This paper considers from a methodological point of view why disputes in macroeconomics over its fundamental assumptions regularly occur. It analyses the problem first using Kuhn's concept of the paradigm and then draws on McCloskey's use of rhetorical analysis. It finds the latter of limited...

The appeal of the 'Micro-foundations' project, which requires that all macroeconomic propositions are reduced to or derived from microeconomic ones, is strongly supported by the considerable force of what Lakatos calls the discipline's 'hard core'. This is particularly so if this project is...

The standard textbook presentation of many policy issues, such as the financial crisis and income distribution, is problematic. This view is shared by many economists, both mainstream and heterodox. Despite this agreement, it has not and will not change because the textbook presentations have...

Demands for pluralism in economics education have been widespread in recent years. As change in the universities is slow and piecemeal, we present a comparative approach to economics which builds the intellectual basis for the online learning platform Exploring Economics...