The 'Tyranny' of the Top 5 Economics Journals

Economics is a field in which there has long been a strong hierarchy among journals. A new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds strong evidence that publishing in what are generally considered the top five economics journals appears to have a strong influence on tenure decisions in highly regarded departments. At the same time, the study found that many influential economics publications appear in publications other than the top five. "A substantial share of influential publications appear in non-T5 [top five] outlets. Reliance on the T5 to screen talent incentivizes careerism over creativity," the study says.