Citation Patterns in Nobel Prize Lectures in Economics

The paper analyses citation patterns in Nobel prize lectures in economics. Starting from the premise that the Prize publicly assents to the academic’s point of view, the authors inquire whether the Laureates still try to persuade their peers in the lectures. The analysis indicates that, despite the visibility they have acquired through the prize, Nobel winners still feel they need to refer to authoritative economists of the present and past to prove their claims. In this respect they continue to construct scientific facts in much the same way as they do in research articles.