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Abstract:
This paper contrasts the history of economic thought (HET) programmes offered at the University of Western Australia in 1953 with those offered in 2003: an interval of fifty years. The study identifies lessons for current HET units from Merab Harris' Class of '53, where HET was taught with general reference to economic history. The contrast is also used as a basis for identifying the advantages and disadvantages of teaching HET as a topic within a compulsory core economics unit, as it was in 1953, rather than independently, as an optional but specialist unit, as it was in 2003. The paper concludes with some personal views on the future of HET studies.
1 Introduction
Prior to her retirement in 2006 as Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Western Australia (UWA), Pamela Statham-Drew went through the papers she had collected over her academic life. In the process, she found a partial copy of the 1953 UWA lecture notes and tutorial handouts prepared by 'Dr M. Harris' on the history of economic thought (HET). Fifty years after Merab Harris (1900-1985) presented her lectures on HET, I lectured and tutored in the same field at UWA with my colleague, and former teacher, Dr Robin Ghosh.
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on how the context and content of classes in HET have changed at UWA by comparing the snapshot provided by Harris' 1953 notes with the 2003 class in the History of Economic Analysis. Particular attention is given to the question of whether there are any lessons for us today from the Class of '53. While issues relating to the learning environment and teaching methods are important, there is very little information available from which a sound assessment can be made on such matters. As such, the objectives, context and content of HET units in 1953 and 2003 are of prime importance.
This paper is in four main parts. First, the context in which HET was taught at UWA in 1953 and 2003 is very briefly overviewed. Second, the objectives and the content of the 1953 and 2003 approaches to HET studies are compared and contrasted. Particular attention is given to the relationship between the history of economic thought, as a history...