Monday, August 04, 2014

When Social Scientists Fail Demography

Increasingly skeptical of Edward Glaeser's conclusions at Pacific Standard magazine. 

Theme: Rust Belt shame.

Subject Article: "The appeal of unhappy cities."

Other Links: 1. "Confusing Population Change With Migration."
2. "Unhappy Cities."
3. "That New York City Magic."
4. "A Brain Drain or an Insufficient Brain Gain?"

Postscript: Just a hunch, but I suspect Rust Belt shame colors most of Edward Glaeser's research.

1 comment:

D Holmes said...

Thanks for taking on Glaser's study. When I originally saw the study, my reaction was mild despair at an academic having invented yet another negative label to hang on rust belt cities ("unhappy cities").

The low amenity cities label left me shaking my head as well. In Milwaukee, we've got more amenities than any 10 similarly sized sunbelt cities put together. Not to mention among the highest per capita number of bars (no doubt Glaeser would view this as a sign of our depressed mental state, rather than our desire to socialize and celebrate with our fellow citizens).