methodology of economics and economic research

Content and purpose

The role of economists in the practical affairs of government and business has dramatically expanded since the end of the second world war. If economics could certainly help for decision making, it is required to understand how it is producing knowledge to assess the relevance of economics in the realm of decision making. Understanding methodology is a prerequisite for assessing the relevance and value of economics.

The purpose of this class will be to help students to acquire a better understanding of methodologies commonly used by economists and the philosophy underlying them.

Tentative schedule

Lecture 1. Introduction & what is research?

Lecture 2. Typology of research

Garreth Hardin, The Tragedy of the Commons

Elinor Ostrom, Beyond Markets and States

Lecture 3/4. Overview of the main paradigms in economics

Harold Breimyer, Scientific principle and practice in Agricultural economics: an historical review

Milton Friedman, The Methodology of Positive Economics

Alan Randall, What Practicing Agricultural Economists Really Need to Know About Methodology

Lecture 5. A bit of heterodox epistemology: Kuhn and Feyerabend

Alan Randall, What Practicing Agricultural Economists Really Need to Know About Methodology

Lecture 6. What is a model and how to build one?

Ronald Coase, The Problem of Social Cost

Lecture 7. How to assess the value of a model?

Ronald Coase, The Problem of Social Cost

Lecture 8. How to write a literature review

Lecture 9. How to collect data?