Global survey of almost 10,000 academic economists shows: Many economists think that economic research should become more policy relevant, multidisciplinary, and disruptive, and pursue more diverse research topics.
Science and research matter. They shape how we think about ourselves, how we live together, and how we design policies. What researchers work on, which topics they choose, and how they resolve trade-offs between different research objectives is therefore of central societal importance. However, the question about what is “interesting” and “worth knowing” cannot be answered scientifically. Instead, researchers must retreat to their intuition and personal value judgments.
How do economists think about this “problem of problem choice”? Which fundamental research objectives do they think economists should pursue? Which research topics should they explore? In search for answers, briq researchers Peter Andre and Armin Falk conducted a global survey of almost 10,000 academic economists about their views on what is worth knowing in economics.
For details, download the full study or read the authors’ VoxEU column.
