Search results for ""Author Richard P.F. Holt""

Dissenters have a common dissatisfaction with economics as it is currently practised, and they recognise that twentieth century economics has failed to explain real world economic phenomena. This major book focuses on the work and lives of seventeen of the most influential dissenting economists who have shaped twentieth century economics and who continue to make economics more relevant.In Economics and its Discontents each chapter explains what it means to be a dissenting economist and examines how and why the work of the featured economist constitutes dissent. It demonstrates that dissent in the profession extends beyond ideology and that dissenters can come from radical, liberal or conservative backgrounds. Dissent is considered in many respects, including how economics is taught, the methodology of economic analysis, the lack of attention economists pay to the real world behaviour of individuals, the narrow and limited assumptions made by economists, the inappropriate attempt of economics to dominate all social sciences, and the policy conclusions reached by standard economic analysis. The dissenters featured in this book suggest that there is a better way to do economics, and a better way to be an economist, and each has helped keep economics honest by constantly questioning traditional thinking. This book salutes and celebrates these dissenters who exemplify the very best of the discipline. If economics is again to be a respected field and a highly regarded profession, we must look to these dissenters to point the way forward.This book will be welcomed by professional economists, researchers and postgraduate students, especially those interested in the history of economic thought, and economic methodology and philosophy.

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As Europe moves toward an integrated academic system, European economics is changing. This book discusses that change, along with the changes that are happening simultaneously within the economics profession. The authors argue that modern economics can no longer usefully be described as ?neoclassical?, but is much better described as complexity economics. The complexity approach embraces rather than assumes away the complexities of social interaction. The authors also argue that despite all the problems with previous European academic structures, those structures allowed for more diversity than exists in US universities, and thus were often ahead of US universities in exploring new cutting-edge approaches. The authors further argue that by trying to judge themselves by US-centric measures and to copy US universities, the European economics profession is undermining some of the strengths of the older system ? strengths on which it should be building. While the authors agree that European economics needs to go through major changes in the coming decade, they argue that by building on Europe?s strengths, rather than trying to follow a US example, Europe will be more likely to become the global leader in economics in the coming decades rather than a second-rate copy of the US. The book begins with two chapters spelling out the authors? view of the changes in economics and European economics. This is followed by 11 interviews with a diverse set of innovative European economists from a range of European countries. In the interviews these European economists reflect on the ongoing changes in economics generally and in European economics specifically. These interviews demonstrate how the economics profession is moving away from traditional neoclassical economics into a dynamic set of new methods and approaches (incorporating work in behavioral economics, experimental economics, evolutionary game theory and ecological approaches, complexity and nonlinear dynamics, methodological analysis, and agent-based modelling) that the authors classify as complexity economics. This fascinating and easy-to-read book will prove a stimulating and thought-provoking read for those with an interest in economics, European education, and the nature of academic disciplines generally.

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This book argues that mainstream economics, with its present methodological approach, is limited in its ability to analyze and develop adequate public policy to deal with environmental problems and sustainable development. Each chapter provides major insights into many of today's environmental problems such as global warming and sustainable growth.Building on the strengths and insights of Post Keynesian and ecological economics and incorporating cutting-edge work in economic complexity, bounded rationality and socio-economic dynamics, this book provides an interdisciplinary approach to deal with a broad range of environmental concerns. The contributors show how and where the two traditions share common ground concerning environmental problems and shed light on how the two schools can learn from one another. The book will be of great value to Post Keynesian and ecological economists as well as to those interested in new approaches to important global environmental issues.

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As Europe moves toward an integrated academic system, European economics is changing. This book discusses that change, along with the changes that are happening simultaneously within the economics profession. The authors argue that modern economics can no longer usefully be described as ?neoclassical?, but is much better described as complexity economics. The complexity approach embraces rather than assumes away the complexities of social interaction. The authors also argue that despite all the problems with previous European academic structures, those structures allowed for more diversity than exists in US universities, and thus were often ahead of US universities in exploring new cutting-edge approaches. The authors further argue that by trying to judge themselves by US-centric measures and to copy US universities, the European economics profession is undermining some of the strengths of the older system ? strengths on which it should be building. While the authors agree that European economics needs to go through major changes in the coming decade, they argue that by building on Europe?s strengths, rather than trying to follow a US example, Europe will be more likely to become the global leader in economics in the coming decades rather than a second-rate copy of the US. The book begins with two chapters spelling out the authors? view of the changes in economics and European economics. This is followed by 11 interviews with a diverse set of innovative European economists from a range of European countries. In the interviews these European economists reflect on the ongoing changes in economics generally and in European economics specifically. These interviews demonstrate how the economics profession is moving away from traditional neoclassical economics into a dynamic set of new methods and approaches (incorporating work in behavioral economics, experimental economics, evolutionary game theory and ecological approaches, complexity and nonlinear dynamics, methodological analysis, and agent-based modelling) that the authors classify as complexity economics. This fascinating and easy-to-read book will prove a stimulating and thought-provoking read for those with an interest in economics, European education, and the nature of academic disciplines generally.

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