Did the Eras Tour Save the Economy? A Conversation with Dr. Cecilia Rio

Welcome to the summer of ’23 trifeceta! We are talking about the economic impact of Barbie, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift with Dr. Cecilia Rio, an economist with a focus on gender and race. The episode delves into the impact of pop culture on the economy, particularly Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, Beyonce's Renaissance Tour, and the film Barbie. Dr. Rio discusses the connection between women's empowerment and economic influence, emphasizing the changing roles of women in society and their increased purchasing power. We talk about what makes a feminist economy and the ways unpaid labor goes unrecognized. As the conversation moves to understanding the impact of technology on gender and society, we end with a brief discussion of the writers and actors strikes. Dr. Cecilia Rio is a interdisciplinary scholar and an Associate Professor of Women's Studies from Towson University in Maryland. Dr. Rio is an economist who specializes in the political economy of race, class, and gender, as well as The U.S. political economy. Her research can be found in several journals including Critical Sociology where she talks about topics like race in feminist economics. Dr. Adrienne Trier-Bieniek is a gender and media scholar who has published books on gender and pop culture, Beyoncé's influence in music, Tori Amos's fandom, as well as publications focused on the ways pop culture can help heal from trauma. Dr. Adrienne has been featured in publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and NBC News and can be found at www.adriennetrier-bieniek.com or on Instagram @dr.adriennetb Supplemental teaching resources and more info for instructors is shared monthly via Dr. Adrienne's newsletter. Sign up at www.adriennetrier-Bieniek.com. Support the show here. (Unless you are a current student. In that case, keep your money and remember, on Wednesday's we wear pink.)