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The Research Excellence Framework 2014, journal ratings and the marginalisation of heterodox economics

Author

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  • Engelbert Stockhammer
  • Quirin Dammerer
  • Sukriti Kapur

Abstract

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the main research assessment for universities in the UK. It informs university league tables and the allocation of government research funding. This paper analyses the evaluations of the REF 2014 for Economics, Business, Politics and History. First, we analyse from which journals articles have been submitted; second, to what extent journal ratings and journal impact factors predict the REF’s evaluations; third, how many articles from heterodox economics journals have been submitted. We find that a small group of journals dominate the outputs submitted. Journal ratings and impact factors explain 80% of the variation in the output evaluations for Economics. These values are lower but still substantial for other disciplines. Few papers from heterodox economics journals were submitted to Economics. Overall, the REF in its present form marginalises heterodox economics, pushes it out of the discipline and endangers pluralism in economics research.

Suggested Citation

  • Engelbert Stockhammer & Quirin Dammerer & Sukriti Kapur, 2021. "The Research Excellence Framework 2014, journal ratings and the marginalisation of heterodox economics," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 45(2), pages 243-269.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cambje:v:45:y:2021:i:2:p:243-269.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cje/beaa054
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    Cited by:

    1. Mike Thelwall & Kayvan Kousha & Meiko Makita & Mahshid Abdoli & Emma Stuart & Paul Wilson & Jonathan Levitt, 2023. "In which fields do higher impact journals publish higher quality articles?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(7), pages 3915-3933, July.
    2. Aistleitner, Matthias & Kapeller, Jakob & Kronberger, Dominik, 2023. "The authors of economics journals revisited: evidence from a large-scale replication of Hodgson and Rothman (1999)," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(1), pages 86-101, February.
    3. Ernest Aigner, 2021. "Global dynamics and country-level development in academic economics: An explorative cognitive-bibliometric study," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2021_07, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    4. Aistleitner, Matthias & Kapeller, Jakob & Kronberger, Dominik, 2022. "The authors of economics journals revisited: Evidence from a large-scale replication of Hodgson & Rothman (1999)," ifso working paper series 20, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Socioeconomics (ifso).
    5. Banal-Estañol, Albert & Jofre-Bonet, Mireia & Iori, Giulia & Maynou, Laia & Tumminello, Michele & Vassallo, Pietro, 2023. "Performance-based research funding: Evidence from the largest natural experiment worldwide," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Research assessment; Research Excellence Framework; Journal impact factors; Journal ratings; Pluralism; Heterodox economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • A20 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - General
    • B50 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - General

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