The Hidden Curriculum E37- Discussing a new book, Doing Economics: What You Should Have Learned in Grad School―But Didn’t, with Marc Bellemare
Apr 19, 2022
In this discussion, Marc Bellemare, a Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota, shares insights from his new book, Doing Economics. He humorously recounts his journey from aspiring musician to economist and introduces the front-door criterion for causal inference in research. Marc emphasizes the importance of diverse advisor perspectives and informal mentorship, along with the hidden curriculum in academia. He also offers practical advice for early-career researchers, stressing the value of service and continuous learning.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Failed Music Audition Led To Economics
- Marc Bellemare became an economist after failing a jazz school audition and choosing plan B.
- He later contacted the auditioning teacher and learned that rejection led him to a stable, successful career.
Front-Door Criterion Applied To Ride Sharing
- Marc, Jeff Bloom, and Noah Wexler applied Pearl's front-door criterion to Lyft/Uber Chicago data.
- They used ride-sharing authorization as a mediator to identify sharing's causal effect on tipping.
Front-Door Vs. Instrumental Variables
- The front-door criterion exploits mediators between treatment and outcome to identify causal effects.
- It differs from IV because the instrument sits between treatment and outcome rather than before treatment.
