Amitrajeet A. Batabyal (RIT) and Hamid Beladi (USTA): Setting the Dowry Optimally to Extract the Full Surplus: A Contract Theory Perspective. From New York, a special issue on lessons from the brand builders of the post-Lehman economy. From Distilled, royal festivities are heydays for republicans, but do their arguments against the monarchy hold? Bram De Ridder wants to know; and Brecht Savelkoul on what to do about royalty: Don't adore, don't oppose, just laugh. Many groups lack privilege, here in the discriminatory Babylon that is the USA, but who lacks privilege the most? Hamilton Nolan on the Forsaken Four. The vultures’ victory: Joseph Stiglitz on how a recent decision by a United States appeals court threatens to upend global sovereign-debt markets. What is a Fuhrer-figure in the early 21st century? Tony Waters wonders. The impact of a leaked terrorist plot by Al Qaeda in August has caused more immediate damage to American counterterrorism efforts than the thousands of classified documents disclosed by Edward Snowden. Clicky Business Insider to double down on “long-form” with “hundreds of thousands” in investment (and more). Kevin Drum on how Republican farm policy makes perfect sense — as class warfare. How one magazine reinvigorated American intellectual life: A conversation with the people behind the New York-based literary magazine n+1, who have succeeded at a time when print is fighting for its life.
