This paper investigates the evolution of self-referentiality and knowledge flows in economics journals before and after the 2008 financial crisis. Using a multi-level approach, we analyze patterns at the discipline, cluster, and journal levels, combining citational measures with a classification of journals based on intellectual similarity and social proximity. At the aggregate level, results suggest a general decline in self-referentiality, indicating increased openness across the discipline. However, this trend conceals substantial heterogeneity. At finer levels of analysis, two clusters - CORE and Finance - emerge as persistent outliers, exhibiting very high levels of self-referentiality. While Finance experienced a gradual reduction over time, the CORE shows increasing closure. By examining reference asymmetries, we uncover a hierarchical structure of knowledge flows. The CORE operates as a central hub and net exporter of knowledge to all other clusters, particularly to the traditional core fields of economics, whereas Finance acts as a net exporter only within its own domain and remains dependent on the CORE. These asymmetries are reinforced at the level of individual journals, where a small set of top journals occupies the apex of a hierarchically ordered system of knowledge transmission. We argue that these patterns reflect the interplay between intellectual dynamics and organizational structures, particularly the role of editorial networks in shaping access to publication and visibility. The findings suggest that, following the financial crisis, economics has experienced a process of increasing epistemic and organizational closure at its core, alongside greater openness in peripheral areas. This dual dynamic raises questions about the representativeness of top journals and the evolving structure of the discipline.

翻译：本文研究了2008年金融危机前后经济学期刊中自我指涉性与知识流动的演变。采用多层次分析方法，我们结合引文指标与基于知识相似性和社会邻近性的期刊分类，在学科、聚类和期刊三个层面分析了相关模式。在整体层面，结果表明自我指涉性普遍下降，表明学科整体开放性有所提升。然而，这一趋势掩盖了显著的异质性。在更精细的分析层面，CORE和Finance这两个聚类作为持续性异常值出现，表现出极高的自我指涉性水平。虽然Finance随时间推移呈现逐渐降低的趋势，但CORE则表现出日益封闭的倾向。通过考察引文不对称性，我们揭示了知识流动的层级结构。CORE作为核心枢纽，是所有其他聚类（特别是传统经济学核心领域）的知识净输出者，而Finance仅在其自身领域内充当净输出者，并始终依赖于CORE。这些不对称性在单个期刊层面得到进一步强化，少数顶级期刊占据了层级化知识传播体系的顶端。我们认为，这些模式反映了知识动态与组织结构之间的相互作用，特别是编辑网络在塑造出版机会与可见性方面的作用。研究发现表明，金融危机后，经济学核心领域经历了认识论与组织层面日益封闭的过程，而外围区域则呈现出更大程度的开放性。这种双重动态引发了关于顶级期刊代表性以及学科演化结构的深层思考。