Viewpoints on economics - the academic's and the practitioner's

[Nick Gardner]

When I first went to work as a professional engineer, what I found was very different from what I had taught.

As a retired practitioner  of economics, I have been struck by the intensely academic nature of the economics articles in Wikipedia - and of some in CZ.  I find little about the problems that I encountered in evaluating projects, advising government ministers, or taking a part in UK  competition policy. Nor does it  throw much light upon what I read in the papers.

Does this reflect the way economics is nowadays taught?  Are its teachers making the same mistake as my engineering teachers?

Should CZ reflect the viewpoint of the practitioner, the newspaper-reader or the teacher?

Nick Gardner

[Chris Day]

Should CZ reflect the viewpoint of the practitioner, the newspaper-reader or the teacher?

I don't think we need to choose.  All are important perspectives.

[Martin Baldwin-Edwards]

Well, I dont think Economics undergrad courses do a good job, on the whole. The literature is generally very theoretical..

Here, what do we need? Depends on the article, perhaps. I would emphasise the average reader and practitioners before the student.