Petition to Notre Dame to keep Economics Program Diverse and Heterodox

[batmanisafatman]

As stated in the title:

If you would like to sign:
Open Economics ND Petition

To: Interested Students and Faculty of Economics We are in support of diversifying the education in the field of economics at the University of Notre Dame. We crave a challenge, discussing the assumptions and implications of the things we learn rather than just glossing over an economic theory without seriously questioning it. We desire an overview of the history of economic thought, exploring both the current mainstream theories and their many critiques. We would like to see Notre Dame hire new faculty specializing in heterodox theories and offer a courselist which approaches economics from a plurality of views.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned


<Maybe some discussion of the proposal is warranted on the math and economic modeling heavy TM board?>

[israelecon]

my personal opinion, is that departments can do whatever they want and teach what they believe. no one forces you to go to any specific university.

[pevdoki1]

Originally Posted by israelecon

my personal opinion, is that departments can do whatever they want and teach what they believe. no one forces you to go to any specific university.

Well, there ARE professors at Notre Dame who want to see heterodox econ taught there. As far as I know, there is a rift in the department, and university administration is on the evil side (modern theory).

P.S. Reading the petition comments is quite interesting

[bscout]

Originally Posted by pevdoki1

Well, there ARE professors at Notre Dame who want to see heterodox econ taught there. As far as I know, there is a rift in the department, and university administration is on the evil side (modern theory).

There is no rift in the Department. You can check it. There was a split some years ago and now the Economics department is called Department of Economics and Econometrics (they are giving a lot of resources to the new department, Nelson Mark came here from Ohio, Bill Evans from Maryland, Gresik from Penn and there are two more offers for senior faculty out there).
The 'old' department is called Economics and Political Sciences (I think) and they will not hire faculty anymore. Besides, they have absolutely nothing to do with the Graduate Program.

In addition to this, I do not know of any professor in the Economics department who would want to see heterodox economics being taught here.

[andyecon]

Few TMers should sign this thing- most are attending grad programs that would not place students in a heterodox program. If Notre Dame stays heterodox, then that will take away a couple of possible placements every year!

(And I say this knowing that two Minnesota students had flyouts to Notre Dame... that would not have happened without the rift in ND's dept!)

[pevdoki1]

Originally Posted by bscout

In addition to this, I do not know of any professor in the Economics department who would want to see heterodox economics being taught here.

But you will find some in the "Department of Economics and Policy Studies", no?

P.S. I would say that creating a new department for the heterodox people and putting all the resources into a newly founded "traditional" program can justifiably be called a "rift". Obviously, no one wants a heterodox problem on the neoclassical side!!

[bscout]

Originally Posted by pevdoki1

But you will find some in the "Department of Economics and Policy Studies", no?

Yes. If you call economics to what they do.

P.S. I would say that creating a new department for the heterodox people and putting all the resources into a newly founded "traditional" program can justifiably be called a "rift".

There was a rift.

[Oikos-nomos]

Originally Posted by bscout

Yes. If you call economics to what they do.

Mmm, I thought you were more open-minded bscout...i'm losing an idol...

[bscout]

Originally Posted by Oikos-nomos

Mmm, I thought you were more open-minded bscout...i'm losing an idol...

Was intended to be a joke... Anyway, I think your mechanism for finding idols was not working properly. (Another joke).

[fp3690]

Originally Posted by bscout

Was intended to be a joke... Anyway, I think your mechanism for finding idols was not working properly. (Another joke).

I think that economics has to gain from exposure to heterodox stuff. It's like an optimization problem: you can never do worse, but sometimes can do better with more flexibility.

Because neoclassical theory is not perfect, it can be made better through exposure to alternative approaches. Twenty years ago, behavioral was considered heterodox, while institutional approaches have been getting currency lately (mainly through Acemoglu).