In a move that took many by surprise this week, the government appointed Trinity professor Philip Lane to succeed Patrick Honohan as governor of the Irish Central Bank. As power passes from one former Trinity staff member to the next, the news can be viewed in two sharply contrasting narratives. Prof Lane’s academic rigor embodies this university’s idealised self. As the only Irish economist ranked in the top 500 globally, Lane carries more than twice as many citations as his closest Irish competitor. He may not embrace the role of “celebrity economist” as readily as some of his peers, but there can be no doubt … Continue reading A Win for Trinity’s Reputation is a Loss for its Economics Department