Professor Marcel Fratzscher, esteemed macroeconomist and president of the DIW Berlin, once again asks questions about economics and life in general to a peer in the field. This time, he has the pleasure of being joined by postdoctoral researcher Dr. Jesse Wursten, who generously agreed to take the hot seat in this exchange. Thus, the back-and-forth has been dubbed Fratzscher vs. Wursten, as is tradition. What follows is a conversation that offers insight into some of the challenges of balancing family with an economics career, the usefulness of economists when it comes to analyzing policy externalities, and more.

For decades, the U.S. dollar has reigned supreme as the world's primary reserve currency. Its dominance can be attributed to several factors, including the size and stability of the U.S. economy, the political influence of the United States, and the widespread acceptance of the dollar in international trade and finance. The dollar's status as the de facto global currency has significant implications for the functioning of the global financial system.