Introducing a New Economics Pluralist, Sustainable, Progressive

by Reardon, Jack; Caporale Madi, Maria Alejandra; Cato, Molly

• ISBN13: 9780745334882
• ISBN10: 0745334881
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2015-08-22
• Publisher: Pluto Press

Summary

This fresh and unique textbook provides students and general readers with an introduction to economics from a new and much needed perspective, characterised by its uniquely pluralist, sustainable, progressive and global approach.

Unlike traditional textbooks, Introducing a New Economics contains the key concepts of pluralism, sustainability and justice. It provides students with the central questions covered by economics including resources, work, employment, poverty, inequality, power, capital, markets, money, debt and value.

The book also addresses important and timely issues such as the challenges to firms and industries, economic democracy, the business cycle and financial crises. Viewing economics from a global perspective, the three authors provide a rich and authentic international perspective, as they are based on three separate continents and are leading authorities in their fields. Introducing a New Economics is fundamentally an economics textbook for the 21st century.

Author Biography

Jack Reardon is founding editor of the International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education and author of 'The Handbook of Pluralist Economics Education' (Routledge, 2009). He teaches economics at the School of Business at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Science and Technology of China and visiting professor at the Dr. Gaur Hari Singhania Institute of Management and Research, India. He serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Philosophical Economics, the International Journal of Green Economics, and Interconnections - Research in International Management Practice.

Maria Alejandra Caporale Madi is Retired Professor at the Instituto de Economia, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Brazil. She has been Coordinator of the Undergraduate Course in Economics (UNICAMP), Visiting Professor at the University of Manitoba (2008-2009) and the University of Kassel (2010). Besides co-authoring chapter books edited by the Global Labor University, she has contributed to the Green Economic Institute books, including 'Womens' Unequal Pay and Poverty' and 'Green Economics and Climate Change'. She is Director of the Ordem dos Economistas do Brasil, Counselor of the Conselho Regional dos Economistas do Brasil-SP and member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education and the International Journal of Green Economics.

Molly Scott Cato is Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at Roehampton University, where she is subject leader for Economics and Strategy and co-ordinates the Responsible Capitalism research group. Molly is author of 'Green Economics: An Introduction to Theory, Policy and Practice' (2009), 'Environment and Economy' (2011) and 'The Bioregional Economy: Land, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness' (2013). Molly is an active member of the Green Party. She works with Transition Stroud and was involved in the launch of a local currency in Stroud in 2009. She is also a Director of Stroud Common Wealth.

Table of Contents

PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Today's Problems and the Importance of Economics from a Pluralist Perspective.
2. Sustainability, Resources and the Environment
PART II: HUMAN SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN AN ECONOMIC CONEXT
4. Livelihoods and Work
5. Unemployment and Employment
6. Power and Capital
7. Individuals, Markets and Institutions
8. Money and Debt
PART III: FUNDAMENTALS OF ECONOMICS
9. Value and Prices
10. Firms, the Evolution of Industries and Markets
11. Education, Knowledge and Technology
12. Consumption, Savings and Investment
13. Recessions and Financial Crises: Are they Inevitable?
PART IV: DYNAMIC MODELING OF THE ECONOMY
14. The Concept of Models
15. Global Governance: The Formation and Evolution of Global
Institutions
16. Trade and Exchange between Nations
17. Contemporary Global Economic and Financial Trends
PART V: EMPOWERING ECONOMICS FOR A BETTER WORLD
18. Democracy in Decision Making
19. Political Economy and Development: Global Justice
20. Political Economy for the Planet