Economics has a problem with diversity.
As a discipline, it fails to attract women students, students from some ethnic minority groups, students from poorer economic backgrounds.
In the last years, I have actively advocated for a change in the culture in the discipline, so far dominated by privately educated, white, middle-age men.
I have been working on raising awareness of these issues, and thinking on ways to increase diversity and improve the culture in the discipline, in my roles as Economics Educator and in the UK as Diversity Champion for the Royal Economic Society.
In this page, I share some of the work I have been doing, but also highlight the work and initiatives that many amazing people are doing.
RES Diversity Work
RES Who Studies Economics? An An Analysis of Diversity in the UK Economics Pipeline
This report is the first to explore the diversity of UK economists from a socio-economic background perspective. Using data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), we examine the intersection of socio-economic background, gender, and ethnicity of economics students. We consider who decides to study economics, those who are more likely to drop their economics studies, and who is awarded a good degree in economics.
Available here
RES Diversity and Inclusion Network
In January 2023, we launched the RES Diversity & Inclusion Network, This aims to support those working on increasing diversity in Economics in the UK, by connecting individuals and groups working on making economics more diverse, and creating a better community and working environment for economists across sectors. To learn more about the Network, how to join, and how your institution can benefit from joining it, check the Network website.
Consciously Inclusive Mentoring
In 2021, we launched the “Consciously Inclusive Mentoring” for those mentoring the future generation of economists. The goal of this programme is to provide mentors with training on inclusive mentoring practices, understanding how conscious and/or unconscious biases affect the mentor-mentee relationship. This can help to avoid mentors convey their own biases and ensure we are working to change the culture in Economics.
Check at the broader work on Diversity with the Royal Economic Society.
Groups working on Diversity and Inclusion in Economics
United Kingdom
Rest of Europe
Rest of the World
Stefania Paredes Fuentes 