differences in insider trading behavior by corporate leaders to evaluate whether African-American corporate executives have equal access to networks that generate valuable insider informati

This event discusses and raises concerns about the U.S. dollar’s primacy at risk and the rise of central bank digital currencies, cryptocurrencies, and other innovations that could quicken the dollar’s decline. June, 2022.

With sovereign debt soaring, the issues of "how much debt is too much debt" and "what to do about it'' are likely to move once again from the technocratic realm of "quiet politics" into the electoral realm of "loud politics." This study extends ou

This first event in our COVID-19 reflections series will feature a panel discussion on the local impact of safety nets on communities of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. April, 2022.

Ford School economists discuss inflation and labor market fluctuations threatening the fragile economic recovery. January, 2022.

University of Michigan Ford School Dean Michael Barr and United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves on working to revive the economy while combating the racist systems embedded within it. January 17, 2022.

Faculty discussant Bill Bynum, Towsley Policymaker in Residence, will focus on the role of policy to advance economic opportunity for disenfranchised populations. January 12, 2022.

Jerry Davis will discuss the need for a new set of tools to understand and tame the new sources of economic power. December, 2021.

Professor of Economics and Law James Hines discusses the most sensible way to pay for the federal government, noting that the answer lies largely in higher tax rates, not in the many popularly-discussed alternatives. November, 2021.

Professor Rauterberg explores how these two divides interact and questions whether the current structure is socially optimal. October, 2021.

In this talk, H. Luke Shaefer reviews research on the impacts of the largest and most comprehensive expansion of the social safety net in modern times, and where the nation goes from here.

Betsy Stevenson assesses where there have been positive developments and where new policies are needed to ensure long-term stability and opportunity for families and workers. September, 2021.

Penny Naas (MPP '93) talks about key issues in government and business, including diversity, the relationships between the regulated and the regulators, and environmental sustainability. September, 2021.