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2 clusters · 10 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

Academic dispute between Daron Acemoğlu and The Economist

Overview

Nobel laureate Daron Acemoğlu has entered a dispute with The Economist following a critical article regarding his academic research and political commentary. Acemoğlu described the publication’s critique as an “assassination of reputation.”

The initial criticism from The Economist, titled “The world’s most influential economist is oddly unconvincing,” questioned the persuasiveness of the research conducted by Acemoğlu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson—work that earned the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics. The magazine raised concerns about the reliability of historical mortality data used in his studies, citing a Nobel Committee report that noted certain mortality figures used in his research were “superficial” in places.

In a sharp rebuttal, Acemoğlu characterized the publication as a “hit piece” and a “smear piece,” arguing that the critique lacks scientific rigor. He defended his 33-year career, stating that while he welcomes scientific debate on topics like colonial legacies and artificial intelligence, the magazine relied on “weak and loosely connected complaints.”

Acemoğlu criticized the publication for using insufficient sources, such as a single blog post by Noah Smith, and for relying on the views of anonymous economists. He further contended that the article selectively used past constructive criticisms from scholars like Tyler Cowen and Francis Fukuyama to present a skewed narrative. Acemoğlu also noted the timing of the critique, suggesting it coincided suspiciously with the release of his new book, ‘What Happened to Liberal Democracy?’, and argued that the magazine’s review inaccurately framed the book’s focus.

Entities

The Economist · Simon Johnson · James Robinson · Daron Acemoglu · Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 21 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 6 sources
    Daron Acemoglu rebukes The Economist over academic critique

    Nobel economist Daron Acemoglu has denounced a critical article by The Economist as a “hit piece,” accusing the magazine of relying on unsubstantiated claims and selective citations to undermine his work.

  2. 24 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Daron Acemoğlu disputes The Economist's critique of his Nobel-winning research

    Nobel economist Daron Acemoğlu has labeled a critical article by The Economist an “assassination of reputation” following scrutiny of his Nobel-winning research and political commentary.

Sources

agora-web.jp · apjii.or.id · dunya.com · fikirturu.com · gazetedamga.com.tr · gazetepencere.com · karar.com · linda.it · timesng.com · yenicaggazetesi.com.tr

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history