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Planet Money Summer School

Planet Money Summer School

By: NPR
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Economics is a game you should know how to play. And once you get the fundamental concepts, you start to see it everywhere: the news, the supermarket and even your dating life. So it's time to learn the rules. Planet Money Summer School is a crash course in economics for your ears. See the world through the lens of an economist and you'll start to feel a little less overwhelmed when making financial decisions. And if you're in front of the classroom? Teachers, this is made for you, too. Let us be your breezy and fun companion to assigned readings. We'll even assign the homework (and spare you the groans). Go beyond summer school and stay up-to-date on the economy with the latest episodes of the Planet Money podcast.

Got money on your mind? Try Planet Money+ — a new way to support the show you love, get a sponsor-free feed of the podcast, *and* get access to bonus content. A subscription also gets you access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions. Copyright 2021 NPR - For Personal Use Only
Episodes
  • World Tour 1: Finding the world’s best economic ideas

    World Tour 1: Finding the world’s best economic ideas
    Jul 8 2026
    Come along as we travel the world in search of the best economic ideas to bring home!

    From the beaches of Barbuda to the fjords of Norway, there's money (and money problems) everywhere. For this summer travel season, Planet Money Summer School will take you on a world tour for your ears. Pack that sense of wonder and nose for adventure, this is our semester abroad. We’re going to explore exotic locales and discover cultural norms, but we’re also going to buckle down and learn the biggest economic lessons around the world from our guides.

    We start as far away as you can get from Planet Money headquarters, New Zealand and Australia. We’ll visit a sheep farm to observe an innovative but controversial market for the most important substance on earth, and we’ll ask when do speculators help and when do they hurt the rest of us? Then, we’ll get to know the economist – and jazz musician – who changed how the entire world fights inflation when he released a secret number to tame the dreaded wild beast. How did that work? Spoiler: it was the great leap forward in economic mind tricks.

    Featured Episodes:
    • Liquid Markets (2021)
    • The Secret Target (2018)
    Featured Terms:
    • Multiple equilibria
    • Inflation targeting
    • Speculators (impact on liquidity)
    Support:
    • Planet Money+
    Read:
    • Our book: Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life (Audiobook here)
    • Our weekly longform Planet Money newsletter
    • Our weekly Indicator link round-up newsletter

    Follow:
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
    • Facebook

    This episode of Planet Money Summer School is hosted by Robert Smith. It was produced by Sophia Paliza-Carre, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Annlie Huang with help from Robert Rodriguez.

    See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

    NPR Privacy Policy
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    37 mins
  • Govt 8: Graduation LIVE!

    Govt 8: Graduation LIVE!
    Aug 27 2025
    Get your own personalized summer school diploma here.Today on our final episode of Summer School 2025, we will test your knowledge. We will salute the unsung heroes of government service. And we will pick our valedictorian from among you of the class of 2025.Editorial Note:President Trump attempted to fire Lisa Cook, a Biden appointee to the Federal Reserve Board. Our daily podcast, The Indicator, has coverage on their latest episode. We’ll have an episode in the Planet Money feed soon, in the meantime, here’s some background listening on why this is so important.Years before she joined the Fed, we profiled the work of Lisa Cook. Listen here.Also these:Happy Fed Independence DayA primer on the Federal Reserve's independenceThe case for Fed independence in the Nixon tapesTurkey's runaway inflation problemArthur Burns: shorthand for Fed failure?Should presidents have more of a say in interest rates?Can the Federal Reserve stay independent?It's hard out there for a Fed chairThe series is hosted by Robert Smith and produced by Eric Mennel. Our project manager is Devin Mellor. This episode was edited by Planet Money Executive Producer Alex Goldmark and fact-checked by Emily Crawford.Always free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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    31 mins
  • Govt 7: Trade blocks and blockages (Trade Policy)

    Govt 7: Trade blocks and blockages (Trade Policy)
    Aug 20 2025
    Find all episodes of Planet Money Summer School here.

    Tariffs are the favorite tool of our current president, but there are lots of other ways that governments insert themselves into the free exchange of goods and services. Some of these trade barriers are so insidious and have been going on for so long that it may surprise you that they even exist.

    We bring you the classic story of what happens when you try to protect an American industry and end up hurting another American industry. Well intentioned plans turn into trade barriers that make our lives more expensive.

    Check out our Summer School video cheat sheet TikTok.

    Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

    Always free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.

    Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.

    The series is hosted by Robert Smith and produced by Eric Mennel. Our project manager is Devin Mellor. This episode was edited by Planet Money Executive Producer Alex Goldmark and fact-checked by Emily Crawford.

    See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

    NPR Privacy Policy
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
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