Revise the University of Manchester's Economic Syllabus
53 Comments
A
Adam Niven
11 years ago
Featured
Both the breadth and depth of the economic modules in my belief is lacking. Too much emphasis placed on technical and numerical economic courses which do not favour students with a passion in economics and who have not undertaken a-level maths.
T
Tim Baldwin
11 years ago
I studied economics as part of both my bachelor's & master's degrees in sustainability. In that context the shortfalls highlighted by this movement were obvious. It is imperative that the teaching of economics be broaden to include thirties other than mere neoclassical if we are to avoid continually repeating past mistakes. Present government policies provide all the proof necessary
R
R. Eric Swanepoel
12 years ago
Featured
The way that economics is taught is fundamental. It affects, ultimately, everyone on the planet, and it is extremely important that neoclassical theory, which is not based on empirical evidence and is arguably responsible for widening inequality and much misery, is put in its place.
D
Dr L Brownstein
12 years ago
What you are doing is exceptional. Keep doing it. Mainstream econ is bollocks and the faculty, deep down, know it. I fought this as well at Lees for some years, but gave up in the end. Now, I am back at it again. For an alternative, known as MMT, have a look at Bill Mitchell's Billy blog and Randy Wray's book, Modern Money Theory, as a start. Reject the likes of Mankiw and Krugman. They will be viewed as historical curiosities, hopefully in the fairly near future.
T
Thomas Malone
12 years ago
The present approach in teaching Economics may have some merit, but obviously does not prepare one sufficiently in-order too solve problems. Remaining on the present path is suicidal.
S
Sally Stephens
12 years ago
I'm a teacher and heard about these kind of issues from a Year 13 student about to start an econ. degree and hoping that he can be part of these moves - exciting!
R
Ravi Panday
12 years ago
I am currently studying Business Economics at the University of Amsterdam. I totally agree with the arguments delivered by Sakir Devrim Yilmaz. I absolutely believe that the gap between the course path at the university and the corporate world is great. I do not think that the contents of a regular Bachelor/Master in Economics provide the student with the necessary tools to be of value in the corporate world.
A
Anonymous
12 years ago
I agree with the petition
E
Emma Davies
12 years ago
Social sciences/economics graduate.
M
Martin Ståhl
12 years ago
I study at University of Stockholm and Lund in Sweden. I fully support the constructive questioning and critique of current teachings of economics. Sweden has fully adopted the same syllabus as the anglo speaking world regarding teaching economics. Economics has become corrupt in it self as a discipline; most research conducted in economics is funded by private institutions and corporations (banks, insurance companies, manufacturing companies etc). Above all, the worst price in economics, is the 'Nobel Prize' in economics in memory of Alfred Nobel. The initiative of this price came from the largest bank in Sweden owned by the Wallenberg family. Nobel was a business tycoon on his own. He deliberately chose to give prize money to issues that had nothing to do with the business world. He knew that his fortune was based on pure science. With the prize he wanted to show the importance of physics, chemistry, physiology/medicine, literature (arts) AND peace work. He added the prize for peace to show the importance of human cooperation, science alone is not enough but a mean to human understanding and cooperation. I am convinced if Mr Nobel could return from his grave he would be furious of the 'Nobel Prize' in economics. He knew very well that business, at worst, is a good way to create conflict between people, regions, countries and continents. Economics as a discipline must return to it's roots; in the human society and not be in the hands of a few large corporation owned by 1 percent of the population. If it fails conflicts will rise in the next coming decades... you don't need to be Einstein's brother to realize that.
F
federico demaria
12 years ago
www.degrowth.org
S
Simon Eaves
12 years ago
Featured
The narrow, ideological way economics is taught is one of the reasons why national economies lurch from crisis to crisis enriching a few at the expense of the many. It's way past time we had a new econmics one that is based in reality, embracing social values and is ecologically literate.
J
Jorge Fonseca
12 years ago
I am Professor of International Economics and Development at the Faculty of Economics at the Complutense University of Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón. I'm lucky because I teach economics class with a distinctly hetherodox approach. A teaching on economy skewed towards the dominant economy approach is more ideological than scientific. Is absolutely undemocratic that the students don´t learn, for example, Marxist or post-Keynesian approach, wich is as absurd as if the physical students can not learn the Newton or Einstein theories.
R
Rayssa Deps Bolelli
12 years ago
Hi! I study economics in Brazil, cause I'm a brazilian of course, and I totally agree with this petition ! For my luck, my University have a great number of heterodox professor, but I as a heterodox economist thought this should be spread around the world.
A
Anonymous
12 years ago
MSc Social Policy and Planning (London School of Economics) 2009
Currently working as a policy analyst in local government and frustrated by the economic inequality in this country and the world in general.
J
Joel Benjamin
12 years ago
Featured
It's a remarkable situation when the Bank of England concedes endogenous money creation and yet our universities stubbornly cling to an economic syllabus that fails to account for the problems posed by money creation by private banks. Heterodox economics now!
A
Alan Chambers
12 years ago
Beggars belief that one viewpoint holds so much sway. Surely you should be encouraging your students to think independently!
J
Jonas Van Vossole
12 years ago
When I asked our professor why we didn't need to learn the 2 inicial chapters of our handbook "introduction to economics" in 1st Ba, he answered: "If you want to learn about different models or economic history, you should go to the faculty of Arts"... Eventually I finnished a Master in complementary economics but I still think my dissertation is of very bad quality because I found myself in a situation of self-sensorship at the faculty of economics of Ghent. Now, I try to make a critique of political economy from a socio-political perspective from the faculty of social sciences...
A
Alan Wilson
12 years ago
How can any theory that assumes everyone is fully informed on the facts required to make totally ratonal economic decisions, and then assumes that everyone therefore makes totally rational economic decisions, be uncritically accepted by rational people?
N
Norberto Hernandez
12 years ago
When I studied my masters in the Economics Department, I had the same need: the courses taught were very theoretical, abstract, no touch with the real world, and, most importantly, it punished critical thinking. The latter went to a point that a professor did not give me half of the points on some question because "I did not asked you to argument". I never forgot that. From the school I was coming, I was always required to "justify why"...
Both the breadth and depth of the economic modules in my belief is lacking. Too much emphasis placed on technical and numerical economic courses which do not favour students with a passion in economics and who have not undertaken a-level maths.
I studied economics as part of both my bachelor's & master's degrees in sustainability. In that context the shortfalls highlighted by this movement were obvious. It is imperative that the teaching of economics be broaden to include thirties other than mere neoclassical if we are to avoid continually repeating past mistakes. Present government policies provide all the proof necessary
The way that economics is taught is fundamental. It affects, ultimately, everyone on the planet, and it is extremely important that neoclassical theory, which is not based on empirical evidence and is arguably responsible for widening inequality and much misery, is put in its place.
What you are doing is exceptional. Keep doing it. Mainstream econ is bollocks and the faculty, deep down, know it. I fought this as well at Lees for some years, but gave up in the end. Now, I am back at it again. For an alternative, known as MMT, have a look at Bill Mitchell's Billy blog and Randy Wray's book, Modern Money Theory, as a start. Reject the likes of Mankiw and Krugman. They will be viewed as historical curiosities, hopefully in the fairly near future.
The present approach in teaching Economics may have some merit, but obviously does not prepare one sufficiently in-order too solve problems. Remaining on the present path is suicidal.
I'm a teacher and heard about these kind of issues from a Year 13 student about to start an econ. degree and hoping that he can be part of these moves - exciting!
I am currently studying Business Economics at the University of Amsterdam. I totally agree with the arguments delivered by Sakir Devrim Yilmaz. I absolutely believe that the gap between the course path at the university and the corporate world is great. I do not think that the contents of a regular Bachelor/Master in Economics provide the student with the necessary tools to be of value in the corporate world.
I agree with the petition
Social sciences/economics graduate.
I study at University of Stockholm and Lund in Sweden. I fully support the constructive questioning and critique of current teachings of economics. Sweden has fully adopted the same syllabus as the anglo speaking world regarding teaching economics. Economics has become corrupt in it self as a discipline; most research conducted in economics is funded by private institutions and corporations (banks, insurance companies, manufacturing companies etc). Above all, the worst price in economics, is the 'Nobel Prize' in economics in memory of Alfred Nobel. The initiative of this price came from the largest bank in Sweden owned by the Wallenberg family. Nobel was a business tycoon on his own. He deliberately chose to give prize money to issues that had nothing to do with the business world. He knew that his fortune was based on pure science. With the prize he wanted to show the importance of physics, chemistry, physiology/medicine, literature (arts) AND peace work. He added the prize for peace to show the importance of human cooperation, science alone is not enough but a mean to human understanding and cooperation. I am convinced if Mr Nobel could return from his grave he would be furious of the 'Nobel Prize' in economics. He knew very well that business, at worst, is a good way to create conflict between people, regions, countries and continents. Economics as a discipline must return to it's roots; in the human society and not be in the hands of a few large corporation owned by 1 percent of the population. If it fails conflicts will rise in the next coming decades... you don't need to be Einstein's brother to realize that.
www.degrowth.org
The narrow, ideological way economics is taught is one of the reasons why national economies lurch from crisis to crisis enriching a few at the expense of the many. It's way past time we had a new econmics one that is based in reality, embracing social values and is ecologically literate.
I am Professor of International Economics and Development at the Faculty of Economics at the Complutense University of Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón. I'm lucky because I teach economics class with a distinctly hetherodox approach. A teaching on economy skewed towards the dominant economy approach is more ideological than scientific. Is absolutely undemocratic that the students don´t learn, for example, Marxist or post-Keynesian approach, wich is as absurd as if the physical students can not learn the Newton or Einstein theories.
Hi! I study economics in Brazil, cause I'm a brazilian of course, and I totally agree with this petition ! For my luck, my University have a great number of heterodox professor, but I as a heterodox economist thought this should be spread around the world.
MSc Social Policy and Planning (London School of Economics) 2009 Currently working as a policy analyst in local government and frustrated by the economic inequality in this country and the world in general.
It's a remarkable situation when the Bank of England concedes endogenous money creation and yet our universities stubbornly cling to an economic syllabus that fails to account for the problems posed by money creation by private banks. Heterodox economics now!
Beggars belief that one viewpoint holds so much sway. Surely you should be encouraging your students to think independently!
When I asked our professor why we didn't need to learn the 2 inicial chapters of our handbook "introduction to economics" in 1st Ba, he answered: "If you want to learn about different models or economic history, you should go to the faculty of Arts"... Eventually I finnished a Master in complementary economics but I still think my dissertation is of very bad quality because I found myself in a situation of self-sensorship at the faculty of economics of Ghent. Now, I try to make a critique of political economy from a socio-political perspective from the faculty of social sciences...
How can any theory that assumes everyone is fully informed on the facts required to make totally ratonal economic decisions, and then assumes that everyone therefore makes totally rational economic decisions, be uncritically accepted by rational people?
When I studied my masters in the Economics Department, I had the same need: the courses taught were very theoretical, abstract, no touch with the real world, and, most importantly, it punished critical thinking. The latter went to a point that a professor did not give me half of the points on some question because "I did not asked you to argument". I never forgot that. From the school I was coming, I was always required to "justify why"...