| Abstract: |
This paper investigates the evolution of self-referentiality and knowledge
flows in economics journals before and after the 2008 financial crisis. Using
a multi-level approach, we analyze patterns at the discipline, cluster, and
journal levels, combining citational measures with a classification of
journals based on intellectual similarity and social proximity. At the
aggregate level, results suggest a general decline in self-referentiality,
indicating increased openness across the discipline. However, this trend
conceals substantial heterogeneity. At finer levels of analysis, two clusters
- CORE and Finance - emerge as persistent outliers, exhibiting very high
levels of self-referentiality. While Finance experienced a gradual reduction
over time, the CORE shows increasing closure. By examining reference
asymmetries, we uncover a hierarchical structure of knowledge flows. The CORE
operates as a central hub and net exporter of knowledge to all other clusters,
particularly to the traditional core fields of economics, whereas Finance acts
as a net exporter only within its own domain and remains dependent on the
CORE. These asymmetries are reinforced at the level of individual journals,
where a small set of top journals occupies the apex of a hierarchically
ordered system of knowledge transmission. We argue that these patterns reflect
the interplay between intellectual dynamics and organizational structures,
particularly the role of editorial networks in shaping access to publication
and visibility. The findings suggest that, following the financial crisis,
economics has experienced a process of increasing epistemic and organizational
closure at its core, alongside greater openness in peripheral areas. This dual
dynamic raises questions about the representativeness of top journals and the
evolving structure of the discipline. |