Power and Influence of Economists: Contributions to the Social Studies of Economics

Economists hold significant positions in various sectors, exerting power and influence through their expertise. "Power and Influence of Economists" explores the relationship between power, knowledge, and influence, highlighting the methods and channels used by economists to expand their influence. The book offers insights into the role of economic expert discourses, governmentality, networks, and social fields, with case studies from different national and international configurations.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 276 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Economists hold prominent positions in various sectors, including central and private banks, multinational corporations, the state, and the media, as well as serving as policy consultants on a wide range of issues, from health to the environment, security, and more.
Power and Influence of Economists delves into the intricate interplay between power, knowledge, and influence, which has positioned economics as both a source and a beneficiary of widespread power and influence.
In this book, contributors explore the diverse methods and channels through which economists have exerted and expanded their influence, drawing from various disciplinary and national perspectives. Four distinct analytical views on the role of power and economics are presented:
1. The role of economic expert discourses as power devices for the formation of influential expertise.
2. The logics and modalities of governmentality that produce power/knowledge apparatuses between science and society.
3. Economists as active participants in networks linking academia, politics, and the media.
4. Economics as a social field, encompassing questions of legitimacy and unequal relations between economists based on their possession of various capitals.
The volume includes case studies on a diverse range of national configurations of economics, including the United States, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Mexico, and Brazil, as well as international spaces and organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
This book offers innovative research perspectives for students and scholars of heterodox economics, cultural political economy, sociology of professions, network studies, and the social studies of power, discourse, and knowledge.
The Open Access version of this book, accessible at https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-edit/10.4324/9780367817084, provides valuable insights into the power and influence of economists in today's world.

Weight: 526g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367565954