Students’ perception of the pluralism debate in economics: Evidence from a quantitative survey among German universities

Abstract

Empirical research on the pluralism debate in economics is scarce. This applies in particular to international studies investigating the student perspective. The paper addresses this gap by presenting quantitative evidence from a national survey among advanced economics students at five major German universities. The results provide insights into the way in which students evaluate (a) their academic career, their expectations, and motivations in the field (self-reflection); (b) the contents, methods, and constraints of their subject (discipline reflection); and (c) the societal impact of economics as a whole (discourse reflection). The findings show a rigorous and largely unanimous self- and discipline reflection among students on the one hand and a rather limited discourse reflection on the other. Due to the perceived performance pressure in economics, students remain reluctant to join the pluralism debate, even though they share most points of criticism on the field.