#
151
72
Minutes
August 9, 2025

How Do Power And Economics Work In Prisons? With David Skarbek

Listen To This Episode

Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsListen on FountainListen on Apple PodcastsListen on FountainListen on Apple Podcasts

Show Notes

How do American prison gangs facilitate money, trade, and economics behind bars? What causes this and what can we learn from it?

David Skarbek is Professor of Political Economy and Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Brown University.

David’s award-winning book, The Social Order of the Underworld: How Prison Gangs Govern the American Penal System, challenges the view that inmates create prison gangs to promote racism and violence. On the contrary David argues that gangs form to create order and protection within prisons. We discuss his book, which explores prison governance and economics, and in many ways also asks us to look closely at the hierarchy and functioning of the world outside of prison. 

David Skarbek website - http://www.davidskarbek.com/

David Skarbek on X - https://xcancel.com/DavidSkarbek

SUPPORT ME - https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/support

Support The Transformation of Value

Help me to keep asking the important questions about Freedom, Money, and Creativity by supporting the show.

Recent Episodes

W. David Marx
W. David Marx
W. David Marx
#
167
78
Minutes
February 4, 2026

The Blank Space of the 21st Century With David Marx

Eli K. P. William
Eli K. P. William
Eli K. P. William
#
166
75
Minutes
January 8, 2026

Sci-fi & Economics With Eli K. P. William

Erik Cativo
Erik Cativo
Erik Cativo
#
165
82
Minutes
December 27, 2025

Why Ecash Matters For Bitcoin With Erik Cativo

Athena Tong
Athena Tong
Athena Tong
#
164
86
Minutes
December 18, 2025

Understanding Chinese Psyops With Athena Tong

Greg Girard
Greg Girard
Greg Girard
#
163
68
Minutes
December 8, 2025

Greg Girard and the Art of Disappearing Cities