Dear Mr Chairman, Dear Members of the German Economic Association (Verein für So-cialpolitik),

We are students and teachers of economics at more than 50 universities in the German-speaking world and herewith want to draw attention to the alarming state of our disci-pline whilst wanting to play a constructive role in the reshaping of studies in political economy.

Decades of belief in the self-regulating forces of the market, the predominant “Modellplatonismus” (model Platonism), lack of self-reflection and lack of methodical and theoretical diversity have lead not only our profession to a dead end. The one-sidedness of economic thought also contributes to the ongoing economic crisis and the accompanying lack of perspective.

Economists have a great influence in the public discourse: they engage via numerous research and consulting organizations and the expert advisory board in social decision-making processes. As often quoted experts they act as carriers of the one-sidedness in current economic thinking into the society. But we as economists have an important social responsibility. We can only do justice to this, when we renew political economy by developing a pluralistic view on economic problems.

We call on all lecturers and students to participate in the redesign of our profession and to consider the following principles in research and teachings.

PRINCIPLES TO RESHAPE ECONOMICS

I. THEORETICAL DIVERSITY INSTEAD OF INTELLECTUAL MONOCULTURE

The main emphasis of current teachings and research is on variants of neoclassical models. In German universities not enough consideration is given to varieties in re-search and teachings beyond this mainstream. This “intellectual monoculture” restricts economic analysis and makes it error-prone. We call for a critical interaction of differ-ent theories. Economics is a social science and must – like other social sciences as well – accommodate a variety of theoretical approaches. Promising but currently largely ne-glected approaches include: Old Institutional Economics, Evolutionary Economics, Femi-nist Economics, Happiness Research, Marxist Economics, Ecological Economics, Post-Keynesianism and post-growth Economics.

 

1.  A detailed list of the initiators and signatories can be found on www.plurale-oekonomik.de

www.plurale-oekonomik.de | contact: info@plurale-oekonomik.de

 

II. A VARIETY OF METHODS INSTEAD OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS

The mathematization of economics has resulted in the degeneration of teachings to applied mathematics. Mathematics should only be a means and not an end in itself for economists. Mathematics should only be one part of a colorful spectrum of methods in research and teachings in Economics. For research this means among other things inter-and trans-disciplinary case studies, theory comparisons, interviews, questionnaires, participant observation, simulation models and discourse analysis. Teaching methods need to be extended, for example, by plural textbooks, small group work, project semi-nars, inter- and trans-disciplinary events, case studies and the study of primary texts.

III. SELF-REFLECTION RATHER THAN UNQUESTIONED, NORMATIVE ASSUMPTIONS

The basic assumptions of economics are too often neither questioned nor explicitly stated. At the same time these assumptions are often not only of a descriptive but also of a normative nature. Ultimately every economic analysis contains some value judg-ments. Reflection of them in economics is a necessary part of scientific work. Especially the mathematization of economics leads to an obscuration of the value judgments and thus to an assumed rationalization of political programs. Despite all attempts to define it through mathematics as such, economics is not a natural science.

Moreover, students of economics should be made more aware of the historical and cul-tural context of economic action. Only those who are aware of the complexity of the reality can correctly apply the scientific models. Then there is no risk of confusing mod-els with reality. For this purpose economists must know the history of economic thought and the foundations of scientific theories. Lectures on the history of economic thought and the philosophy of science must become a part of the curriculum.
As the largest association of economists in the German-speaking countries, we believe your association has the duty to take our criticism seriously and work with us to implement the following requirements.

DEMANDS

First: Theoretical diversity in research and in teaching.

Second: Variety of methods in research and in teaching.

Third: Expansion of the curriculum to include courses on the history of economic thought, philosophy of science and interdiscipli- nary programs.

Fourth: Integration of plural textbooks in academic studies.

Fifth: Renunciation of the Thomson Reuters Impact Factor as the sole criterion for good research.

Sixth: Occupation of 20% of the chairs with heterodox economists.

www.plurale-oekonomik.de | contact: info@plurale-oekonomik.de

In order to lend weight to our demands, we will ensure transparency. We will document on the homepage www.plurale-oekonomik.de how these demands are taken into consideration in the organization of the studies in our universities.

Yours sincerely,

Concerned students, professors and lecturers of economics
GROUP OF INITIATORS
AK Plurale Ökonomik Bayreuth AK Real-World-Economics Hamburg AK Real-World-Economics Heidelberg AK Real-World-Economics Mainz Ecoation Augsburg Impuls Erfurt
Kritische Ökonomen Frankfurt Kritische Ökonomie Göttingen Kriwis Berlin Kriwis Potsdam Lost in Economics e.V. Regensburg Oikos Köln
Wirtschaft neu denken Initiative Bonn

FIRST SIGNATORIES

1. Prof. Dr. Stefan Baumgärtner, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
2. Prof. Dr. Frank Beckenbach, Universität Kassel
3. a.o. Prof. Dr. Joachim Becker, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien
4. Prof. Dr. Andreas Bieler
5. Prof. i. R. Dr. Adelheid Biesecker
6. Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Mathias Binswanger, FH Nordwestschweiz, Universität St. Gallen
7. Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Heinz-J. Bontrup, Westfälische Hochschule
8. Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Brodbeck, FH Würzburg-Schweinfurt
9. Prof. Dr. Martin Büscher, Kirchliche Hochschule Wuppertal/Bethel
10. Prof. Dr. oec. Beat Burgenmeier
11. Prof. Dr. Marc Chesney, Universität Zürich
12. Prof. Dr. Paul H. Dembinski, Universität Freiburg (CH)
13. Prof. Dr. Christoph Deutschmann, Universität Tübingen
14. Prof. Dr. Klaus Dörre, Universität Jena
15. Prof. Dr. Felix Ekardt, LL.M., M.A., Universität Rostock
16. Prof. Dr. Trevor Evans, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin
17. Univ.-Prof. em. Dr. phil. habil. Dr. h.c. mult. Peter Finke, Universität Bielefeld
18. Prof. Dr. Sylvie Geisendorf, ESCP Europe Business School Berlin
19. Univ. Doz. Dr. Erhard Glötzl
20. Prof. Dr. Torsten Graap, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften 21. Ingolstadt
21. Prof. Dr. Luise Gubitzer, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien
22. Prof. Dr. Harald Hagemann, Universität Hohenheim
23. Prof. Dr. Reinhold Hedtke, Universität Bielefeld
www.plurale-oekonomik.de | contact: info@plurale-oekonomik.de
24. Prof. Dr. Eckhard Hein, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin
25. Prof. Dr. Arne Heise, Universität Hamburg
26. Prof. Dr. Peter Hennicke, Wuppertal Institut
27. Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Rudolf Hickel, Universität Bremen
28. Prof. Dr. Gustav A. Horn, Institut für Makroökonomie und Konjunkturforschung
29. Prof. Dr. sc. phil. Helga E. Hörz
30. Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Dr. h.c. Herbert Hörz, Leibniz-Sozietät der Wissenschaften Berlin e.V.
31. Prof. Dr. Lorenz Jarass, Hochschule RheinMain
32. Prof. Dr. Ulf Kadritzke, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin
33. Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Ulrich Kazmierski, Universität Paderborn
34. Prof. Dr. Heinz D. Kurz, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz
35. Prof. Dr. rer. soc. habil. Jürgen Lackmann, Pädagogische Hochschule Weingarten
36. Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Dipl. Volksw. Eva Lang, Universität der Bundeswehr München
37. Prof. Dr. habil. Marco Lehmann-Waffenschmidt, Technische Universität Dresden
38. Prof. Dr. Uwe Leprich, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes
39. Prof. Dr. Manfred G. Lieb, Hochschule Heilbronn
40. Prof. Dr. Dirk Löhr, Umweltcampus Birkenfeld, Fachhochschule Trier
41. Prof. Dr. Nina V. Michaelis, Fachhochschule Münster
42. Prof. Dr. Armin Müller, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Ingolstadt
43. Prof. Dr. Walter Otto Ötsch, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz
44. apl. Prof. Dr. Niko Paech, Universität Oldenburg
45. Prof. Dr. Stephan Panther, Universität Flensburg
46. apl. Prof. Dr. Dr. Helge Peukert, Universität Erfurt
47. Prof. Dr. Friedrun Quaas, Universität Leipzig
48. Prof. Dr. Karlheinz Ruckriegel, Georg-Simon-Ohm-Hochschule Nürnberg
49. Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Thomas Sauer, Fachhochschule Jena
50. Prof. Dr. Stefan Schaltegger, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
51. Prof. em. Dr. Gerhard Scherhorn, Universität Hohenheim
52. Prof. em. Dr. rer. pol. Dorothea Schmidt, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin
53. Prof. Dr. Peter Seele, Universität Basel
54. PD Dr. Irmi Seidl, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL
55. Prof. Dr. oec. Stefan Seiter, ESB Business School, Hochschule Reutlingen
56. Prof. Dr. oec. Konstantin Theile, ESB Business School, Hochschule Reutlingen
57. PD Dr. Ulrich Thielemann, Me´M – Denkfabrik für Wirtschaftsethik
58. Prof. Dr. Claus Thomasberger, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin
59. Prof. Dr. Achim Truger, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin
60. Prof. em. Dr. rer. pol. Peter Ulrich, Universität St. Gallen
61. apl. Prof. Dr. phil. Dipl.-Volkswirt Eberhard Umbach, Universität Osnabrück
62. Prof. Dr. Johann Walter, Westfälische Hochschule
63. Prof. Dr. Florian Wettstein, Universität St. Gallen
64. Prof. Dr. Bettina Zurstrassen, Ruhr-Universität Bochum

 http://rwer.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/open-letter-on-pluralism-in-economics-from-students-in-germany/