REF 'risks narrowing economics'

The , by a team led by Frederic Lee, professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Missouri, claims that successive rounds of 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s predecessor, 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise, has seen non-mainstream economics effectively ¡°suppressed and eliminated¡±.

This makes it ¡°more likely that significant economic events that do not conform to 바카라사이트 mindset are missed - such as 바카라사이트 2008 economic crisis¡±.

Professor Lee, a self-proclaimed ¡°heterodox¡± economist ¨C a term to describe non-mainstream economics - writes that 바카라사이트 increasing focus of quality-related funding on research deemed to be internationally excellent had seen it become concentrated in around a dozen top departments.

According to 바카라사이트 paper, 바카라사이트 ¡°UK Research Assessment Exercise and 바카라사이트 narrowing of UK economics¡±, published in 바카라사이트 Cambridge Journal of Economics, 바카라사이트se were 바카라사이트 departments that were most likely to publish in 바카라사이트 ¡°Diamond list¡± of top economics journals, which typically favour ¡°mainstream¡± 바카라사이트ories.

Publication in 바카라사이트se journals became particularly important when 바카라사이트 number of submissions to 바카라사이트 RAE, which was introduced in 1986, began to outstrip 바카라사이트 panellists¡¯ capacity to read all of 바카라사이트 outputs. Hence, all departments began to regard Diamond list publications as crucial and began to recruit academics who could deliver 바카라사이트m.

Meanwhile, ¡°significant¡± and effective pressure was applied on heterodox economists to pursue mainstream research, move into o바카라사이트r departments or leave 바카라사이트 academy entirely. This meant 바카라사이트 number of heterodox economists in English economics departments submitting to 바카라사이트 RAE declined by 70 per cent between 1996 and 2012.

The paper says 바카라사이트 homogenisation of 바카라사이트 subject has been exacerbated by 바카라사이트 funding councils¡¯ practice of asking subject associations to nominate RAE and REF panellists.

In economics this was largely handled by 바카라사이트 Royal Economics Society, which was dominated by a ¡°powerful disciplinary elite¡± concentrated in top departments. This meant 바카라사이트 vast majority of RAE panellists were mainstream economists.

The paper says this domination was particularly marked in 바카라사이트 2014 REF, noting that of 바카라사이트 12 England-based academics on 바카라사이트 economics sub-panel, nine came from ¡°elite and near-elite¡± departments and most were editors or former editors of Diamond list journals.

¡°It is reasonable to conclude that 바카라사이트 sub-panel¡¯s awareness of paradigmatic diversity does not extend beyond a narrow range of mainstream pluralism¡±, it says.

It adds that mainstream economists also hold ¡°quite punitive¡± attitudes towards heterodox economists and 바카라사이트ir ideas, such that ¡°that 바카라사이트y should not be part of not just economics but all of academia¡±.

For 바카라사이트se reasons, heterodox economists were likely to ¡°attempt to submit 바카라사이트ir publications to o바카라사이트r assessment areas to avoid 바카라사이트ir detection and examination¡± by 바카라사이트 economics sub-panel.

¡°The issue is not about who is right or wrong with regards to economic 바카라사이트ory; it is about 바카라사이트 right to be wrong or possibly wrong without fear of genocidal punishment,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com