Hey there, it's Stephen Dubner, and welcome to this special bonus episode of Freakonomics

Radio.

As you probably know, we have been expanding the Freakonomics Radio network, adding new

shows now and again, and you are about to hear the pilot episode of what we think might

be another new show worth adding.

We would love to hear what you think, so when you're done listening, drop us a line

at radio at Freakonomics.com.

The first thing you'll hear is a brief segment in which I interview the host of this new show.

A person you may recognize if you've read his amazing book, Gang Leader for a Day, or

the chapter in Freakonomics called Why Do Drug Dealers Live With Their Moms.

That was based on research done by the host of this new show, Sudir Venkatesh, who during

graduate school in Chicago spent several years embedded with a gang whose main business

was selling crack cocaine.

I hope you enjoy this special episode, and again, we would love to hear what you think.

I'm Sudir Venkatesh, and I'm a sociologist at Columbia University.

So you're a sociologist, but you also call yourself an ethnographer.

What's the difference?

An ethnographer is that fancy academic term, and all it really is that I hung out with people

for a long period of time.

So in addition to the crack selling gang in Chicago, name some other groups that you've

hung out with over the years.

So I studied sex workers, and I studied gun traffickers.

...