Thread by @bencasselman

Economics has made progress in the year since its problems with sexism and racism burst into the open. But there is still a long way to go.
@jimtankersley @jeannasmialek and I report from #ASSA2020
nytimes.com/2020/01/07/bus…

This year’s conference certainly *looked* different: No hotel-room interviews! Office hours with the ombudsperson! Even lines for the ladies room.
Whether that translates into deeper, more lasting change remains to be seen.

And on one level, this has been the easy part. It’s one thing to pass a code of conduct; it’s another to enforce it. It’s one thing to agree diversity matters; it’s another to hold departments accountable for their progress.

Some bits of news on that front, from our interview with Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen:
- One formal complaint has been filed, and will be taken up by the AEA Executive Committee as soon as it finalizes procedures for doing so (which should be very soon);

- Bernanke, unprompted, raises the possibility of grading departments on their diversity efforts. Although he said for the time being they will focus on encouraging transparency and spreading best practices.

- Bernanke also, in response to a question from @jimtankersley, expressed some openness to the idea of quotas to ensure diversity of editors at top journals.

Some other observations from #ASSA2020: There was a clear sense of progress, including from activists and other who have pushed for faster change. Quite a lot of people giving credit to Bernanke (and Yellen) for pushing the very slow-moving AEA to do more, faster.

At the same time, I heard lots of concern about backsliding. Lots of stories from long-time activists about previous eras when it seemed like things were changing, only to see progress stall.

Discussions of race and racism were much more prominent this year after being decidedly secondary to gender last year.
Lots of historical perspective tied to #NEAat50 (and some frustration that AEA leadership isn’t acknowledging/drawing on that experience).

I also heard a lot of talk (esp. from younger economists) about elitism and how the focus on top departments/journals affects econ in its culture, diversity and research.
That conversation does not seem to have permeated the leadership the way the race/gender convo has.

Anyway, much more in our story, including comments from @LeeBadgett @drlisadcook @itsafronomics (and others not on #EconTwitter).
nytimes.com/2020/01/07/bus…

And as always, thank you to the many, many people who talked to us on and off the record about the state of the profession, it’s problems and the path forward.
Have more to say? My DMs are open; anonymity guaranteed.

Another thing to mention was the focus on solutions at this year’s conference, as opposed to just highlighting problems. There was a well-attended session on “best practices” with practical steps for improving teaching, mentorship, recruiting, etc. Came up in other sessions too.

As Janet Yellen said to kick off Friday’s session on solving econ’s race problem: “Let me emphasize that our focus is not on *whether* there is a race problem in economics. That’s been abundantly documented.”