In the early 90s, when a young economist named Michael Kremer finished his PhD, there had been a few economic studies based on randomized trials. But they were rare. In part because randomized trials – in which you recruit two statistically identical groups, choose one of them to get a treatment, and then compare what happens to each group – are expensive, and they take a lot of time.
But then, by chance, Michael had the opportunity to run a randomized trial in Busia, Kenya. He helped a nonprofit test whether the aid they were giving to local schools helped the students. That study paved the way for more randomized trials, and for other economists to use the method.
On today's show, how Busia, Kenya, became the place where economists pioneered a more scientific way to study huge problems, from contaminated water to low graduation rates, to HIV transmission. And how that research changed government programs and aid efforts around the world.
This episode was produced by James Sneed with help from Willa Rubin. It was engineered by James Willetts. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Molly Messick. Jess Jiang is our acting executive producer.
This is the Tranquillusionist, in which I, Helen Zaltzman, say a load of words which aren’t really about anything, so that your brain gets a little gentle diversion from thinking and/or feeling. Today: a list of gay animals.
Find a transcript at theallusionist.org/gay-animals. Several other Tranquillusionists and nearly 200 Allusionist episodes that are actually about something - are at theallusionist.org.
Support the show at theallusionist.org/donate and as well as keeping this independent podcast going, you also get glimpses into how the podsausage is made, regular livestreams and watchalong parties, AND to hang out with your fellow Allusionauts in the delightful Allusioverse Discord community.
The Allusionist is produced by me, Helen Zaltzman. Martin Austwick composed and played the original music. Hear Martin’s own songs via PaleBirdMusic.com. Information about gay animals was derived from Bruce Bagemihl's work Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity.
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Rainn Wilson is the host of Peacock's The Geography Of Bliss, based on the book of the same name written by Eric Weiner. Like Weiner before him, Wilson (who played the legendary Dwight Schrute on The Office) travels the world in search of locally sourced happiness secrets. For some reason, Mike gives them both a hard time, and everyone winds up angrier at each other than one might expect from an exploration of bliss.
Ravi is joined by guest co-host Isaac Saul, the author of the popular newsletter Tangle.
Former President Trump has been indicted on charges linked to the mishandling of classified documents after leaving office. What happens next, and will he be arrested? Ravi and Isaac dive into the details of these historic charges.
On Thursday, SCOTUS upheld a decision overturning Alabama's congressional map, finding the recently redrawn boundaries violated the Voting Rights Act and intentionally curtailed the electoral influence of black voters.
Ever since inflation began to spike, the term Greedflation has been thrown around by the left and the right. So what is it?
[00:55] - Trump Indictment
[26:37] - Shocking SCOTUS Ruling
[39:15] - Greedflation
Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570
Former President Donald Trump is set to be arraigned in court again — this time in Florida. A grand jury has indicted him on seven counts related to classified documents he stored in his Mar-a-Lago home. He has denied any wrongdoing. Reset hears reactions from Congressman Mike Quigley, who represents Illinois’ 5th District. Then Reset turns to Alvin Tillery, professor of political science and director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern University, to hear what the charges could mean for Trump’s presidential campaign.
Chicago’s tourism industry rebounds, with hotels setting a record for highest occupancy rates. Meanwhile, three Chicago chefs take home the coveted James Beard Award. Reset goes behind the headlines of these stories and more with Alex Nitkin, reporter with the Illinois Answers Project for the Better Government Association, Carrie Shepherd, Chicago reporter for Axios, and Rummana Hussain, editorial board member and columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Federal Indian boarding schools left a decades long legacy of abuse, neglect and forced assimilation of Indigenous children.
Last year, when the federal government finally acknowledged its role — that painful history drew attention to a few schools that remain open.
NPR's Sequoia Carrillo and KOSU's Allison Herrera visited Riverside Indian School in southwest Oklahoma to find out how a school that once stripped children of their Native identity now helps strengthen it.
Federal Indian boarding schools left a decades long legacy of abuse, neglect and forced assimilation of Indigenous children.
Last year, when the federal government finally acknowledged its role — that painful history drew attention to a few schools that remain open.
NPR's Sequoia Carrillo and KOSU's Allison Herrera visited Riverside Indian School in southwest Oklahoma to find out how a school that once stripped children of their Native identity now helps strengthen it.