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Pluralism in economics: its critiques and their lessons

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  • Claudius Gräbner
  • Birte Strunk

Abstract

This paper starts with an evaluation of three common arguments against pluralism in economics: (1) the claim that economics is already pluralist, (2) the argument that if there was the need for greater plurality, it would emerge on its own, and (3) the assertion that pluralism means ‘anything goes’ and is, thus, unscientific. Pluralist responses to all three arguments are summarized. The third argument is shown to relate to a greater challenge for pluralism: an epistemological trade-off between diversity and consensus that suggests moving from a discussion about ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ towards a discussion about the adequate degree of plurality. The paper shows how the trade-off originates from two main challenges: the need to derive adequate quality criteria for a pluralist economics, and the necessity to propose strategies that facilitate the communication across different research programs. It concludes with some strategies to meet these challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudius Gräbner & Birte Strunk, 2020. "Pluralism in economics: its critiques and their lessons," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(4), pages 311-329, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jecmet:v:27:y:2020:i:4:p:311-329
    DOI: 10.1080/1350178X.2020.1824076
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    Cited by:

    1. Claudius Graebner-Radkowitsch, 2022. "Elements of an evolutionary approach to comparative economic studies: complexity, systemism, and path dependent development," ICAE Working Papers 134, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    2. Henning Schwardt, 2024. "Evolutionary alternatives to equilibrium frameworks in economics education," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 115-130, April.
    3. Ostapiuk, Aleksander, . "Strategie immunizacji ekonomii neoklasycznej przeciwko ekonomii behawioralnej – perspektywa Popperowska," Gospodarka Narodowa-The Polish Journal of Economics, Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie / SGH Warsaw School of Economics, vol. 2024(4).
    4. Harry Bloch, 2022. "The language of pluralism from the history of the theory of price determination: Natural price, equilibrium price and administered price," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(4), pages 1094-1111, November.
    5. Celestine Chijioke Onah & Ikechukwu Asadu & Benjamin Amujiri, 2022. "Dynamics of the politico‐administrative conflicts of resource control in Nigeria: Exploring the oil politics of who gets what, when, and how," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 46(2), pages 245-259, May.
    6. Claudius Graebner & Jakob Kapeller, 2015. "The Micro-Macro Link in Heterodox Economics," ICAE Working Papers 37, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    7. Klarizze Anne Martin Puzon & Rachel M. Gisselquist, 2021. "Consolidating behavioural economics and rational choice theory: Insights from inequality research," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-76, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Arne Heise, 2023. "'We need to offer something better to the scholars of the future.' Which way forward for heterodox economics?," The Journal of Philosophical Economics, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, The Journal of Philosophical Economics, vol. 16(1), pages 130-161, Annual.
    9. Magnus Henrekson & Lars Jonung & Mats Lundahl, 2025. "Not just the top five journals: A recipe for European economists," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 123-131, February.
    10. Gräbner-Radkowitsch, Claudius & Kapeller, Jakob, 2024. "Systemism," ifso working paper series 38, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Socioeconomics (ifso).
      • Claudius Graebner Radkowitsch & Jakob Kapeller, 2024. "Systemism," ICAE Working Papers 155, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    11. Jan Schulz & Kerstin Hötte & Daniel M. Mayerhoffer, 2024. "Pluralist economics in an era of polycrisis," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 201-218, September.
    12. Rouven Reinke, 2021. "A critical note on the scientific conception of economics: claiming for a methodological pluralism," Post-Print hal-03374887, HAL.
    13. Wolf Rogowski & Wolfram Elsner, 2021. "How economics can help mitigate climate change - a critical review and conceptual analysis of economic paradigms," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2106, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    14. Rouven Reinke, 2021. "A critical note on the scientific conception of economics: claiming for a methodological pluralism," The Journal of Philosophical Economics, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, The Journal of Philosophical Economics, vol. 14(1-2), pages 108-135, November.
    15. Carina Altreiter & Claudius Graebner & Stephan Puehringer & Ana Rogojanu & Georg Wolfmayr, 2020. "Theorizing competition: an interdisciplinary framework," ICAE Working Papers 120, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    16. Buchner, Martin & Rose, Julian & Johannesson, Magnus & Malan, Mandy & Ankel-Peters, Jörg, 2025. "Seeking Scientific Consensus - An Expert Survey on the Replication Debate between Acemoglu et al. (2001) and Albouy (2012)," I4R Discussion Paper Series 270, The Institute for Replication (I4R).
    17. Michela Ciccotosto & Oleksandra Sokolenko & J.Christopher Proctor, 2024. "Teaching the polycrisis: Assessing the effect of pluralist education in Italian economics programs," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 219-269, September.
    18. Aigner, Ernest, 2021. "Global dynamics and country-level development in academic economics: An explorative cognitive-bibliometric study," SRE-Discussion Papers 07/2021, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    19. Laura Porak & Rouven Reinke, 2024. "The contribution of qualitative methods to economic research in an era of polycrisis," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 31-49, June.
    20. Egerer, Elsa, 2023. "Wie gestaltend forschen? Zur Methodologie und Methode einer transdisziplinären Gestaltungsforschung zu volkswirtschaftlichen Fragen," Working Paper Serie des Instituts für Ökonomie 71, Hochschule für Gesellschaftsgestaltung (HfGG), Institut für Ökonomie.
    21. Aleksander Ostapiuk, 2024. "Neoclassical Economics’ Immunisation Strategies Against Behavioural Economics: Popper’s Perspective," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 4, pages 51-73.
    22. Patrick Kaczmarczyk & Heiner Flassbeck, 2023. "Foreign direct investments and the dynamics of trade and capital flows: Schumpeterian insights for sustained development," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(3), pages 477-488, June.

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