[OPE-L:3567] Marxian empirical research topics

Gerald Lev (glevy@pratt.edu)
Thu, 31 Oct 1996 05:41:58 -0800 (PST)

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Paul C concluded [OPE-L:3566] with:

> It is testimony to the imaturity of Marxian economic research that such
> a body of reproducible results has only started to be built up in the
> last 30 years or so. I am much encouraged however by the scrupulous care
> and high standards of empirical work in the new generation of
> researchers trained at places like the New School who will, I am sure,
> provide us with a much broader and deeper collection of empirical
> evidence.

I address the following comments to all those who are either doing
empirical research now or plan to be doing that research in the future:

-- a crucial initial step in the development of any research project
(theoretical or empirical) is the *specification* of the significance
(political, historical, analytical) of the subject to be investigated.
With that in mind, I ask the following question:

-- what are the specific areas of empirical research that listmembers
believe *need* to be investigated?

This is not a rhetorical question. Indeed, I think it would be very useful
for us to list and discuss the different research topics that we feel
require greater research.

Who would like to take a bite? Don't be shy. We have quite a few people on
this list who are either doing now or have done empirical research.
Answering the above question might be a point of departure for getting
feedback from others on your ideas for empirical work.

In Solidarity,

Jerry