When the tariff war started with the U.S. last year, Hridi Paul saw topics like tariffs and international trade – which she was used to discussing within her economics classes – suddenly become mainstream. And she noticed that people had a lot of questions.
They also had a lot of concerns. In a macroeconomics course, her professor pivoted from their planned lesson to spend an entire lecture talking about tariffs. “It was something you couldn’t ignore,” she said.
“Canada and the U.S., we’ve had a long-standing trade deal with each other and we’ve always depended on each other. And so when the tariff war first started, I had no idea what it meant for me as a student, what it meant for different industries in Canada,” Paul said. “I felt like the media was definitely fear-mongering as well.”
Students were concerned and present, but didn’t have an outlet to engage in economic discussion. It planted a seed: What if she started an economics magazine? “I felt like it would be a great way for students to ask questions, do their research, and talk about what’s going on in the news,” Paul said. “And it was a great way to apply the concepts that we were learning in class into everyday life.”
At the time, Paul was serving as event executive with the McMaster Economics Society (MES). She brought her idea to the group, who were immediately on board. “I got an overwhelming amount of support,” she said. “I had members of the MES coming up to me and saying, ‘Hey, if you pursue this, I want to be a part of this.’”
What followed over the next year was a collective effort by a group of students who worked together to bring it to life, said Rebecca Adiyah, MES communications director. “We all joined this initiative because we believe in the value of building something that speaks directly to students, by students.”
Paul drops off a copy of The Rational Choice at the Department of Economics office. (Photo by Chris Pickles)
Their magazine, The Rational Choice, was published this winter with the support of the Department of Economics. Paul serves as editor-in-chief, with teams focused on writing, editing and design. The magazine aims for a middle ground between professionalism and creativity; a way to talk about economics in a way where you don’t have to be afraid of what’s going on in the news, Paul said.
The first issue, which is entirely student-written, focuses on tariffs and international trade. It includes articles on interprovincial trade barriers, buying Canadian, trade strategy, youth employment, and even how tariffs could affect Canadian maple syrup production. There’s also an opinion column, as well as interviews with McMaster professor Pau Pujolas, PhD student Keith Roberts, and alumnus and University of Sussex professor Matthew Agarwala.
“We wanted to create a magazine that would educate people and stop misinformation before it spread on campus,” Paul said. “People are scared of things they don’t understand, and once you understand, it becomes easier.”
The magazine’s name, The Rational Choice, was based on concepts they learned in class about how consumers always try to make rational decisions. Their logo is a pawn.
“In a game of chess, the pawn is usually considered a weak player,” Paul explained. But when you play chess strategically, the pawn can become an essential player. “We made this magazine for the individual consumers, for the people,” she said. “We often underestimate the power of an individual.”
Connecting across faculties
The Rational Choice was celebrated with a launch party this month.
Attendees included department Chair Marc-André Latendre, professor Mike Veall, PhD student/instructor Keith Roberts, current and past members of the MES, and friends.
The Rational Choice team at the launch party. (Photo submitted by Hridi Paul)
Paul was surprised by how many students came – and how diverse their backgrounds and interests were. She remembers talking to students from humanities, commerce and kinesiology. “That was something I really loved,” she said. “It shows that these discussions are happening and they’re in different faculties, and I love that the magazine is able to reach those conversations.”
Paul and Sidra Anjum, the magazine’s logistics director, were invited to appear on CHCH News to talk about their project. “It was really awesome to talk about… why we started it, why it was important to us, and what it means for McMaster and the economics discussions that are taking place at McMaster.”
Chloe Wentzell, the design team lead, said the project has given her the chance to take economics out of the classroom and combine it with her creative passions. “To be able to give that platform to other students is something really special, and I’m so proud of our team.”
Following the strong response, the team is planning for the second issue, on the theme of predictive economics.
It will focus on the future of economics in different fields, including space exploration. With all the uncertainty about the future, Paul said, they want the magazine to be hopeful.
People can find a physical copy of The Rational Choice in the Department of Economics office, or read a digital copy on the McMaster Economics Society website.