View From the Ivory Tower
News and trends for classical liberal scholars
Journal of Economics and Finance Education, Fall 2011 Issue now available online
The Fall 2011 Special Issue of the Journal of Economics and Finance Education, based on the "Symposium on Teaching Austrian Economics," is now available online. With an introduction by Edward Lopez and Joshua Hall, this issue also contains contributions by Pete Boettke, Steve Horwitz, Emily Chamlee-Wright, Chris Coyne, Pete Leeson, Greg Dempster, Bryan McCannon, and IHS' Adam Martin.
Symposium on Teaching Austrian Economics: Introduction
Edward J. Lopez and Joshua C. Hall
Austrian Economics: Methodology, Concepts, and Implications for Economic Education
Joshua C. Hall and Adam Martin
Teaching Austrian Economics to Graduate Students
Peter J. Boettke
Austrian Economists and Liberal Arts Colleges as a Complementary Capital Combination
Steve Horwitz
Cultivating the Economic Imagination with Atlas Shrugged
Emily Chamlee-Wright
An Austrian Inquiry Into the Wealth of Nations: Incorporating Austrian Economics into Economic Development
Chris Coyne and Pete Leeson
Austrian Foundations for the Theory and Practice of Finance
Greg Dempster
Teaching Austrian Economics in Austria as a Non-Austrian: A Note
Bryan McCannon
Harry Potter and Liberty with Benjamin Barton
In this Kosmos podcast, Professor Benjamin Barton of the University of Tennessee College of Law expands on his article Harry Potter and the Half-Crazed Bureaucracy to discuss themes of liberty in the Harry Potter series. Professor Barton sees lots of relevant ideas to public choice theory in the Harry Potter series, and believes the popularity of the series could be beneficial for liberty.
Congratulations Nigel Ashford on 10 Years at IHS!
Today we are celebrating Senior Program Officer, Dr. Nigel Ashford's 10th year at the Institute for Humane Studies. To commemorate Nigel's time with IHS, here are some of the highlights of his contributions to Kosmos. Congratulations Nigel and thank you.
What is Classical Liberalism? (video)
Changing the World - Ideas v. Interest (video)
Framing Your Dissertation with a Classical Liberal Focus (podcast)
On Networking (video - 5 Parts)
3 Things Not to Worry About When Considering a Career in Academia (video)
Resources and Advice for Early Graduate Students (podcast)
March Issue of The Review of Austrian Economics Now Online
The March 2012 issue of The Review of Austrian Economics is now available online. This special issue on James C. Scott’s The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia includes articles from Pete Boettke, Chris Coyne, Dan D'Amico, Virgil Storr, Ed Stringham, Ben Powell, and more:
An anarchist’s reflection on the political economy of everyday life
Peter Boettke
On the governance of “not being governed”
Benjamin Powell and Malavika Nair
Repelling states: Evidence from upland Southeast Asia
Edward Peter Stringham and Caleb J. Miles
The art of seeing like a state: State building in Afghanistan, the DR Congo, and beyond
Christopher J. Coyne and Adam Pellillo
The rationality of taking to the hills
Shruti Rajagopalan and Virgil Henry Storr
Comparative political economy when anarchism is on the table
Daniel J. D’Amico
Pete Boettke: Institutions, Human Action, and Public Policy (Part I)
From Universidad Francisco Marroquín:
Institutions, Human Action, and Public Policy (Part I)
Despite the constant struggle of liberal ideas for becoming a mainstream philosophy, other tendencies seem to displace them from reaching this goal. Evolving elements prevent them from appealing governments and people, as well. In this conference, Peter Boettke explains the development of this historic process through the optic of the Austrian School of Economics. He describes a few actions and biases by which liberals have guided their own beliefs. He explains some of the necessary steps that must be taken to guide this view and contribute to the edification of science, not just mere opinion. Boettke, also explains the relationship between politics and economics, defining the true role of economists in these two different processes. Finally, he recommends literature regarding the topics of his lecture and points out his views on social change in modern world.
From the Archives, February 18
Things we were talking about last year on Kosmos:
Podcast: Josh Hall on Working With Think Tanks
Free Market Academics Around the Web February 17
Glenn Reynolds offers a Syllabus for the Occupy Movement
Randy Simmons and Diana Thomas take a look at Utah's Decling Economic Freedom
Antony Davies thinks the Catholic Church's grand bargain has backfired
Steve Horwitz compares our healthcare system to that of our pets'
Steve Horwitz also talks about Walmart abductions and Free Range Kids
Andrew Morriss gives an economist's view of Graceland
Are Prescription Drugs Getting More Expensive?
In this Kosmos podcast, I speak with Professor Jeremy Horpedahl about prescription drug prices. He elaborates on his research regarding the historical prices of prescription drugs, the effect patents have on prices, and provides some forecasting on what this means for the future of health care costs.
Weekly Top Five 2/13/12
James R. Harrigan: When will congressmen finally realize that The Onion is a satirical site? No time soon, I hope.
Adam Martin: How about a hat trick of shameless self promotion? Beloit College hosts the annual Upton Forum celebrating the work of a scholar whose ideas advance our understanding of the wealth and well being of nations. The proceedings are collected into an annual volume. 2010’s volume on the work of Israel Kirzner--whose birthday is today--has just been released. It includes essays by Deirdre McCloskey, Peter Boettke, Roger Koppl, Randy Holcombe, yours truly, and Izzy K himself.
Phil Magness: Burt Folsom to follow up “New Deal or Raw Deal?” with a new book revisiting FDR’s role in WWII.
Bill Glod: My link for the week is shameless self-promotion of my recent article, which is now available online.
Sarah Straw: Israel Kirzner and Gordon Tullock share the same birthday, which is today.
You can read Kirzner's doctoral dissertation on Econlib.
Mark LeBar: How is government "special?"
From LearnLiberty.org:
How is government "special?"
Philosophy professor Mark LeBar asks some provoking questions: how is government special? Why can government morally obligate people to do things, when ordinary people can't? Why does the government claim to have not only power, but authority? Why do we consider some government authority more legitimate than others? Two common arguments are that legitimate government authority is derived through democracy, or through the consent of the governed. But LeBar argues that both of these positions are problematic, and explains why. In conclusion, LeBar notes that we have to ask these questions, because in asking ourselves how we think government is or isn't morally special, we can gain insight into what the limits of government authority should be.
From the Archives, February 11
Things we were talking about last year on Kosmos:
Video: Deirdre McCloskey on "Bourgeois Dignity"
Podcast with Chris Coyne: The Economics of Valentine's Day
Podcast: Liberty and the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien: an interview with Dr. Brad Birzer
Free Market Academics Around the Web February 4th - 10th
Glenn Harlan Reynolds has an article in The Examiner looking at America's turn for the worse towards a society that rewards moochers over makers.
Jerry Brito is in Time's Techland section offering a quick overview of the politics surrounding cyber-security legislation.
James R Otteson has a clip from his segment with Judge Napolitano. They discussed the global regulation epidemic.
Donald Boudreux has a piece in the Pittsburg Tribune lamenting people's tendency to loudly express uninformed views about economics.
Tyler Cowen and Kevin Grier ponder the end of football in Grantland.
Steve Horwitz writes in The Freeman about the Snow Plower's Petition.
Podcast: Payday Loans and Health Care Litigation
In this Kosmos podcast, I'm joined by Humane Studies Fellowship winner and PhD/JD Candidate at the University of Alabama, AK Shauku. AK is currently doing research on payday loans and the ongoing litigation surrounding the health care reforms.
Weekly Top Five 2/6/2012
James R. Harrigan: If addiction to Facebook truly is "as strong as cigarettes", can FDA regulation be far behind?
Adam Martin: The latest issue of Studies in Emergent Order contains a symposium on Richard Wagner’s Mind, Society, and Human Action, the most important methodological book in Austrian economics in the past few decades. It includes essays by Peter Boettke, Bruce Benson, Roger Koppl, Paul Lewis, and yours truly.
Phil Magness: Fascinating bit of trivia about John Tyler, one of the few presidents in U.S. history who is actually somewhat tolerable from a libertarian perspective. He has two living grandsons. Here’s an interview with one of them.
Bill Glod: Kevin Vallier gives an overview of some self-ownership accounts.
Jeanne Hoffman: Angus at Kids Prefer Cheese gives good advice when he says, “Whatever you do, don’t be yourself!” Well, when you are on the job market at least.
Steve Davies: We Demand Freedom: Popular Movements for Liberty in U.S. History
From LearnLiberty.org:
We Demand Freedom: Popular Movements for Liberty in U.S. History
According to Dr. Stephen Davies, the tea party movement in the United States is not an isolated occurrence in American history. Rather, it's part of a recurring movement in American history that ebbs and flows. These movements are peculiar, however, as they are unique to the United States. Dr. Stephen Davies offers several ideas as to why these movements exist in America.From the Archives, February 4
Things we were talking about last year on Kosmos:
Podcast: Writing Your Dissertation and Setting a Research Agenda: an interview with Dr. Mike Munger
Liberty Friendly Academics on Twitter
Podcast: Advice on Publishing Your Work from Dr. Mike Munger
Further Thoughts on Using Twitter in the Law School Classroom from Josh Blackman
Did tariffs really cause the Civil War? The Morrill Act at 150
Free Market Academics Around the Web January28th - February 3rd
Glenn Harlan Reynolds writes in the Tennessean about the shift in public perceptions on the issue of gun control. Tennesse is at the center of a nationwide shift in which voters are no longer so quick to take up the cause of increased gun control.
One of my favorite tech policy writers Adam Thierer takes a critical look at the idea of an internet 'ministry of truth.'
Milton Mueller makes a television appearance to discuss the topic of web regulation, piracy, and recent legislation.
Antony Davies writes in USNews about Taxes, Mitt Romney, and the missing definition of fair.
Davies also shares some thoughts on government control of alcohol markets.
Phil Magness, our resident Lincoln historian, has a piece in the opinion pages of the New York times about Lincoln's black servent, "Mr. Johnson."
In the Wall Street Journal Arnold Kling explains a more intuitive approach to understanding depression, a model of Patterns of Sustainable Trade and Specializaion.
Finally Art Carden writes for Forbes about the slippery slope and many problems with sugar regulation.
Bleeding Heart Libertarians announces Blog Symposium on Libertarianism and Land
Matt Zwolinski of Bleeding Hearts Libertarians has announced the blog's first online symposium: Libertarianism and Land.
From BHL:
The five day event will explore different libertarian perspectives on questions pertaining to the moral justification of and limits on property rights in land. Each day will feature a keynote post from one of our main participants. The other main participants will have the opportunity to respond with posts of their own, and the general public is welcome to participate in the comments thread.
The main participants for the April event include top philosophy scholars: Eric Mack, Hillel Steiner, Fred Foldvary, Kevin Carson, and Dave Schmidtz.
Weekly Top Five 1/30/12
James R. Harrigan: Here’s a crazy idea for schools. Maybe one of these days colleges and universities will follow suit.
Adam Martin: Bob Lawson fact checks egalitarians who think that wishing it so makes it so.
Phil Magness: Jeff Hummel expands on his historical look at the subject of government default and its relevance to today.
Bill Glod: Pete Boettke, bleeding heart?
Sarah Straw: Company unveils line of free online courses from elite college faculty.
