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Backstory: How Research Papers in Economics Get Made

Backstory: How Research Papers in Economics Get Made

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Backstory: How Research Papers in Economics Get Made is a science podcast hosted by UC San Diego. It has 46 episodes, with the latest published April 2026.

Tune into the Backstory Podcast with hosts Riccardo Di Cato, Aakash Bhalothia, Santiago Cantillo, and Maddison Erbabian for a deep dive into the behind-the-scenes process of economic research. Each episode unpacks the hidden journey from a paper's conception to its publication, sharing the challenges and triumphs scholars face along the way. Conceptualized by Paul Niehaus and brought to life by UCSD grad students, Backstory gives voice to the stories that academia often leaves untold.

science ·en ·46 episodes

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1

Backstory: Claudio Ferraz on When Democracy Refuses to Die

2

Andre Gray on Density and Diversity in African Cities

3

Backstory: Fulvia Budillon on Facility Birth and Early-Life Mortality in Malawi

4

Backstory: Ariel Zucker Bergquist on Price Incentives for Conservation

5

Backstory: Lauren Falcao Bergquist on High-quality Coffee Farmers in Uganda

6

Backstory: Paul Christian on Balancing Equity and Efficiency in Agricultural Subsidies

7

Backstory: Dean Spears on After the Spike: Population, Progress and the Case for People

8

Backstory: Maddie McKelway on Household Communication and Women's Employment

9

Backstory: Yasir Khan on Credit Policy for Minorities

10

Backstory: Oeindrila Dube on Conflict and Contact Theory

11

Backstory: Loren Brandt on Labor Force Participation and Structural Change

12

Backstory: Nathan Nunn on Zero-Sum Environments, the Evolution of Beliefs, and Development

13

Backstory: Raúl Sánchez de la Sierra on Unbundling Social Preferences At the Heart of a Major Armed Group in Congo

14

Backstory: Natalie Bau on Long-Term Effects of School Quality in a Low-Income Country

15

Backstory: David McKenzie on Problem Selection and Public Goods Creation

16

Backstory: Francis Annan on the Economic Impacts of Financial Firms

17

Backstory: Gani Aldashev on How Institutions Affect the Governance of Firms

18

Backstory: Kelsey Jack on Drought, Adaptation, and Inequality

19

Backstory: Gedeon Lim on Ethnic Proximity and Politics

20

Backstory: Gaurav Khanna on The IT Boom and Other Consequences of Chasing the American Dream

21

Backstory: Michela Giorcelli on the Effects of Business School Education on Manager Career Outcomes

22

Backstory: Steven Brownstone on Labor Market Effects of Agricultural Mechanization

23

Backstory: Ellora Derenoncourt on Historical Incarceration Penalty in the US

24

Backstory: Susanna Berkouwer on Cooking, Health, and Daily Exposure to Pollution

25

Backstory: Erin Kelley on Value of Long Run Forecasts in Developing-Country Agriculture

26

Backstory: Jared Rubin on Enlightenment Ideals and Belief in Progress Before the Industrial Revolution

27

Backstory: Edward Miguel and Paul Niehaus on the General Equilibrium Effects of Cash Transfers

28

Backstory: Salma Mousa on Players, Performance, and Prejudice Against Minorities

29

Backstory: Duncan Thomas on Long-term Impacts of Exposure to a Natural Disaster

30

Backstory: Francesco Amodio on Labor Market Power, Self-employment, and Development

31

Backstory: Girija Borker on Perceived Risk of Street Harassment and Educational Choices of Women

32

Backstory: Martin Mattsson on Formalizing Dispute Resolution Mechanisms

33

Backstory: Doug Gollin on High-Frequency Human Mobility in Three African Countries

34

Backstory: Vincent Pons on Strategic Platform Adjustments during U.S. and French Elections

35

Backstory: Teresa Molina on Intergenerational Mobility in the Philippines

36

Backstory: Bryce Steinberg on Family Planning, Infertility Fear and Contraception Take-Up

37

Bakckstory: Pauline Rossi on the Drivers of Fertility in Burkina Faso

38

Backstory: Diana Martinez on How Immigration Affect Incumbent Students

39

Backstory: Ernest Liu on Innovation Networks and R&D Allocation

40

Backstory: Jeff Weaver on Polity Size and Local Government Performance

41

Backstory: Garima Sharma on Monopsony and Gender

42

Backstory: Pascaline Dupas on Colonial Origins of Fertility Behaviors

43

Backstory: Gustavo Bobonis on Norms of Corruption in Politicians’ Malfeasance

44

Backstory: Seema Jayachandran on Reshaping Gender Attitudes in India Through Schools

45

Backstory: Diego Comin on TECHnological Factor Productivity

46

Backstory: Lelys Dinarte-Diaz on Violent Discipline and Parental Behavior

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