Universität Wien

040049 SE Austrian Economics and the Economics of Austromarxism (MA) (2020W)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 4 - Wirtschaftswissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Most likely, at least some meetings will be held online (Moodle, BigBlueButton). Participants should have access to a headset and to recent versions of Firefox or Chrome.
due to the present CoVid 19 situation all meetings will be held online unless the situation improves dramatically

  • Monday 05.10. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 12.10. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 19.10. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 09.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 16.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 23.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 30.11. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 07.12. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 14.12. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 11.01. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 18.01. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 25.01. 18:30 - 20:00 Digital

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Aims and Content
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the wide-ranging problems and controversies discussed by major representatives of two contrasting schools of economic ideas: The Austrian School of Economics and Austromarxism. Special emphasis will be placed on the school’s controversies regarding economic theories and epistemological and methodological positions. Problems regarding the implementation of policy measures will be discussed to a much lesser extent. With respect to economic theories, debates regarding value and price theory, capital theory, theory of business cycles and crises, imperialism and growth theories will be covered; with respect to epistemological and methodological positions, positions such as methodological individualism and holism, psychologism and non-psychologism, dialectical materialism and dialectical idealism, Empiricism, Apriorism, and ‘dialectics’ , positivism and critical rationalism, critique of ideology and sociology of knowledge will be discussed. This course scrutinizes different economic theories and epistemological positions defended by different representatives of the two schools and attempts to establish relations between them on the basis of rational reconstructions. Diligent students will learn to make sense of and evaluate the historical background, achievements, main criticisms and developments of those controversies which still cover much ground in contemporary discussions.
Method
Teaching consists in one unbroken 90-minute seminar. The prime language of instruction is English, though German is welcomed as well, depending on the texts discussed. Students are required to prepare for every meeting on the basis of different texts and questions distributed in advance. Also they have to present their answers in one 20 min talk (kick-off presentations) at one particular meeting and contribute in a lively manner to discussions at all classes. In addition they have to write a short seminar paper (5000 words) on problems not discussed in their talks. Talks and seminar papers can be in English as well as in German.

Assessment and permitted materials

Basis of evaluation
Efforts of students are evaluated on the basis of critical contributions to discussions (30%), talks (‘kick-off presentations’, 10%), seminar papers (30%), and written answers to weekly assignments (30%). Written answers to questions, talks and seminar papers are evaluated according to the clarity, precision, logical structure and completeness regarding the problems and arguments discussed.

The exact weights of these activities for the composition of the final grade will be announced during the first class meeting.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Rewards and Requirements
In order to conclude this seminar successfully students have to provide one 20 min talk and hand in a short seminar paper of about 5000 words; they also have to hand in written answers to questions assigned on a weekly basis and contribute in a lively manner to discussions at all classes. Written answers, talks and seminar papers are evaluated according to the clarity, precision, logical structure and completeness regarding the problems and arguments discussed.

Examination topics

Problems discussed in questions, talks and seminar papers

Reading list

to be announced

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Fr 12.05.2023 00:12