Abstract

The Cambridge Society for Economic Pluralism invites you to its last talk of the term about reforming the teaching of Economics with Diane Coyle, OBE , Managing Director of Enlightenment Economics and a former advisor to the UK Treasury.

There has been much talk in the press (see links below) recently about the needed reforms to the teaching of Economics and CSEP is very excited to participate in this debate. Indeed, The Treasury and bank of Engand as well as many emplyers complained that economics graduates were not fit for the labour market as they did not know enough about reality.

Dr Coyle will try to address these matters, analysing what is missing from today’s economics curricula and proposing concerete changes to improve them.

We also aim to take this opportunity to create a focus group that will tackle this issue in Cambridge and will meet regularly to organise activities and campaigns.

To kick this off, on Monday 25th at 1pm, we are organising a Skype Chat with Zach WP from the Manchester Post Crash Economics Society in the graduate common room, first floor of the Marshall Library.

About the speaker:

Diane Coyle did her undergraduate studies at Brasenose College, Oxford, reading philosophy, politics, and economics, before gaining an MA and a PhD in Economics from Harvard University, graduating in 1985. Coyle was an economist at the UK Treasury from 1985 to 1986, and later became the European Editor of Investors Chronicle between 1993 and 2001 and economics editor of The Independent.

Coyle was also a presenter on BBC Radio 4, is a member of the UK Border Agency’s Migration Advisory Committee, a former member of the UK’s Competition Commission, member of the Royal Economic Society and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

She has written a series of books focused on educating people about different aspects of economics. Her latest are “GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History” Princeton University Press, 2014), “The Economics of Enough: How to run the economy as if the future matters” (Princeton University Press, 2011), “The Soulful Science: what economists really do and why it matters” (Princeton University Press, 2007)

Press coverage:

Treasury conference 11 November, attended also by CSEP representatives:

Economics explains our world – but economics degrees don’t By Wendy Carlin http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/74cd0b94-4de6-11e3-8fa5-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2lHqUAXEP

‘Dismal science’ seeks fresh thinking after failure in crisis By Claire Jones, Economics reporter http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f015a3ac-4aed-11e3-ac3d-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2lHqUAXEP

Orthodox economists have failed their own market test Seumas Milne http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/20/orthodox-economists-failed-market-test

Post-Keynesians are staging a comeback http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/nov/18/post-keynesians-comeback

University economics teaching to be overhauled Move follows criticism over ‘limited and outdated’ curriculum and failure to include how financial markets can undermine stability http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/nov/11/university-economics-teaching-overhaul

Economics lecturers accused of clinging to pre-crash fallacies http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/nov/10/economics-lecturers-accused-university-courses

Manchester Post Crash Economics Society:

Economics students need to be taught more than neoclassical theory Zach Ward-Perkins and Joe Earle http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/28/economics-students-neoclassical-theory

Economics students aim to tear up free-market syllabus Philip Inman http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/oct/24/students-post-crash-economics