We need to make sure that the accreditation system upholds – and importantly develops – the values and spirit of economic pluralism in teaching. It also needs to be accountable to the wider stakeholder community. So how can we do that? Here are some initial thoughts for your comment. We have looked at other similar … Continued
Objective To seek comments on proposed processes for assessing whether masters programmes meet the criteria for taking a pluralist approach to teaching economics and ensuring ongoing compliance and collective learning. Context In general university department programmes are not accredited but do have to be approved by internal university processes, which take some time and are … Continued
Mark Preen looks at the situation in the UK since economics A level reform in 2015 As both an economics graduate and A Level Economics teacher I have observed with great interest the Rethinking Economics Movement which emerged following the 2008 Financial Crisis. Criticisms levelled at university economic departments by their students included the lack … Continued
1. Recognition of the existence and potential value of a range of different perspectives from economics and other disciplines for understanding economic related issues. Rationale: This is the core value of those who take a pluralist approach to understanding the economy. 2. Incorporation of a reasonable breadth of perspectives into the curriculum with an expectation … Continued
The conformity in economics teaching in many ways is the most damaging aspect of our current economics discipline. Thousands of graduates all round the world enter work each year with the impression that there is only one way of thinking about organising our economies. Innovative and critical thinking is crushed just when we need it … Continued
Post the Crash, we seemed set for a revolution in economics. Even The Economist magazine, defender of free markets, concluded that a new economics was needed. Yet we are still waiting! We think the answer is to legitimise the innovators outside the mainstream rather than expect change to come from within. Following revelations of the … Continued
After a few days spent visiting the OECD to mark 10 years after the failure of Lehman Brothers, the task of reforming economic teaching could seem even more daunting. You hear for yourself how this teaching has hardwired neo-classical economics into heads of policy makers. Some have even lost their ability to converse in normal … Continued