EJMR Finance Forum

The Economics Job Market Rumors forum, better known as EJMR, is an anonymous online message board focused on discussing the academic economics job market. It was created in 2002 as a space for economists and economics PhDs to anonymously share information, opinions, gossip, and rumors related to the economics job search process.

EJMR provides a platform for graduate students, postdocs, junior faculty, and other participants in the economics academic job market to discuss job openings, interview processes, offer details, department rankings, advisor reputations, and other insider information. The anonymity provided by the forum encourages candid conversations and the sharing of sensitive details that users may not be comfortable posting publicly under their real names.

While EJMR aims to help job candidates navigate the highly competitive economics job market by connecting them to useful information and perspectives, the forum is controversial for its lack of oversight and prevalence of unprofessional discourse. Still, it remains widely used within the economics community as an important source of job market intelligence.

Controversies Surrounding EJMR

EJMR has generated significant controversy over the years due to some of the anonymous content posted on the forum. Critics have pointed to numerous instances of sexist, racist, and otherwise offensive remarks made about academics on the site.

The ability to post anonymously has enabled unfiltered criticism and attacks, as users do not have to attach their names or reputations to their comments. While anonymity allows junior scholars to share information freely, it also provides cover for trolls and harassers.

Many argue the site propagates a toxic culture that is hostile to women and minorities. There have been reports of female and non-white scholars being singled out for criticism in crude and demeaning ways. Some academics claim they have been professionally harmed by unfair or untrue remarks.

The unmoderated nature of EJMR facilitates the spread of unsubstantiated rumors and accusations. Without oversight, personal attacks and unverified information can proliferate. The anonymous setup makes it impossible to hold specific users accountable.

Critics say the site reflects deeper issues of sexism and discrimination in academia and economics in particular. They argue EJMR provides a platform that enables and amplifies such problems. Supporters counter that the forum provides transparency about real issues that often go unaddressed.

Functionality and Features

The Economics Job Market Rumors forum, often referred to as EJMR, is an online discussion board focused on topics related to economics academia and the job market. The forum allows users to post anonymously using pseudonyms, making it a controversial platform.

Some key features and functionality of EJMR include:

Anonymous posting – Users do not need to register or provide any identifying information to participate. This allows for unfiltered conversations, but also enables abusive comments.
Forum structure – There are subforums divided by topics like research, teaching, job market discussion, wiki posts, etc. Threads within each subforum allow back-and-forth conversation.
Ranking/rating system – Users can upvote or downvote posts and threads. Highly ranked content rises to the top.
Search functionality – Users can search for keywords or phrases to pull up relevant discussions. Searches for university names or professors are common.
User flair – Participants can select a flair to display next to their username indicating details like their institution, status, or location.
Wiki posts – There is a section where crowdsourced wiki pages can be created to summarize details on schools, professors, concepts, etc.

The anonymous nature of EJMR facilitates blunt conversations, but also enables personal attacks, rumors, and other concerning behavior with no accountability. The ranking system also tends to push inflammatory content to the top. However, supporters argue the forum provides a unique space for open dialogue on academic issues.

Impact on Academia and Job Market

The Economics Job Market Rumors forum, known as EJMR, has had a significant impact on the economics academia and job market, with both positive and negative effects.

On the positive side, EJMR provides an outlet for anonymous feedback and discussion about economics departments, professors, research, and job candidates. This allows users to share information and impressions without fear of professional repercussions. Some argue the anonymity leads to more honest assessments rather than only polite, public commentary. The forums create greater transparency about the job market and academic environments.

However, many have criticized EJMR for enabling unprofessional, unethical speech and harassment, especially toward women and minority scholars. The tone is often rude, dismissive, or insulting rather than constructive professional criticism. Since users are anonymous, they face no consequences for false or damaging remarks. This has led some universities and conferences to ban access to the site.

The anonymity has also raised concerns about conflicts of interest, such as job candidates reviewing departments they’ve applied to. Some economists argue EJMR amplifies negative biases during the job market and hiring processes. Sexist or racist comments on the site reflect poorly on the economics profession as a whole.

Overall, EJMR provides some useful insights but also enables unaccountable, unprofessional speech that negatively impacts academia. Economics leaders continue debating policies around the forum and the role of anonymity in scholarly discussions.

Notable Discussions

The Economics Job Market Rumors forum, often referred to as EJMR, has had many lively discussions and debates over the years that have drawn significant attention. Here are some examples of popular threads:

Threads discussing controversies related to harassment, discrimination, or other concerning behaviors in academia often gain traction. There have been heated debates around issues like alleged sexual harassment, racism, and mistreatment of graduate students and junior faculty. These threads can get very long as users argue different perspectives.
Methodology debates are common, especially related to topics like significance testing, identification strategies, and replication. Users argue the merits of different approaches. These statistical and econometric debates can get quite technical.
Discussions frequently focus on rankings of graduate programs, journals, and individual researchers. Users vigorously debate who belongs in top 10 or top 5 lists in various subfields. Placement outcomes for graduates are also closely analyzed and discussed.
Commentary on the job market, like discussions of rumors surrounding who got interviews and job offers each year, is ubiquitous. Users attempt to decode the job market each year based on anecdotes and rumors.
Salary information is routinely shared and debated, especially for first jobs out of graduate school. Users are interested in tracking compensation trends over time.
Threads speculating about the identity of anonymous users are common. Since anonymity is a key aspect of EJMR, trying to decipher who users are in real life becomes an intriguing pastime.

The lively discussions and debates on EJMR across these and many other topics make it a one-of-a-kind forum for those interested in the economics profession. The anonymity allows an openness that doesn’t really exist elsewhere.

User Demographics

The Economics Job Market Rumors (EJMR) forum has a diverse user base comprised mainly of economics graduate students, professors, and professionals. Although exact demographics are unknown since it is an anonymous platform, various surveys and analyses of posting patterns provide some insight into the makeup of users.

The majority of frequent posters appear to be economics PhD students and candidates on the academic job market, based on the timing of spikes in activity and discussion topics centered around the job search process. There is heavy usage during peak academic recruiting seasons in the fall and winter. Many users seem invested in following job market outcomes and debating credentials of candidates.

Active professors and other academics also have a regular presence, sharing insights from their positions on hiring committees and departments. Tenured faculty sometimes seek advice on issues like managing advisees or navigating department politics.

In addition to students and professors, there is participation from economics professionals in government, think tanks, the private sector, and multinational institutions. These users provide perspective from outside academia.

While anonymity makes definitive claims about demographics difficult, the prevalence of topics around the economics job market points to graduate students and job candidates being the primary users. Professors and other economists contribute valuable insider knowledge as well. Overall the forum provides a place for the field’s insiders to discuss issues central to the economics profession.

Alternatives For Anonymous Review

Other sites like GradCafe and The Grad School Rant provide forums for anonymous discussion of economics graduate programs and professors. However, they lack the scale and specificity of EJMR.

Some features that set EJMR apart:

Breadth of schools covered – With over 300 econ PhD programs reviewed, EJMR aims to be comprehensive. Other sites tend to focus on top programs.
Specificity of reviews – EJMR allows tagging and searching reviews by school, program, professor name, etc. Other sites have more general unstructured discussions.
Longevity – EJMR has over a decade of archived posts. Other sites have much less history.
User base – EJMR has cultivated a large pool of repeat posters over the years. Other sites have more transient users.
Focus on econ – While sites like GradCafe cover all disciplines, EJMR is econ specific. This allows more tailored discussions.
Interview details – EJMR users share extensive details about interview and admission experiences. This insider knowledge is less common elsewhere.
Research ranking – EJMR features extensive rankings and discussion of econ journals, departments, and economists. Other sites lack this depth.

So while options exist for anonymous graduate school reviews, EJMR remains the gold standard in economics specifically due to its longevity, comprehensive coverage, and critical mass of engaged users. Any replacement would take years to develop comparable community knowledge and discussion quality.

Recent Changes and Developments

The Economics Job Market Rumors (EJMR) forum has undergone some notable changes in recent years in response to controversies and shifting attitudes.

In terms of features and functionality, EJMR added the ability for users to flag inappropriate content for moderator review. This was done to help curb abusive comments and enforce stricter policies around racism, sexism, and unprofessional discourse. Additionally, new controls were added for users to filter out undesirable threads and block other users.

The site administrators have also stepped up moderation and enforcement of policies prohibiting personal attacks, doxxing, illegal content, and clear violations of the terms of service. Warnings and temporary bans are now more commonly issued in cases of policy violations.

EJMR also implemented reputation scores for members based on peer reviews. This karma-like system allows the community to collectively identify valuable contributors and problematic users. Those with low reputation see restrictions on their posting abilities.

In 2021, EJMR shut down access to its archives in response to growing concerns about privacy, potential misuse of old data, and outdated content. Moving forward, threads are now automatically deleted after a period of inactivity.

These changes represent a shift towards cleaning up EJMR’s reputation and making the forum more professional. While controversial speech is still protected, there are now more checks in place to curb abuse. The administrators appear to be taking a more active role in moderation and policy enforcement as well.

Guidelines and Etiquette

The Economics Job Market Rumors forum has very few rules and guidelines for users. This has contributed to the controversial nature of the site, with some users posting malicious or unprofessional content. However, there are some basic etiquette practices users should follow:

Be professional – Even though EJMR allows anonymity, try to maintain a courteous tone. Avoid personal attacks or offensive language.
No spamming – Repeatedly posting the same content is considered spam and may get you banned. Try to keep threads on topic.
No illegal content – Do not post copyrighted material or anything illegal.
No advertising – The site does not allow advertising or self-promotion.
Use anonymity responsibly – Don’t use the cloak of anonymity to post things you wouldn’t say publicly. Be ethical.
Add value – Try to contribute useful insights or perspectives to the discussion. Avoid trolling just for provocation.
Follow the rules – Pay attention to any posted rules for individual forums or threads. Abide by bans if issued.
Report problems – Alert moderators if you see any violations of rules or etiquette.

While EJMR finance allows for anonymity, following basic etiquette helps maintain a level of professionalism and keeps discussions productive. Users should be thoughtful in how they utilize the forum’s unique qualities.

The Future of EJMR

The controversial yet popular Economics Job Market Rumors forum has fundamentally changed aspects of the economics academic job market and profession. While the platform enables anonymity that can lead to inappropriate content, it also allows for an open exchange of uncensored information and opinions.

Many believe EJMR is here to stay, but its future path remains uncertain. Some possibilities for how the forum may evolve include:

Continued gradual reforms to improve content – The site owners could implement small ongoing changes like stricter rules or moderation to curb offensive posts. This may gradually improve the forum’s reputation over time.
A major overhaul or rebranding – EJMR could undergo a substantial redesign and reform to distance itself from past controversies. This may include a new name, stricter registration requirements, and stronger content policies.
Emergence of competitors – New anonymous forums focused on economics careers could arise and challenge EJMR. They may differentiate by promoting more professional discussions.
Integration with professional platforms – EJMR could partner with economics associations or job sites to develop an improved, accountable version centered around career advice.
Eventual decline in popularity – Over time, EJMR may lose its critical mass of users. But a similar platform could easily reemerge unless core issues are thoughtfully addressed.

Despite uncertainties, EJMR will likely maintain some presence given the demand for an anonymous space for open dialogue on academic careers. The platform’s long-term trajectory will depend on how effectively its community and owners adapt to address valid criticisms while retaining valuable functionality. Regardless of its future path, EJMR has indelibly shaped economics discourse and illuminated crucial issues around equity, transparency, and power dynamics in academia.

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