The Progressive Economics Forum Summer School in Heterodox Economics
29 May, 2014 | Vancouver, Canada
The
Progressive Economics Forum (PEF) will host a Summer School in
Heterodox Economics in Vancouver on May 29, 2014, prior to Canadian
Economics Association annual conference in Vancouver from May 30 to June
1, 2014. The Summer School is aimed at undergraduate and graduate
students of economics or related fields, and working economists in
academia, the labour movement and NGOs.
The theme for the summer school is Economics that Works for People and the Planet.
In
six hour-long lectures, participants will be introduced to some of the
diversity of heterodox approaches to economics, covering perspectives
and methods that are overlooked in conventional (neoclassical) economics
curricula.
Program
- An Introduction to Heterodox Economics
Marc Lavoie, University of Ottawa
An overview of what heterodox economics is and an introduction to some
of its main schools of thought. The lecture will identify various themes
in the contemporary heterodoxy, pointing to their historic roots (e.g.
Keynes, Veblen, Marx). This lecture will emphasize the heterodox
approaches to macroeconomics in particular.
- Modern Capitalism as an Economic System
Geoff Mann, Simon Fraser University
An overview of how economic principles and ideology are expressed in
contemporary economies and states, and their socio-economic and
ecological consequences for people. This lecture will use real-world
examples to illustrate some of the theoretical points emerging out of
the first lecture and offer clear, accessible alternatives for Canada.
This session will provide an interdisciplinary perspective often missing
in economics departments. Based on Geoff Mann’s recent book Disassembly Required: A Field Guide to Actually Existing Capitalism.
- Financial Crises: Socio-economic Causes and Institutional Context
Brenda Spotton Visano, York University
An analysis of the boom-and-bust cycles from a heterodox perspective.
This lecture will combine elements of economic history (of debt and
financial crises) with contemporary macro finance. It will have an
institutional focus, introducing students to Veblen and economic
sociology.
- Gender and Generational Equity in Economics
Armine Yalnizyan, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
This lecture will examine economic inequality from a gender and
generational lens, focusing on changes in Canadian youth unemployment
over the last three decades, and implications for future trends in
income distribution and Canada’s macro-economy. The lecture will
demonstrate how markets have been influenced by, and influence,
educational attainment, labour force rates, and household incomes, and
the non-neutral effects of monetary and fiscal policies on the
distribution of outcomes by gender and age.
- Ecological Economics
Marc Lee, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Key concepts of ecological economics will be introduced, including
energy and materials in production, externalities, and environmental
challenges to cost-benefit analysis and GDP accounting. Applications to
climate change will be made based on work of the CCPA’s Climate Justice
Project.
- The Role of Money in the Economy: a Heterodox Perspective
Marc-André Pigeon, Credit Union Central of Canada
This lecture will present heterodox theories of money, contrasting
conventional visions of how the system works with more radical
approaches like modern monetary theory to conceptualize an alternative
view of monetary policy. It will also provide examples of how the
heterodox theoretical framework can be applied to policy development in
Canada.
Costs and Scholarships
Summer
school participation is free for those accepted. Lunch and dinner will
be provided on the day of the Summer School. Out-of-town participants
are responsible for their own travel costs. Limited travel scholarships
for one night accommodation will be available for select participants.
Application
Applicants
should be undergraduate and graduates students of economics or related
fields, and working economists in academia, the labour movement and
NGOs. Note that this is not Econ 101 but assumes a basic knowledge of
economics concepts. Introductory macro and micro economics are the
minimum prerequisites. Space is limited, so don’t delay.
The Summer School will be held at the SFU Harbour Centre. Apply now online here.
Questions? Email to [log in to unmask].