Skip to main content

Changing Economics

In Focus

Changing Economics

Far more than theory, the principles of economics are constantly evolving to help solve pressing societal problems, from inflation to income inequality.

The economics of every day

At its core, economics helps us understand how groups manage and use resources, but its reach extends to so many aspects of our lives.

Learn more about why you should study economics


A person with their debit card in a card reader

What can ease inflation?

Lawrence Summers, Harvard’s Charles W. Eliot University Professor, explores policy and legislation that could help control rising inflation.

Learn more about these approaches to inflation

A house during construction

Is the housing market at an inflection point?

Both home prices and rents rose last year at their fastest pace in decades, but rising interest rates have already taken some heat out of the homebuying market.

The latest thinking from The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies

Addressing equity through economics

Economics can provide contributions to some of the world’s most pressing issues, from stagnant upward mobility to the rise of authoritarian populism.


Joseph Stiglitz

What are the consequences of our large wealth gap?

Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz explores the alarming wealth and income gap in the U.S. that was set into motion by years of policy decisions and exacerbated by global financial crises.

Explore his solutions for addressing this issue

Raj Chetty

Using economics to increase upward mobility

Economist Raj Chetty is harnessing cutting-edge research and the power of big data to identify why upward mobility has stalled—and how we can fix it.

Using economics to increase upward mobility

What are the historical roots of economic inequality?

A graph made up of a dollar bill
What are the historical roots of economic inequality?

How does economic inequality hurt a country?

A big yacht
How does economic inequality hurt a country?

Can labor unions reduced income inequality?

Construction workers building a building
Can labor unions reduced income inequality?

How do we create a more just economy?

A scale with money on it
How do we create a more just economy?

Can you move to a better life?

An old black and white photo of an African American family
Can you move to a better life?

Why does poverty persist?

Melissa Dell
Why does poverty persist?

The cycles of history

Learning about economic crises of the past can prepare us for a more stable future.


What is an economic bubble?

The Baker Library holds one of the most extensive collections of artifacts pertaining to the South Sea Bubble, a financial crisis in 1720 which is considered the first international stock market crash.

A man holding a metal gas can

What are the parallels between the current Russian boycott and 1970s oil crisis?

Two people looking at a report between two laptops

Better understand economic research

The Shorenstein Center has created tip sheets and explainers to help everyone understand academic research methods and find and recognize high-quality research.

Learn more from the Journalist’s Resource

Short-term investments in your education

Follow your interest in economics without paying interest, with these free online courses.

Explore all of Harvard’s free online courses

Long-term investments in your education

Add a new set of skills to your CV, or prepare yourself for a career in economics.

Explore all of our academic programs