Applied Economics—Without Apology

Abstract

To apply or not to apply economics?that is the question? Hardly. Applied economics, or at least what is operatively accepted as applied economics by journal reviewers and editors and practiced by economists in the profession, is pervasive in the top economics journals, outright dominant in journals de voted to the various variants of agricultural economics, and ubiquitous in the professional output of industry, government, and non government organization (NGO) economists, Extension faculty, and an ever-increasing ma jority of research/teaching faculty at public and private universities. A number of de partments, formerly known as Agricultural Economics Departments (or some closely re lated derivative), have adopted Applied Eco nomics as part or all of their department's name (e.g., U. of Minnesota, U. of Georgia, Cornell, Clemson, U. of Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Texas Tech, North Dakota State U, U. of Wyoming, Utah State U, U. of Ver mont, and North Carolina A&T University). Journals abound that embed the term Ap plied Economics in their titles (e.g., Journal of Applied Economics, Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Applied Economics (AEA), Applied Economics (Routledge), Ap plied Economics Letters, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, and Review of Applied Economics). Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Applied Economics abound (as a Google search for such programs will attest), and there are even PhD degrees being granted in Ap plied (as distinct from General) Economics. There are also now explicit rankings of Ap plied Economics departments that are distinct from rankings of General Economics depart ments and which include a number of the for