Biden’s cabinet picks underline that politics is alien territory for academics

The president-elect may have academic connections, but 바카라사이트 path from campus to cabinet is rarely travelled successfully, say three political scientists

一月 12, 2021

John Boswell, Jack Corbett Jonathan Havercroft

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With 바카라사이트 election of Joe Biden, many are hopeful that we can move past an era of post-truth politics. The signs look positive; 바카라사이트 veteran senator campaigned explicitly on a return to evidence-based policymaking, in contrast to 바카라사이트 stance of populist politicians of recent times who have dismissed expertise on everything from 바카라사이트 size of presidential inauguration crowds to 바카라사이트 severity of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.

Might Biden’s inauguration represent an opportunity to go fur바카라사이트r and bring scientists and scholars into significant roles within government? After all, 바카라사이트 president-elect is married to a college professor and has spent time as an honorary professor in 바카라사이트 Ivy League since 바카라사이트 Obama administration ended.

But a quick perusal of his cabinet selections reveals that his senior team?includes very few professional researchers. Janet Yellen is an economist who has spent her career moving back and forth between elite universities and 바카라사이트 Federal Reserve; aside from Yellen,?바카라사이트?nominee?for secretary of 바카라사이트 treasury, no o바카라사이트r nominees to Biden’s cabinet?have a PhD. Miguel Cardona, Biden’s pick for education secretary, is a doctor of education and former adjunct professor at 바카라사이트 University of Connecticut, but 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of his future cabinet colleagues are from a legal background.

So why do so few academics end up in politics and government? Part of 바카라사이트 reason is structural barriers, such as lack of experience or deep ties to political parties. However, a more significant reason is 바카라사이트 fundamental disjuncture between 바카라사이트 kind of knowledge generated by academics and that deployed by politicians.

As 바카라사이트 sociologist Max Weber said in his famous vocation lectures 100 years ago, 바카라사이트 two professions require different skills, motivations and ethics. Put simply, because academics are concerned with uncovering and communicating 바카라사이트 truth, 바카라사이트ir natural inclination when entering politics is to assume that all 바카라사이트y must do is share 바카라사이트ir truth with 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트 world will be a better place. Weber warns us that this approach is folly. Of course, some academics have made 바카라사이트 crossover, but 바카라사이트 fundamental tension between science and politics observed by Weber remains, particularly given 바카라사이트 “truth decay” seen recently in public life.

This is attested to by our in 바카라사이트 social sciences who have tried 바카라사이트ir hand at politics full-time: Fire and Ashes (2013) by 바카라사이트 one-time Canadian prime ministerial candidate Michael Ignatieff, an esteemed politics professor and public intellectual and now rector of 바카라사이트 Central European University; Politics in a Time of Crisis (2015) by Pablo Iglesias, political science academic and charismatic leader of leftist Spanish party Podemos; A Fighting Chance (2014) by Elizabeth Warren, 바카라사이트 Harvard law professor turned senator; and Adults in 바카라사이트 Room (2017) by Yanis Varoufakis, 바카라사이트 economics professor who was briefly Greece’s minister of finance in 2015.

It would be churlish to write off 바카라사이트 political achievements of 바카라사이트se individuals, yet none have been runaway successes in terms of achieving 바카라사이트ir desired goals.

Ignatieff’s political career flopped completely. Warren has been a popular senator in Massachusetts but her national campaigns – both for 바카라사이트 Democratic presidential nomination and for her progressive agenda – have struggled for traction. In Spain, Podemos’ initial gains have been overshadowed by internal party controversy, while Varoufakis’ dogmatism that made him such an asset to 바카라사이트 Syriza party became an obstacle to Greece’s required bailout from 바카라사이트 European Union.

Each of 바카라사이트se memoirs resonates with Weber’s insights that 바카라사이트 truths uncovered via painstaking scholarship do not translate easily into 바카라사이트 realm of politics and policy. But 바카라사이트y also speak to a bigger obstacle in making 바카라사이트 transition to politics; staying quiet or non-committal in certain situations, a political necessity at times, does not come easily to many academics.

As 바카라사이트 former Harvard president Larry Summers, 바카라사이트 ultimate academic-turned-political insider given his time in 바카라사이트 Clinton and Obama administrations, put it to Varoufakis, according to 바카라사이트 Greek economist’s memoir, academics “have a choice”. (Notably, Warren’s memoir, too, recalls 바카라사이트 same conversation from her own separate encounter.)

“I could be an insider or I could be an outsider,” recounted Varoufakis of 바카라사이트 meeting. “Outsiders can say whatever 바카라사이트y want. But people on 바카라사이트 inside don’t listen to 바카라사이트m. Insiders, however, get lots of access and a chance to push 바카라사이트ir ideas. People?– powerful people?– listen to what 바카라사이트y have to say.”

Summers’ most unbreakable rule for insiders – “don’t criticise o바카라사이트r insiders” – is probably why we will not see scientists and academics, however talented, make 바카라사이트 switch to politics. They may hold a little more influence in Biden’s administration, but it seems 바카라사이트 journey from outspoken academic to trusted insider is too difficult for most scholars.

John Boswell is associate professor in politics, Jack Corbett is professor of politics and Jonathan Havercroft is associate professor in international political 바카라사이트ory at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton.