A Unified Theory of Marriage

A Unified Theory of Marriage

Author: Dr Alice Evans April 8, 2023 Duration: 9:11
Marriage rates are falling, in some countries faster than others. What explains this global trajectory and heterogeneity? Consider three interacting variables: Religion/ social enforcement Companionship vs. sexual variety Women’s financial security.

Conversations on ROCKING OUR PRIORS begin with a simple, powerful idea: that our deepest assumptions about how societies progress deserve a second look. Host Dr Alice Evans, drawing from her roles at King’s College London and the Harvard Kennedy School, doesn’t just interview leading experts-she engages them in a genuine dialogue. Each episode digs into the interconnected engines of change: economic growth, the nuances of governance, and the persistent structures of gender inequality. You’ll hear discussions that are both academic and accessible, where complex theories are tested against real-world evidence and historical patterns. The aim is to unsettle comfortable narratives and examine how transformation actually happens across different cultures. This isn't a lecture series; it's an ongoing exploration designed to challenge and refine your perspective. Tune into the podcast for thoughtful, evidence-based conversations that might just change how you see the world's most pressing social and economic questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

ROCKING OUR PRIORS
Podcast Episodes
Extreme Flooding worsens Early Marriage & Early Motherhood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:13
Monsoon rains can cause enormous damage. Extreme floods are becoming more frequent, alongside global warming. Extreme flooding may increase early marriage and early childbirth, while lowering schooling. This comes from a…
The East Asian Miracle (for women) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:55
Societies vary in their preference for female seclusion. But regardless of culture, female employment rises with job-creating growth. Singapore provides a perfect natural experiment, we can observe how 3 different ethnic…
Does Emigration foster Conservatism? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:53
Panel data provides useful information about attitudinal change in that place. But even if certain countries show persistent traditionalism, we cannot assume this is due to culture. It’s possible - as in Eastern Europe -…
Does Fiction Foster Empathy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:23
By immersing ourselves in another person’s trials and tribulations, are we better able to recognise diverse perspectives and constraints? Might reading fiction, viewing plays and watching television have helped Americans…
Can Social Media Campaigns undo Sexism? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:02
Egypt is one of the most patriarchal countries in the world. 90% of men say that ‘a woman should tolerate violence to keep the family together’. A new paper in Nature examines whether these attitudes can be changed throu…
Culture and Jobs in Asia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:00
A new NBER paper by Barbara Fraumeni sheds light on how culture mediates gender gaps in education and employment. https://www.nber.org/papers/w31535 My Substack: https://draliceevans.substack.com/p/culture-and-job-in-asi…
"Freedoms Delayed": Timur Kuran (review) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:16
Why does the Middle East rank poorly for rule of law, trust, civil liberties and corruption? Waqfs and apostasy rules are the root causes, argues Timur Kuran This podcast reviews his new book, "Freedoms Delayed".
"Outsourcing Repression": Professor Lynette Ong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:40
How has the CCP maintained control? - Coercive violence is outsourced to thugs, enabling the state to maintain legitimacy. - Respected social networks engage in ideological propaganda & persuasion (sometimes via shaming)…
“Putin vs. the People”: Greene & Robertson (review) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:02
In “Putin vs. the People”, Samuel Greene and Graham Robertson suggest the annexation of Crimea triggered a groundswell of national pride. Russians rallied for the flag. They saw Putin more positively, turned a blind-eye…