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piqer for: Boom and bust Global finds
German economist with a sense of humor, not just relative to accountants. Chief economist at the London-based Centre for European Reform (CER), recently brexited to Berlin. Former fellow at The Economist, economics PhD at Stockholm University in Sweden. Christian covers European economics and integration and has, as a former Londoner, a pathological interest in the economics of real estate.
A Council Of Social Advisers?
The enlightened economist knows that he or she only understands half (at best) of what is currently going on in Western democracies. When it comes to explaining the Trump or Brexit vote, we economists struggle. None of the explanations we can find with our approaches and our data fully capture the populist phenomenon.
In this great, short explainer, Neil Irwin looks at the question of why there is a Council of Economic Advisers in the US (and elsewhere), but no such council of sociologists, even though, arguably, sociologists have a much better grasp of the forces that brought Trump to power. He gives a few examples, such as the meaning of work and unemployment to white and blue collar workers, and how it relates to the fall in labour force participation in the US.
On problem with sociology is that it may not be enough of a policy-focused discipline, but that could change once it becomes natural to ask sociologists for advice.
Brilliant idea!