<p>Definite correlation between level of political correctness & major choice.</p>
<p>[Defining</a> Political Correctness and Its Non-Impact :: Inside Higher Ed :: Higher Education’s Source for News, Views and Jobs](<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/25/pc]Defining”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/25/pc)</p>
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<p>I find this definition weird. If it means that what is politically correct is defined by a majority, then what accounts for the statistics showing that 51% of economics profs are “politically incorrect” but 32% are “politically correct?” Or the even more lopsided 70% in finance? </p>
<p>There are indeed dominant ways of thinking in various departments, but these are not the consequences of political beliefs. Try to get an appointment in top economics departments as a development economist, or someone with expertise in the economy of a particular country. It has little to do with the political views of the profs in or out of the departments but with their professional biases. For a long time, political science departments have been dominated by rational choice theorists (a very economistic theory); that, more than the political views of individual members influences what is taught, what is published and the appointments that are made.</p>
<p>Assuming that “politically correct” means “liberal to the point of absurdity,” I think the study is pretty accurate.</p>
<p>My daughter, who is rather conservative politically, is very comfortable with the views expressed by her economics professors (and I think it’s no coincidence that she chose to be an econ major). But she described her one-and-only sociology course as “Introductory Socialism” because the content was so obviously biased in the liberal direction.</p>
<p>Yep. I’d agree that was "rather conservative politically ". ;)</p>
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<p>Hey, what about (for example) these development economists at Harvard:</p>
<p>[People</a> in Economics - Harnessing Ideas to Idealism - Finance & Development, December 2007](<a href=“http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2007/12/people.htm]People”>http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2007/12/people.htm)</p>
<p>MIT:</p>
<p>[MIT</a> Department of Economics : About The Department : Development Economics](<a href=“http://econ-www.mit.edu/about/areas/development]MIT”>http://econ-www.mit.edu/about/areas/development)</p>
<p>and Columbia:</p>
<p>[Prof</a>. Jeffrey Sachs, Director - The Earth Institute at Columbia University](<a href=“Mission - The Earth Institute - Columbia University”>Mission - The Earth Institute - Columbia University)</p>
<p>epistrophy:</p>
<p>These are true exceptions to the rule. I know of chaired positions in economics departments which are empty because there is no hope for filling them. Economists with an area specialty are being steered toward business schools rather than traditional economics departments. When Henry Rosovsky (better known to the rest of the world as the Dean of the Faculty who pushed the Core Curriculum, but an expert on the Japanese economy) retired, no one replaced him. The prof who specialized in the Chinese economy just retired and there is no sign that he will be replaced. This is not unique to Harvard but a consequence of the emphasis on highly mathematical economics. </p>
<p>I have no interest in bashing economics departments or any other department. What I want to illustrate is that departments have their dominant cultures and what may look to others like discrimination against certain individuals on political ground may in fact result from purely professional biases. I just heard of a biologist whose tenure case got shot down because the reviewers were from a different subfield of biology. I have not got the foggiest notion about the political beliefs of any of the players in this story; they are not relevant. </p>
<p>All departments go through fads. I remember the fad for cliometrics a couple of decades ago. Then it became social history; then it became cultural history. It seems now the new fad is international history. If your cup of tea is institutional or political history, your chances of getting tenure or even a first job offer is not going be that great.</p>
<p>Some of the most left-wing academics can be the most tradition-bound individuals (“we’ve always done things this way; I’m against diluting standards,” and so on). </p>
<p>I want to know what the author means by political correctness. Is it about Affirmative Action? Gender Equality? Environmentalism? Vegetarianism? Voting Democrat? Upholding standards in education or giving As to students for just showing up? using new technology or using the old lecture format? Speech Codes? I have not the slightest idea.</p>