Spring 2017 readings – The Econocracy

This term (Jan – April 2017) we are reading The Econocracy, by Joe Earle, Cahal Moran and Zach Ward-Perkins of the Post-Crash Economics Society at the University of Manchester.

The book gives a unique insight into the mindless indoctrination that passes as an education in the discipline of mainstream economics.

As the authors put it, ‘Economic experts are at the heart of econocracy. Yet their understanding of the world is often limited to a fixed set of models, taught in a manner that is almost completely disconnected from the real world. … The result of teaching students only the neoclassical way of thinking is that economic experts have no critical perspective on the limitations of their expertise. Most students are not even told that there are other ways to think about the economy and as a result they do not see economics as a subject with debate and disagreement. In the words of one bemused student, ‘I had always thought of economics as a lively debate. Until I started university, that is.’.’

9 March, 12.30: Introduction and Chapter 1

23 March, 1.00: The Econocracy.chs2.3., Muirhead Tower, University of Birmingham

6 April, 12.30: Econocracy_final, University of Birmingham

All welcome!