Philosophy of Economics? Three Decades of Bibliometric History

Abstract

Using bibliometric data and social network analysis, this chapter maps the intellectual output of two philosophies or methodologies of economics since the early 1990s. The first set of research stems from the specialized field. We show that the existing interpretive literature captures relatively well its main divisions. The second set is made of publications that are coded as `Economic Methodology' by the JEL Classification System, but that are otherwise not part of the specialized field. We find that this other philosophy of economics has concerns that are different from field publications, including a continuing interest for the heterodoxy in economics. The existing interpretive literature has failed to recognize this diversity among philosophies of economics.

Keywords: scientometrics, bibliometrics, economic methodology, philosophy of economics, quantitative history

JEL Classification: B4, B29