Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Behavioral Economics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Julie A. Nelson

Selected Works

2011

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Behavioral Economics

Broader Questions And A Bigger Toolbox: A Problem-Centered And Student-Centered Approach To Teaching Pluralist Economics, Julie A. Nelson Nov 2011

Broader Questions And A Bigger Toolbox: A Problem-Centered And Student-Centered Approach To Teaching Pluralist Economics, Julie A. Nelson

Julie A. Nelson

This essay discusses a "broader questions and bigger toolbox" approach to teaching pluralist economics. This approach has three central characteristics. First, economics is defined so as to encompass a broad set of (provisioning) concerns. Second, emphasis is placed on contemporary real-world issues, institutions, and current events, rather than on debates in the history of economic thought. Third, a variety of concepts and theories are introduced, all of which are treated as partial and fallible--useful in some (perhaps very limited) situations while not so useful in others. Possible reasons an instructor might want to adopt this approach, and examples of use …