Davies, William (2011) Economic advice as a vocation : symbioses of scientific and political authority. British Journal of Sociology, Vol.62 (No.2). pp. 304-323. doi:10.1111/j.1468-4446.2011.01366.x ISSN 0007-1315.

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Abstract

Academic economists perform an important function in advising politicians and state bureaucrats, lending them epistemological authority. This creates a challenge of institutional design and of professional vocation, of how these experts can combine their commitment to scientific analysis with their commitment towards their governmental patrons. This article examines the case of anti-trust economics, in which government economists are encouraged to remain as academically engaged as possible, so that their advice will be – or appear to be – unpolluted by political or bureaucratic pressures. Yet this ideal is constantly compromised by the fact that the economists are nevertheless government employees, working beneath lawyers. Max Weber's concept of a ‘vocation’ is adopted to explore this tension, and his two lectures, ‘Science as a Vocation’ and ‘Politics as a Vocation’ are read side by side, to consider this core dilemma of academic policy advisors.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies
Journal or Publication Title:	British Journal of Sociology
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN:	0007-1315
Official Date:	June 2011
Dates:	Date Event June 2011 Published
Volume:	Vol.62
Number:	No.2
Page Range:	pp. 304-323
DOI:	10.1111/j.1468-4446.2011.01366.x
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

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