STOREP Workshop Happiness: Lessons from the history of economics Call for papers

Call for papers STOREP Workshop Happiness: Lessons from the history of economics
In the recent years, the so-called ‘economics of happiness’ has been one of the fastest growing research topic in economics and psychology, as well as one of the topics that promises the most fruitful collaboration between the two disciplines. Yet, happiness has been centre stage in economics well before this recent trend.
In the eighteenth century, thinkers like Bentham and Mill argued that economics should be the study of happiness. In the early twentieth century, however, in the wake of Lionel Robbins’ influential book, economics took a behaviorist turn and abandoned the investigation of individual happiness to focus on preferences that were revealed by observable decisions and actions.
The recent focus on happiness naturally invites a critical reflection on the lessons from earlier economists. So far, however, in the ‘economics of happiness’ literature, little attention has been devoted to this rich history.
This workshop aims at exploring the connections between old ideas and new directions for economics research.
Contributions with a historical perspective from economics as well as from ‘neighboring’ disciplines (philosophy, political science, psychology,…) are welcome.
The contributions will be considered for publication in a special issue of History of Economic Ideas (www.historyofeconomicideas.com). Upon submission, please let us know if you don’t want your paper to be considered for the special issue.
Where: Università del Piemonte Orientale – Alessandria (Italy)
When: 16th November 2010
Registration is required (free of charge) via email: segretario@storep.org
Scientific Committee: Anna Carabelli, Alberto Cassone, Alessandro Innocenti, Marco Novarese, Guido Ortona, Salvatore Rizzello
Local organizing Committee: Mario Cedrini (mario.cedrini@eco.unipmn.it), Alessandro Lanteri (alessandro.lanteri@sp.unipmn.it), Anna Spada (anna.spada@jp.unipmn.it)
Website: http://www.storep.org/happiness/callforpaper.pdf