Trends in Interdisciplinary Economics: Which Fields are Most Integrated with Economics?

Abstract

Despite increasing interest in interdisciplinary research over recent decades, there remains a noticeable gap in the interdisciplinary literature in the field of economics. This study aims to examine trends in interdisciplinary research within economics and identify which disciplines are most integrated with this field of study. The study examines 9,255 articles from 20 economics journals ranked highly in the IDEAS/RePEc Aggregate Rankings between 2014 and 2023. The study indicated that the trend in interdisciplinary Economics has increased over time, confirming that Economics is not an inward-looking field. The study also highlights that most interdisciplinary research concentrates on the social sciences, particularly sociology and political science, demonstrating a solid intersection between economic, political, and social frameworks. Interestingly, the study reveals that articles related to knowledge, innovation, and the environment have shown an increasing trend over the last decade. This trend can be attributed to the growing prominence of knowledge-based and environmental problems, which have gained considerable attention in response to globalization and rising global concerns about climate change. Furthermore, the results indicate an increasing interest in economic research related to health, institutions, and law over time.