The Curious Culture of Economic Theory

Translated from the English under the scientific editorship of Daniil Shestakov. – Moscow: Gaidar Institute Press, 2026. – 328 p.

ISBN 978-5-93255-710-5

When does a theoretical result begin to be taken seriously as a basis for economic applications? How do theorists try to influence this assessment? What determines whether a new theoretical direction will be formed in a “pure” or ‘applied’ style? How do theorists respond to economists' tendency toward “rational” explanations of human behavior? These are just some of the questions concerning the professional culture of modern economic theory that Ran Spiegeler attempts to answer in his book. He explores these topics and analyzes the norms and informal rules that guide economic theorists in the process of creating, evaluating, and disseminating scientific research.