A Perceptive Student on Economic History Debates

Ian Dunois, a student at George Mason University reports here on his impressions of the Summer Institute at GMU in June, followed by impressions of the History of Economics Society 34th Annual Conference. I attended the last day of the SI and all of HES, and have reported here on Lost Legacy (June, July).

Ian's is a student eye view and very perceptive he is too. If forced to choose I preferred the Summer Institute. I learned a lot from the speakers on their specialist subjects, speaking as specialists, and I learned much from the discussion sessions between the speakers (who had time to respond) and the audience of specialists and post-graduate students. HES was great too, but the pace was too fast in places and ideas were not properly unpacked. The plenary sessions were terrific though.

Next years 35th HES conference is in Toronto. I may go to the SI instead.

Ian writes: In most economic circles you find that economists know who Adam Smith was and his work, along with Ricardo and John Stuart Mill. Ask most in the circles to debate over their ideas and you would find that most have not even read the ..." How true...!