Ben Castleman

Ben Castleman appears in Would you trust an economist with your economy? as the New York Times economics reporter discussing why economists are losing influence and trust. He frames the American Economic Association session as a moment when the profession had to defend its public authority rather than simply present technical work.

Castleman’s role in the source is interpretive. He says economics is in some ways more credible because it is more data-driven and nuanced, but he also argues that economists gain trust when they acknowledge what they got wrong and explain how their views changed.

Connections

• New York Times - reporting affiliation in the source.
• Planet Money - show context for the discussion.
• American Economic Association, Jason Furman, and Oren Cass - panel and debate setting.
• Economist Trust Crisis, Expert Trust Repair, and Economic Way Of Thinking - concepts his comments help frame.