[PEN-L:9383] Re: help on readings on socio-economics?

["Max B. Sawicky" <maxsaw@xxxxxxxxx>]

> From:          DOUG ORR <DORR@xxxxxxx>
> Subject:       [PEN-L:9377] help on readings on socio-economics?

> I have a student who is interested in doing an independent study on
> "social economics."  Unlike most students, she is actually more
> interested in getting a theoretically understanding of this
> particular school of thought.  I know there is a Society for the
> Advancement of Socio-economics. Can anyone suggests some readings
> (texts or articles) that would provide an introduction.

Doug,

The Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics is the very
last place I would direct a student.  It is the creature of Amitai
Etzioni, a professor at George Washington Univ in D.C., who has been
trying without success to launch a new so-called "communitarian"
movement.  I won't ventilate on AE, but you have only to peruse his
books to get a taste for his flavor of dreck.  The "theory" in
question isn't much to write home about either, wholly aside from its
utter lack of appeal to progressives. Alternatively, you might
direct her to the Palgrave Dictionary Volume on the Social Economy,
which entails a wealth of references and accessible precis of
assorted topics.  The topic volumes, as opposed to the big magilla
Palgrave, are not too expensive (I think I got a few of them used for
about $15 a pop).  Then there is the social indicators literature,
which is short on theory (at least what I know of it) but long on
data and potential directions for research.

Or you could ask some progressive sociologists with knowledge of
economics for directions, such as Fred Block.  There is also a
progressive sociologists' web site and mailing list which comes from
the same site as PKT.  People there could probably give much more
guidance on theory which integrates sociology and economics.

MBS

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Max B. Sawicky            Economic Policy Institute
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