Knowledge that Transforms

Sascha O. Becker of Monash University and University of Warwick reviews “The Divine Economy: How Religions Compete for Wealth, Power, and People” by Paul Seabright. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Presents a platform model of religious movements, discussing how the competition for members and resources between such movements shapes what is possible for them and their political backers.”

Charles Betsey of Howard University reviews “Hope and Healing: Black Colleges and the Future of American Democracy” by John Silvanus Wilson Jr. The EconLit abstract of this book begins: “Discusses historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the context of the larger history of American higher education, highlighting what HBCUs have done and what non-HBCUs have failed to do to actualize democracy.”

Eric A. Posner of University of Chicago reviews “The Problem of Twelve: When a Few Financial Institutions Control Everything” by John Coates. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores issues that arise when a small number of actors acquire the means to exert outsized influence over the politics and economy of a nation, focusing in particular on the two late-twentieth-century institutions of index funds and private equity funds.”

Jonathan Skinner of Dartmouth University reviews “Why Not Better and Cheaper? Healthcare and Innovation” by James B. Rebitzer and Robert S. Rebitzer. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Considers why the US health-care system is becoming neither better nor more affordable over time, contending that the health sector generates the wrong kinds of innovation by making it easy to profit from low-value innovations and difficult to do the same from innovations that reduce care costs.”

Betsey Stevenson of University of Michigan reviews “Career and Family: Women’s Century-Long Journey toward Equity” by Claudia Golden. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores the reasons for the persisting gender earnings gap, focusing on women's role in the American economy and how it has transformed over the last century.”

Carola Binder of Haverford College reviews “The Monetarists: The Making of the Chicago Monetary Tradition, 1927–1960” by George S. Tavlas. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Considers the emergence and development of the Chicago monetary tradition into what became known as monetarism, describing it as it was reflected in the works of a small group of University of Chicago economists who preserved the importance of the quantity theory of money and defended the free-market system.”

David Just of Cornell University reviews “The World of Sugar: How the Sweet Stuff Transformed Our Politics, Health, and Environment over 2,000 Years” by Ulbe Bosma. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores the evolution of sugar from luxury to ubiquity, promoting the view that while the contemporary prevalence of sugar is an indication of progress, it also reveals a darker story of human exploitation, racism, obesity, and environmental destruction.”

Kimberly Ann Elliott of Former Senior Fellow with the Peterson Institute and the Center for Global Development reviews “How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare” by Narges Bajoghli, Vali Nasr, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, and Ali Vaez. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores how sanctions have impacted the political calculus of those in power in Iran, providing a fuller picture of how prolonged comprehensive sanctions both impact the targeted society and reverberate outward into international politics and economics.”

Geoffrey Carliner of Boston Committee on Foreign Relations reviews “The Capitalist Manifesto: Why the Global Free Market Will Save the World” by By Johan Norberg. The EconLit abstract of this book begins: “Assesses the role of freedom and choice in capitalism, promoting the view that arguments against capitalism fail to take into account how capitalist competition has largely led to improvements in global standards of living.”

Joseph P. Ferrie of Northwestern University and NBER reviews “Economics in America: An Immigrant Economist Explores the Land of Inequality” by Angus Deaton. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores the positives and negatives of economics as both a science and a profession, presenting insights from the author's personal experiences as a naturalized US citizen and academic economist.”