The general purpose of this course is to understand the evolution of political economy from the point of view of the history and philosophy of the social sciences. The course explores the history of economic and social ideas from the classical Greek philosophers to the twentieth-century economists like John Maynard Keynes and Friedrich August von Hayek. The course will cover topics drawn from history of economics, social and political philosophy, and cultural anthropology.
A specific purpose of this course is to understand the idea of "justice" in economic thought. The course will cover the major ideas of political philosophers and economists from the antiquity to 20th century. We will examine the diversity of environmental values and ethics, economic manifestations of "culture", and the role of society in forming policy. Attention will be given to the surrounding intellectual, political, and social context within which these ideas were developed