Contending perspectives in one department

Richard McIntyre and Robert Van Horn

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2011, vol. 2, issue 1, 69-81

Abstract: Barone's 1991 essay stimulated a debate in our economics department. Two department members at the time, Yngve Ramstad and Richard McIntyre, proposed to reorganise the undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree to emphasise contending perspectives. When this proposal was rejected, Ramstad then changed his (required) history of thought course to a contending perspectives course with a significant history of thought component. McIntyre has taught the course since 2008, and in 2010, in rotation with Robert Van Horn who joined the faculty in Fall 2009. The Competing Traditions course emphasises the acquisition of skills rather than the deconstruction of orthodox theory. We explain this shift in three steps: first through an interpretation of the initial departmental debate; second, by exploring student feedback on concrete learning goals and forms of assessment; and finally by considering two reflective essays, each by a university alumnus.

Keywords: contending perspectives; pluralism; economics education; history of economic thought; interpretive discussions; thought papers; critical thinking; heterodox economics; pluralist economics; Barone; higher education. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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