Economics redefined in upcoming talk

Misty Heggeness is set to deliver the 35th annual Clemens Lecture.

Heggeness, a professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Kansas, will be giving a speech titled “Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine
Our Economy.”

In the Oct. 6 lecture, Heggeness will also discuss her upcoming book of the same name.

Prior to her role at the University of Kansas, Heggeness was a Principal Economist & Senior Advisor for the Census Bureau.

She also is the creator of the Care Board, a dashboard of economic statistics that seeks to highlight the role of caregivers in society.

Heggeness’ most recent work has focused on the changing role of women in the economy and the power of pop culture as an economic force.

The two combined into Swiftynomics.

Women have historically been overlooked as meaningful contributors to the economy.

In an earlier interview with CSB+SJU, Heggeness noted that women constantly have had to reinvent themselves, balancing a career and family life.

Over the last forty years or so, as more women attend college and enter the workforce, this balance has shifted.

In her talk, Heggeness will explore the ways women continue to change the economy, especially as their traditional, intangible contributions start to be assigned value.

“I hope [the lecture] provides a little inspiration for young women … whatever career path they happen to choose,” Heggeness said, according to the CSB+SJU website. “But especially for women in economics, I hope it makes them feel this is a discipline where they belong.”

CSB senior Josie Leinonen was named the 2025 Clemens Scholar.

She has worked alongside CSB+SJU staff and faculty to plan this year’s lecture.

“Having more women in economics brings diverse perspectives to policies that affect everyone,” Leinonen said. “It’s empowering to challenge the outdated image of who
gets to be an economist.”

The role of pop culture in shaping the economy has dramatically shifted, too.

“The economics of popular culture is incredibly important, and understanding the role people in the media play in terms of the economy is something that isn’t studied enough,” CSB+SJU Professor Louis Johnston, the Clemens Chair of Economics and the Liberal Arts, said. “In 1970, 2/3 of what was bought was goods and 1/3 was services,” said Johnston.

In contrast, nearly 70% of all purchases today in the American economy are services.

“This reflects that people are able and willing to spend more on services than they could 50 or 70 years, and that’s a real change,” Johnston said.

People have shown they are willing to pay to attend concerts put on by their favorite artists.

“It’s important to think about this through a post-COVID lens,” Johnston said. “Personal interaction is a premium, and people are willing to buy more services in order to be together.”

Artists like Taylor Swift provide the opportunity for fans, especially young women, to connect in person.

After the pandemic, the economic desire for this connection is a powerful force.

The lecture is for everyone, regardless of professional interest.

“The Clemens Lecture brings experts in economic phenomena to campus to give a public talk that speaks to everybody; it’s not supposed to be a technical talk,” Johnston said.

Additionally, he said that everyone interacts economically each day, so knowing a little about economics is useful to everyone.

Founded in 1985, The Clemens Lecture Series seeks to encourage conversations surrounding the many ways economics can speak to the larger problems of our society, according to the CSB+SJU website.

The series is designed to be practically useful for students, faculty and community members interested in learning more about economic issues in their own lives.

The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 in the Stephen B. Humphrey Auditorium on the SJU campus.

There will be a reception prior to the lecture at 5:30 p.m. in the Great Hall.

The event is free and open to members of the public.

As a warmup to Heggeness’ talk, Swiftie fans are encouraged to head to Clemens Library this Friday, Oct. 3, from 3-5 p.m. for a party to celebrate the release of Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”