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Just Another Niche in the Wall? How Specialization Is Changing the Face of Mainstream Economics

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There is considerable discussion on so-called ‘mainstream pluralism’, that is, on the co-presence of a variety of research programmes in today’s mainstream economics that: 1. significantly deviate from the neoclassical core; 2. are pursued by different, often separate communities of researchers; 3. have their origins outside economics. The literature tends to regard mainstream pluralism as a transitory state towards a new, post-neoclassical, mainstream. This paper advances a new interpretation: it suggests that the changing and fragmented state of mainstream economics is likely to persist over time under the impact of specialization (as a self-reinforcing mechanism) and the creation of new specialties and approaches, also through collaboration with researchers from other disciplines.

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  • Cedrini, Mario & Magda, Fontana, 2017. "Just Another Niche in the Wall? How Specialization Is Changing the Face of Mainstream Economics," CESMEP Working Papers 201702, University of Turin.
  • Handle: RePEc:uto:cesmep:201702
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