Contending Perspectives, Twenty Years On: What Have Our Students Learned?

The authors examine the pluralism of Barone (1991) through the lens of subsequent developments in the pluralist economics literature, particularly the shift from teacher-centred to student-centred conceptions of education and the growing demands for evidence to demonstrate student achievement of stated learning goals. This contextual frame opens the door to a fresh appraisal of Barone’s ‘contending perspectives’ model, both as a landmark contribution to pluralist education and as a touchstone for future efforts to reach beyond conventional heterodox/mainstream boundaries in order to expand the liberal education mission of undergraduate economics.