The last generalists. Issue 6 (2nd November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trautwein, Hans-Michael
• Is Part Of: European journal of the history of economic thought. Volume 24:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 1134
• Page End: 1166
• Publication Date: 2017-11-02
• Subjects: Specialisation -- fragmentation -- history of economic thought; Economic history -- Periodicals; 330.94
• DOI: 10.1080/09672567.2017.1378694
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0967-2567

Abstract

Abstract: The general trend of research specialisation in economics has contributed to the marginalisation of the history of economic thought. However, it has also led to a state of fragmentation in the profession and thereby increased the costs of neglecting the history of economic thought. This paper argues that historians of thought can help to counteract fragmentation because they are special generalists that fulfil multiple functions, for example, in the education of economists, the detection of blind spots in modern theories and the identification of routes for innovation by backtracking.