Professional economists have for a long time had significant roles as advisers to policy makers. In recent years they have gone well beyond this in many countries and have come to occupy the highest positions in government. While their technical knowledge is an important reason for their influx into governments, their acquisition of the highest positions of authority, we contend, is to an important degree a ceremonial display. The symbolic aspect of the appointment of high-level economist-politicians is as significant as any specific stock of knowledge they bring to political life and is a part of an emerging transnational political culture in which economists occupy a sacerdotal role.

In 1996, foreigners represented over half of the doctoral student population in economics, up from 20 percent in 1972. This article presents a profile of foreign students in economics Ph.D. programs in the United States based on survey and interview data collected in 1996. In addition to exploring students' assessment of their education, interests and career plans, the authors offer explanations for the rising proportion of foreign students, explore the implications of this phenomenon, and suggest the need for further research on the teaching of economics and the practice of the profession, both in the United States and abroad.

No abstract

No abstract