Economic Rebellion

Since the crash of 2008, university students around the world have been rebelling against how they are taught economics. No other academic discipline has ever endured such criticism. Economics teaching, say its detractors, is too narrow, too focused on mathematical modelling and without real world applications. The student protestors have now been joined by a growing number of employers and professional economists. Peter Day explores the history of economics teaching; when and why did the courses change? Looking at the present day, he asks why some universities are rushing to change what they teach and others are refusing to budge. And how much does it really matter what we teach our undergraduate economists?

Producer: Rosamund Jones

(Image: Two students looking at an exam paper)