Ecoscience (Economic)

An area of study within metascience that examines science through the lens of economics—how economic forces shape scientific practice, and how science functions as an economic agent. Ecoscience asks how money flows through science: who funds research, how funding shapes agendas, how economic incentives influence scientific behavior, how scientific knowledge generates economic value. It also examines science as an economic actor—how universities function as economic institutions, how research drives innovation and growth, how scientific labor markets operate, how intellectual property regimes shape knowledge production. Ecoscience reveals that science is not just a pursuit of truth but an economic activity, embedded in markets, driven by incentives, and producing economic value alongside knowledge.

Ecoscience (Economic) Example: "Her ecoscience analysis showed how the shift to grant-based funding transformed university research—not just what got studied, but how scientists thought about their work, their careers, and their relationships with knowledge."

by Dumu The Void March 16, 2026