economic science and practice

Edited by Peter A.G. van Bergeijk, Professor of International Economics and Macroeconomics, international Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University, The Hague, The Netherlands, A. Lans Bovenberg, Research Professor, CentER for Economic Research, Tilburg University and Research Professor, Research Center for Economic Policy (OCfEB), Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Eric E.C. van Damme, Center for Economic Research, Tilburg University, The Netherlands and Jarig van Sinderen, Professor of Economic Policy, Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University, the Netherlands

'This book is the latest contribution to the "state of economics" literature. It approaches this through asking about the usefulness of academic economics for policymaking. This turns out to be a fruitful approach. . . these papers are useful - all offer much food for thought and are well worth reading. . . . the book is very readable, full of ideas, and well worth studying. Any student who is entering economics in the hope of contributing to debates over economics policy would be well advised to read it.'

• Contents: 1. Introduction: High Tech or Human Capital? Part I: Economic Role Models 2. Economists: First Semester, High Flyers and UFO’s (B. Frey and R. Eichenberger) 3. Users and Abusers of Economic Research (R. Portes) 4. Blood is Thicker than Water: Economists and the Tinbergen Legacy (H.P. van Dalen and A. Klamer) 5. Economists as Advocates: The Art of Making a Case (J.J.M. Theeuwes) Part II: Case Studies in Policy Analysis 6. Industrial Organization and Competition Policy: What are the Links? (A. Jacquemin) 7. Why Does Economics only help with Easy Problems? (T.C. Schelling) Part III: Economics and Society 8. The Proper Role of Theory (E. Malinvaud) 9. The Policymaker’s Demand for Economic Analysis (L. Ad Geelhoed) 10. Why Things are Different Index