Comment expliquer le succès de la méthode des expérimentations aléatoires ? Une sociographie du J-PAL

Abstract

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been successful for ten years. This article aims to explore the reasons of such success, using original means. The way the J-PAL (which the main laboratory in the field) works explains the spread of the method. I made a database of J-PAL affiliated to show how their studies and their professional positions in universities could be an explanation of the RCTs success. The legitimacy of the method comes partly from the fact that the affiliated hold, for most of them, PhD from prestigious universities and work in Ivy League universities.

Keywords

• randomized controlled trial
• randomized controlled experiment
• evaluation
• randomization
• sociography
• sociology of economists