Thread by @toddntucker

Folks have been asking for a copy of my Thinking Economically class for JHU, where we apply social science tools to understand the role of the economics profession and ideas in Washington.

Here you go! A few comments...
drive.google.com/open?id=1d52xY…

Tentatively last year and more so this year, we're using a structured comparison between libertarianism, liberalism, and structuralism to go through most of the subfields you would have in an econ degree - e.g. labor, environmental econ, finance, etc.

We've struggled to calibrate the readings. The first two years, I went full Cambridge style - giving tons of suggested readings but not requiring students read all of it.

But, as there is no prior econ requirement for the class, and as it's also for advanced undergrads in DC for a heavily scheduled policy semester (full course load plus 60% full time internships), we've pared the reading list back, and leaned more on newspaper articles.

But we keep a foot firmly in theory by utilizing Polanyi and Ha-Joon Chang's "Economics: The User's Guide", an accessible intro to both economic ideas, libertarianism/Austrianism, liberalism/neoclassicism, and 7 more structuralist/heterodox schools.
amazon.com/dp/B00LP90MY4/

For the more sociological aspects of the profession, recent work by Marion Fourcade provides an entry point, as does recent studies and reporting by @JustinWolfers, CeCe Rouse and others.

@JustinWolfers I'm pretty sure @henryfarrell @stevenmklein @BuddyYakov requested the syllabus - but posting here for others to see if there's interest.

@JustinWolfers @henryfarrell @stevenmklein @BuddyYakov One final comment: this class has gotten easier to teach this year and last, as the theories we want to discuss have real world mainstream exponents now. It was harder to see the contours of liberal/neoclassical thought when the only folks they were arguing with were libertarians

@JustinWolfers @henryfarrell @stevenmklein @BuddyYakov But now that structuralist views are leading the Democratic primary (and Trump/Rubio sometimes [unknowingly?] dip toes here), it's easier to understand the strengths and weaknesses of a market-failure-only approach to active policy interventions.

@JustinWolfers @henryfarrell @stevenmklein @BuddyYakov And, it should be set so anyone can access it now.