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Economics presents itself as a rational science dealing with objective measures and quantitative approaches, but astute observers have long recognized its suffusion with magical, fantastic, irrational, and unconscious elements. That makes it fertile ground for those who study human psychology.

Contemporary discussions of economics and psychology focus mostly on behavioral economics, while psychoanalysis, the branch ostensibly dedicated to heightening awareness of the unconscious, has made far fewer appearances in the conversation. More than half a century ago, thinkers like Norman O. Brown and Herbert Marcuse gained wide appeal with their dives into the hidden recesses and unconscious motivations of economics, but as Sigmund Freud began to fall out of favor with academics in the 1960s, psychoanalytic approaches have been pushed aside or rebranded – despite the fact that a great deal of recent scientific research supports Freud’s concept of the unconscious.

Michael Greenberg's INET working paper on derivatives regulation is featured in Salon

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How can we develop a deeper, more human and multifaceted understanding of the past?

Recent mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, Tulsa, and more have left scores dead from sickening gun violence in just the last few weeks. The wave of injuries and deaths has revived the political debate surrounding America’s uncommonly lax gun laws, raising hopes for reform. Yet we’ve seen cycles of this sort before, with the hopes of victims, their families, and their communities dashed by congressional inaction, with even mild responses like universal background checks extinguished by the constitutionally built-in ease with which minorities can block action in the Senate.

Real reform is not impossible. The 1994 assault weapons ban passed by large margins in both House and Senate, also in the wake of a deadly school shooting. But to carry out such reform, Congress will have to overcome two key factors: the NRA’s entrenched position within the Republican Party, and the ability of the NRA and other interest groups to dismantle the current bicameral Democrat majority by peeling off legislators who take gun lobby money.

Penguin Books has been in touch with details of four more titles for their expanding Doctor Who Target range. The books will be published on 14th July 2022, each with newly commissioned cover artwork by Anthony Dry, in the style of the late Chris Achilleos, whose artwork graced a number of the original releases.

Ministers are portraying themselves as victims of a deal they created for Northern Ireland. A classic blame-shifting strategy

Forget, for the moment, the technical details of the Northern Ireland protocol bill that seeks to renege on Britain’s commitments under its withdrawal agreement with the European Union. Forget – as the British government itself has done – old-fashioned principles of conservatism such as telling the truth, keeping your word and obeying the laws you yourself have made.

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The Stalinist retreat from science and logic persisted following the Soviet Union’s collapse and is now the main tendency of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rule. With his faith-based mythology, warping of history, and denial of facts, Putin’s withdrawal from contemporary Europe could not be starker.

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Besides the crucial COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver, far more is at stake at this ministerial than is generally known.

After many postponements, the 12^th Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will take place June 12–15, 2022, in Geneva.

Živjo from Slovenija, where there are no McMansions. (I finally know peace.) And yet at the same time I grew homesick enough to make my way back into the Cook County Suburbs, namely Barrington, namely South Barrington, namely McMansion Hell. If only in spirit.

This $3 million, 19,700 square foot house (built in 2001) showed up in a previous post, but only its facade. I promise you it’s worth cracking it open and seeing the insides, like a gooey, ugly egg. This is probably the first post in this blog’s history where there were no bedroom photos in the listing. Perhaps Realtors™ have learned a lesson from the “Welcome to Poundtown” incident. Anyway, here goes.

Remember her? Wish I didn’t.

Cambridge University's professor of American History Gary Gerstle discusses his most recent book, about how the neoliberal order came about, why it is faltering, and the indeterminacy of what comes next.