Economics for Everyone

EVERYWHERE - October 17, 2011.  How wonderful to see this new upsurge of global activism challenging the starting assumption of neoliberal economics: namely, that if you make things as perfect as possible for the top 1%, their consequent productive actions will trickle down to the other 99%.

TORONTO, October 2011:  The Turkish-language translation of e4e has now been published by the socialist Turkish publishing house Yordam Kitap.  Here is a link to the website.  Turkey has long been a "hotbed" for progressive economics instruction & research, so I am very honoured to have e4e accessible to that audience.

MONTREAL, October 2011 - The long-awaited French translation of e4e will be launched by its publisher, Lux Editeur, at a public meeting in Montreal on Thursday, November 3.  The meeting will take place at 7:00 pm that night in Room SH-4800, Pavillon Sherbrooke, at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM), 200 Rue Sherbrooke E.

SAINT JOHN'S NFLD., September 2011 - Just home from 2 days in St.

TORONTO, September 2011 - Dr. Travis Fast from Laval University has written a very thoughtful and kind review of e4e in the academic journal IR/RI, with a focus on the pedagogical method of the book and its applications for teaching.  Many thanks Travis!

SAINT JOHN'S, NFLD., September 2011:  The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, one of Canada's most active & progressive provincial labour federations, will sponsor an intensive study course based around e4e this coming September.  The course will consist of a public introductory lecture on the evening of September 14, followed by a day-long intensive course (in 4 parts) on September 15.  Participation is open to union members and other ocmmunity activitsts in Newfoundland.  For further information or to sign up, please contact Lana Payne, NLFL President, at

• Read more

TORONTO, April 2011:  I was humbled this month to be selected as the recipient of one of the Public Policy Forum's annual testimonial awards, given to Canadians who have made a notable contribution to public policy dialogue.  I received the award at a dinner with 1200 of my closest friends, from business, government, and NGO constituencies.  I used my 7 minutes of speech time to make the case for the continuing relevance of unions and collective bargaining structures, and argued that public policy should actively support collective bargaining (rather than feigning neutrality, which i

TORONTO, January 2011:  Congratulations to the Social Justice Committee at the Unitarian congregation here in Toronto, for undertaking to organize a 6-session course on economic literacy, based around Economics for Everyone.  My intro session with the group attracted about 40 people, excellent comments and questions.  The next sessions will work through the book, with the aim of enhancing the confidence of the committee's membership to confront the economic counter-arguments that always seem to be thrown in our faces.  I really enjoyed meeting this group of sincere, committed people

MAY 23, 2010:  Being on a 6-month sabbattical leave in New Zealand, I clearly have too much time on my hands.  Proof?  Check out these two YouTube videos with economic themes -- and really, really bad acting.

The first (Lieutenant Stanfordo and the Curious Case of the Missing Recovery) had real talent behind it: Mike Connolly and his colleagues at Amistad Video in Toronto.  Thanks also to the CAW Communications Department for supporting this, shall we say, unorthodox approach to economics education.

MAY 17, 2010:  I visited Sydney last weekend for a Politics in the Pub session, moderated by the effervescent Frank Stilwell.  These things get a great turnout (150 or so I would guess).  I think all progressive lecture sessions should make sure there's a well-stocked bar on hand.  Does wonders both for attendance, and for the frequency with which the audience laughs at my sick jokes.