Do your eyes glaze over whenever you hear the word ‘economics?’ Are you by turns intimidated or impressed by the authoritative words of professional economists commenting in the media about the state of the economy, the prospects of economic growth or investment? Are you in agreement with arguments that education or the arts have to justify themselves on ‘economic grounds?’ Has economics replaced politics in some ways or is politics simply economics by other means?

This interactive seminar, led by Professor John Barry at Queen’s University Belfast, will seek to lift the veil behind ‘economics’ by briefly tracing its historical origins, exposing the value judgements behind dominant views of the economy, and showing how there are multiple ways to understand the economy and many ways to organise the economy depending on different political, moral and value positions.

So, come along if you’d like to learn some of the hidden truths behind our taken for granted views of economics, perhaps the most powerful story of our society.

This event is organised by the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy at Queen’s University Belfast in association with QPol, as part of Imagine: Festival of Ideas and Politics 2016.

To book your place, click here.