SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Department of Economics

Course: Economics 409W-3 D1 Semester: Fall 2011

Title: Seminar in Economic Thought Instructor: Prof. L. A. Boland

Prerequisites: ECON 301 and 305, or permission of the department, 60 credit hours.

Writing.

Course Description:

This is a seminar in the history of economic thought. It is also a Writing-Intensive course which means writing will play a central role in the conduct of the seminar. We will discuss various articles about knowledge and information in economic theory. A term-paper will be a major concern from the first class onward. The first class will involve the discussion of Part I of Joseph Schumpeter’s famous History of Economic Analysis. We will not be using his entire book so it will not be required or recommended reading beyond that first part. The importance of his first part is that he sets out what will be the rules for writing the required term-paper. So, it is extremely important that every student interested in taking this class be in attendance during the first class and especially during the whole first week. I will be sending everyone a list of articles from which you will be choosing one as the topic for your subsequent term paper. You will spend the whole semester doing research on your chosen paper. Each student will have a different paper so it is important that you attend the first class where you will be choosing your paper. If you cannot attend the first class, please do not sign up for this class.

Since this course is a seminar, there will be no lectures. All classroom time will be devoted to student presentations and discussion of the assigned reading material. The primary readings will come from a list of articles that will be provided at the beginning of the semester. Additional readings may be assigned later from my 1986 book – Methodology for a New Microeconomics – that can be downloaded from the web page shown below.

Since this is a seminar, grades will be based on in-class presentations, the quantity and quality of contributions to classroom discussion throughout the semester, a possible final exam and, above all, the term-paper. The term paper and related writing assignments will be the main object for writing intensity and so will be assigned 50% of the maximum possible points that form the basis for the course grade. Presentations, contributions and the possible final exam will be assigned the other 50% of the maximum possible points that can be earned during the semester.

Attendance at first class of the semester should be considered mandatory!

More information available at my web page: http://www.sfu.ca/~boland
or I can be reached by e-mail me at boland@sfu.ca

Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability must contact the Centre for Students with Disabilities at 778-782-3112 or csdo@sfu.ca

All students are expected to read and understand SFU’s policies with regard to academic dishonesty (S 10.02 and S 10.03). These policies are available at the following web addresses: http://www.sfu.ca/policies/files/Students/S10.02.pdf and http://www.sfu.ca/policies/files/Students/S10.03.pdf