Which discipline fits?

[tanker12]

All,

Bottom line up front, I am trying to decide  on exactly which side I fall of a particular line.

My deepest interests lie in International Political Economy and Economic history, specifically sanctions, conflict in the context of the liberal world order (military, diplomatic and economic), American Grand Strategy, deterrence, foreign aid and the weaponization of second world countries by first world countries through investment, proxy players and their effects on the global economy, formation and break up of supernational government organizations and the reactions of G20 governments to global economic developments. I know there's a lot there but I promise it's very thought out and I believe I can make a life out of developing questions from this and pursuing answers to those questions.

My academic background is as follows:

Undergrad: Top 50 State school, Tier 1 Research, BS Business Management, 3.55 GPA, sufficient math

Grad: Unranked program but decent institution (T40-60), currently pursuing MA Economics, expect to graduate 3.9-4.0

GRE: 164V/154Q/4.5 AW (will retake for quant, feeling confident)

Research Experience: 1 semester paid RA with Insurance Professor working on government project, no publication (project got scrapped because of political unpopularity during election season)

Professional Data: At time of application will have 4 years commissioned military experience

LOR: It's a ways off but for this purpose let's assume I'll get 3 glowing recommendations from professors from my current program, well known

Misc: No publications yet (hope to change by end of MA), graduated undergrad in 3 years, grad program is heterodox and applied

 

My real concern is whether this is strictly a Political Science dream or whether Economics is a possible path forward. The question exists for 2 reasons: Economists like Michael Munger have made a name for themselves in Political Science contexts, but it seems harder for a PoliSci type to seriously break into Economics circles. Second, with my academic profile, getting into a top 40 PoliSci program seems iffy, but getting into a top 100 Economics program seems quite plausible assuming I perform well on the GRE retake and in my masters... and the current consensus seems to be that a top 100 economics PhD is more employable than a PoliSci phd outside the top 40.

As an economist I would develop skills in quant areas and could use that to push the narrative of my research and as a PoliSci I might have more clout in the IR world at the kind of think tanks I'd love to work at. I'd also consider working in research for Congress or other parts of the government but ultimately this is an academic question.

Perhaps the question can best be summed up as: Which field would professionally enable me to pursue the 'most' of my interests, with respect to my current qualifications and employability of the degree?

-tanker12

[1%learnings]

* what school is it?

* communication is one the most basic and most important talent, most of the ppl asking questions and in general do not have this basic talent

* question/goal first-line

> Which field would professionally enable me to pursue the 'most' of my interests, with respect to my current qualifications and employability of the degree?

the degree does not employ, the person is what is hired

likes/interests are the most important thing, but likes change

since it's pretty impossible to predict what you future self would like

we need to base the decision on current likes:

* International Political Economy

* Economic history, specifically sanctions, conflict in the context of the liberal world order (military, diplomatic and economic),

* American Grand Strategy, deterrence, foreign aid and the weaponization of second world countries by first world countries through investment, proxy players and their effects on the global economy,

* formation and break up of supernational government organizations and the reactions of G20 governments to global economic developments

hmm..

i dont support your dream because of how ineffectual this entire field is

but you should always chase w/e your current dream is

but we also need to consider the useful/practical as this was also mentioned

hmm...

well, we don't have the data....

actually you got me sidetracked, because you're talking about all these unimportant things

let's go back to the top

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the first & single most important thing about this decision is that none of it matters

the person is what gets hired, not the piece of paper

* ppl major or double-major in all kinds of things prior to med school -- for all kinds of reasons, one of them being that they enjoy it

* there are thousands of different examples

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if you are interested in those things, then you should be reading the leading resources on those topics 

AND topics you assume would not relate

that would do you more good than what anyone could say