Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Research on the Economics Profession

Research on the Economics Profession Abstract In this article, I survey some recent contributions to research on the profession, both to bring nonspecialists up to date on what is being done and to inform specialists of other researchers who are doing similar work. The economics profession is interesting to economists for a number of interrelated reasons: 1) For prurient and professional interest: It is fun to know about oneself and one's profession. 2) As a case study: If economic theory is correct, it should apply to the economics profession. Since economists have firsthand knowledge of the economics profession and relatively easy access to data, it makes an excellent case study. 3) Because one has an interest in the sociology of knowledge: Recent developments in methodology and philosophy of science have made a knowledge of the scientists an important aspect of a knowledge of science; they are the lens through which science is interpreted. Understanding the tendency of scientists to aim that lens in particular directions and to distort the reality they are studying is necessary if one is to interpret their analyses correctly. These three reasons are interrelated, of course, and knowledge for one reason is often useful for others. But the division provides a useful way of organizing research about the profession. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Economic Perspectives American Economic Association

Research on the Economics Profession

Journal of Economic Perspectives , Volume 3 (4) – Nov 1, 1989

Loading next page...
 
/lp/american-economic-association/research-on-the-economics-profession-mKj0hd0n2P

References (21)

Publisher
American Economic Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 by the American Economic Association
Subject
Articles
ISSN
0895-3309
DOI
10.1257/jep.3.4.137
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract In this article, I survey some recent contributions to research on the profession, both to bring nonspecialists up to date on what is being done and to inform specialists of other researchers who are doing similar work. The economics profession is interesting to economists for a number of interrelated reasons: 1) For prurient and professional interest: It is fun to know about oneself and one's profession. 2) As a case study: If economic theory is correct, it should apply to the economics profession. Since economists have firsthand knowledge of the economics profession and relatively easy access to data, it makes an excellent case study. 3) Because one has an interest in the sociology of knowledge: Recent developments in methodology and philosophy of science have made a knowledge of the scientists an important aspect of a knowledge of science; they are the lens through which science is interpreted. Understanding the tendency of scientists to aim that lens in particular directions and to distort the reality they are studying is necessary if one is to interpret their analyses correctly. These three reasons are interrelated, of course, and knowledge for one reason is often useful for others. But the division provides a useful way of organizing research about the profession.

Journal

Journal of Economic PerspectivesAmerican Economic Association

Published: Nov 1, 1989

There are no references for this article.