How much of Duflo's research could be done without graduate micro and macro?

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How much of Duflo's research could be done without graduate micro and macro?

Economist
89a2

Clearly the most useful subfield of economics for the world right now is development economics.

Also quite clearly, econometrics and basic undergraduate micro theory is more than adequate to conduct Duflo-type research. Should graduate programs shift their focus to recruit students with more statistics (not pure math), and make curriculums more empirical, as opposed to mathematical.

My physics colleague once remarked that economics is more "mathematical" than physics. Not that it uses more mathematics, but economists seem to think that more formality is helpful/meaningful.

We know economic theory has about the same chance of finding a "grand unified theory" of economic behavior as string theory has of the universe. So why are not interested in doing economics that is actually useful to policymakers, not just a series of increasingly futile attempts to find consistency in an entropic system.

1 month ago # QUOTE 7 Jab 11 No Jab !
Economist
9c54

Clearly the most useful subfield of economics for the world right now is development economics.
Also quite clearly, econometrics and basic undergraduate micro theory is more than adequate to conduct Duflo-type research. Should graduate programs shift their focus to recruit students with more statistics (not pure math), and make curriculums more empirical, as opposed to mathematical.
My physics colleague once remarked that economics is more "mathematical" than physics. Not that it uses more mathematics, but economists seem to think that more formality is helpful/meaningful.
We know economic theory has about the same chance of finding a "grand unified theory" of economic behavior as string theory has of the universe. So why are not interested in doing economics that is actually useful to policymakers, not just a series of increasingly futile attempts to find consistency in an entropic system.

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

1 month ago # QUOTE 12 Jab 2 No Jab !
Economist
6d45

100%

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 1 No Jab !
Economist
d441

Clearly the most useful subfield of economics for the world right now is development economics.
Also quite clearly, econometrics and basic undergraduate micro theory is more than adequate to conduct Duflo-type research. Should graduate programs shift their focus to recruit students with more statistics (not pure math), and make curriculums more empirical, as opposed to mathematical.
My physics colleague once remarked that economics is more "mathematical" than physics. Not that it uses more mathematics, but economists seem to think that more formality is helpful/meaningful.
We know economic theory has about the same chance of finding a "grand unified theory" of economic behavior as string theory has of the universe. So why are not interested in doing economics that is actually useful to policymakers, not just a series of increasingly futile attempts to find consistency in an entropic system.

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

Clearly uneducated in development economics.

1 month ago # QUOTE 3 Jab 7 No Jab !
Economist
9c54

Clearly the most useful subfield of economics for the world right now is development economics.
Also quite clearly, econometrics and basic undergraduate micro theory is more than adequate to conduct Duflo-type research. Should graduate programs shift their focus to recruit students with more statistics (not pure math), and make curriculums more empirical, as opposed to mathematical.
My physics colleague once remarked that economics is more "mathematical" than physics. Not that it uses more mathematics, but economists seem to think that more formality is helpful/meaningful.
We know economic theory has about the same chance of finding a "grand unified theory" of economic behavior as string theory has of the universe. So why are not interested in doing economics that is actually useful to policymakers, not just a series of increasingly futile attempts to find consistency in an entropic system.

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

Clearly uneducated in development economics.

K bro

1 month ago # QUOTE 7 Jab 1 No Jab !
Economist
4200

An economics PhD is not about learning anything that will be of use in economics research.

It's just to weed out those who are not smart enough to understand mathematical logic.

If you dislike this system, go to sociology.

1 month ago # QUOTE 2 Jab 2 No Jab !
Economist
d8ef

K bro

Sounds like you've never read a single Duflo paper.

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 6 No Jab !
Economist
9c54

K bro

Sounds like you've never read a single Duflo paper.

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=yhDMl8AAAAAJ&hl=en
Read half of the top 10, the other half are not paper but some policy articles

1 month ago # QUOTE 1 Jab 0 No Jab !
Economist
843f

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

If that's what you've gotten from the significance of their research then you are clearly a LRM.

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 6 No Jab !
Economist
01a6

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

If that's what you've gotten from the significance of their research then you are clearly a LRM.

then enlighten us, erudite on. what pathbreaking findings doth her research provide?

1 month ago # QUOTE 8 Jab 0 No Jab !
Economist
9c54

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

If that's what you've gotten from the significance of their research then you are clearly a LRM.

Or perhaps i just got bored of seeing 100 regressions and “creative” iv so I stopped reading after the fifth or sixth paper?

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 0 No Jab !
Economist
01a6

*one

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 0 No Jab !
Economist
843f

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

If that's what you've gotten from the significance of their research then you are clearly a LRM.

Or perhaps i just got bored of seeing 100 regressions and “creative” iv so I stopped reading after the fifth or sixth paper?

Sad that we have economists like you holding back the field.

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 4 No Jab !
Economist
01a6

Sad that we have economists like you holding back the field.

so what are the great insights then

1 month ago # QUOTE 4 Jab 0 No Jab !
Economist
9c54

Plz tell me the insights Duflo research has provided. That mother prefers daughter and father prefers son. That education can increase future earnings?

If that's what you've gotten from the significance of their research then you are clearly a LRM.

Or perhaps i just got bored of seeing 100 regressions and “creative” iv so I stopped reading after the fifth or sixth paper?

Sad that we have economists like you holding back the field.

You should change it into “Sad that we have privileged theorist wh/asn males holding back the field with their rigor and maths and patriarchy that I cannot understand”

1 month ago # QUOTE 2 Jab 2 No Jab !
Economist
2179

OP, why don't you suggest to duflo that we should get rid of micro training in grad school. While you're at it, tell banerjee your thoughts about the futility of macro. They will show you the door.

There is often a false impression among predocs and RAs--which I assume you are judging by your post-- that succesful empirical researchers have no appreciation for theory. This could not be further from the truth. Most successful empiricists do well by finding innovative ways to test predictions from theory. Theory is the starting point.

1 month ago # QUOTE 2 Jab 5 No Jab !
Economist
2179

And yes, a lot of Duflo's research can be implemented by people without training in grad micro or macro. In fact you don't even need grad metrics-most predocs can run those regressions. But what you are missing is that there is a lot more to what Duflo is doing than the mere implementation of empirical methods. You need a sound understanding of theory and the literature to even begin asking questions that are of interest and use to the profession.

OP, why don't you suggest to duflo that we should get rid of micro training in grad school. While you're at it, tell banerjee your thoughts about the futility of macro. They will show you the door.
There is often a false impression among predocs and RAs--which I assume you are judging by your post-- that succesful empirical researchers have no appreciation for theory. This could not be further from the truth. Most successful empiricists do well by finding innovative ways to test predictions from theory. Theory is the starting point.

1 month ago # QUOTE 3 Jab 2 No Jab !
Economist
2179

you don't become a top reseacher by simply running reg y x, r.

And yes, a lot of Duflo's research can be implemented by people without training in grad micro or macro. In fact you don't even need grad metrics-most predocs can run those regressions. But what you are missing is that there is a lot more to what Duflo is doing than the mere implementation of empirical methods. You need a sound understanding of theory and the literature to even begin asking questions that are of interest and use to the profession.

OP, why don't you suggest to duflo that we should get rid of micro training in grad school. While you're at it, tell banerjee your thoughts about the futility of macro. They will show you the door.
There is often a false impression among predocs and RAs--which I assume you are judging by your post-- that succesful empirical researchers have no appreciation for theory. This could not be further from the truth. Most successful empiricists do well by finding innovative ways to test predictions from theory. Theory is the starting point.

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 1 No Jab !
Economist
dacf

Clearly the most useful subfield of economics for the world right now is development economics.

How can we seriously discuss a post that starts with such a preposterous proposition?

1 month ago # QUOTE 5 Jab 1 No Jab !
Economist
be81

Clearly the most useful subfield of economics for the world right now is development economics.
Also quite clearly, econometrics and basic undergraduate micro theory is more than adequate to conduct Duflo-type research. Should graduate programs shift their focus to recruit students with more statistics (not pure math), and make curriculums more empirical, as opposed to mathematical.
My physics colleague once remarked that economics is more "mathematical" than physics. Not that it uses more mathematics, but economists seem to think that more formality is helpful/meaningful.
We know economic theory has about the same chance of finding a "grand unified theory" of economic behavior as string theory has of the universe. So why are not interested in doing economics that is actually useful to policymakers, not just a series of increasingly futile attempts to find consistency in an entropic system.

Agreed with this take

1 month ago # QUOTE 0 Jab 1 No Jab !

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