Analyze and think critically about different economic perspectives. To do this, please go to the website https://www.ageofeconomics.org/and choose 2 economists from this list of recorded interviews:
Yanis Varufakis
Naom Chomsky
Ann Pettifor
Katharina Pistor
Jayati Ghosh
Otmar Issing
Ludger Schuknecht
Carolina Alves
Arunma Otel
James Galbraith
Nancy Qian
Muhamed Basri
Barry Eichengreen
Their interviews are (mostly) brief and each video has a written transcript with it. Please watch or read all the answers for each economist you’ve selected (there are 8 questions that each economist answers).
For this assignment, please write a short essay, 800 words max, in which you compare and contrast the answers the two economists give to the same set of questions, and discuss why you think these similarities or differences are worth noting.
Please make sure you introduce the 2 economists you’ve chosen (10 pts), include a thesis statement (10 pts), describe the similarities and differences between the two economists’ answers (30 pts), and what these similarities and differences might indicate (is it a difference of perspective, or focus, of geography, etc) (20 pts), and discuss why this is meaningful (20 pts). Finish with a concluding statement (5 pts), and be concise and clear in your writing (5 pts).
You don’t have to compare and contrast every answer to every question, but make sure to address at least three of their corresponding statements. You have some space for critical thinking and bringing in your own perspective in this assignment, and it is up to you to choose what is meaningful about the differences or similarities- but you must support your assertion with a strong argument. You cannot merely say something like ‘X took much more of a macro approach and Y took a micro approach,’ you must say WHY this is worth noting. You can bring in other sources or refer to the class readings, but this is not required. Just make sure that if you do bring in other sources, you cite them appropriately (consistent use of your citation style of choice). Please note: this is an individual writing assignment, not a group project. Your work must be your own.
A note about thesis statements: a thesis statement for this kind of short essay can be simple and descriptive, eg: economist X and economist Y present similar answers to the same questions, but diverge when it comes to issue X, or it can be qualitative (but don’t get too complicated), eg: the perspectives of economist X and Y represent irreconcilable differences within the economic discipline itself.
Your short paper should look like this:
Very short introduction of the two economists
Thesis statement
Compare and contrast
Discussion
A concluding statement
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