TENTH ANNUAL EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON THE HISTORY OF ECONOMICS (ECHE 2005) 
 
Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria April 7-9, 
2005 
 
CALL FOR PAPERS 
 
 Economics and Utopia 
 
The idea of utopia has pervaded social thought from its very beginnings, 
with social inquiry often being concerned not only with describing or 
explaining what "is" but also with what "ought to be". Most utopian ideals 
have involved a blend of political, economic and social considerations. 
Some have emphasized a future, as yet unachieved, state; others have sought 
a return to the past. Utopian elements come to the fore as soon as 
discussion turns to the notion of progress in economic knowledge, or to the 
visions of the economic order underlying competing paradigms of economic 
thought and shaping divergent views on economic policy-making. Reaction, 
both positive and negative, to such utopian ideas has been very important 
to stimulating developments in economic thinking and should therefore 
justify the interest of economists and historians of economic thought 
alike. 
 
The aim of this conference is to bring together a number of contributors to 
discuss the idea of utopia in a variety of dimensions. Possible questions 
to be addressed include, but are not limited to, the following: 
 
-  What has been the role of economic ideas in inspiring utopian projects 
and community experiments and, conversely, how have economists in general 
responded to such projects? 
 
-   Are utopian elements inherent in any "thinking in systems", e.g. in 
Smith's system of natural liberty, the system of general equilibrium, etc.? 
 
-   How is the pursuit or rejection of utopian ideas related to the 
adherence to orthodox and heterodox (or mainstream and dissenting) strands 
of economic thought? 
 
-   Has the prevalence of forward-looking (futuristic) or backward-looking 
(nostalgic) utopias or the lack of utopian thinking been typical of 
specific types of economic thought or of specific historical periods? 
 
-   How is the idea of utopia related to the notion of progress in economic 
thought? 
 
  As usual, the aim of the ECHE will be to feature a relatively small number of papers. To
participate, please submit a proposal of roughly 1000 words, indicating both the original
contribution of the paper and how it relates to the theme of the conference. The deadline
for receipt of proposals is September 30, 2004, notice of acceptance or rejection will be
sent on October 30, 2004, and completed papers will be due by March 2005.
 
The organising committee consists of: Jose Luis Cardoso (Technical 
University of Lisbon), Philippe Fontaine (Ecole normale superieure de 
Cachan), Albert Jolink (Erasmus University Rotterdam), Robert Leonard 
(Universite du Quebec -- Montreal), and Hansjoerg Klausinger (Vienna 
University of Economics and Business). 
 
All proposals and requests for information should be sent, preferably by 
e-mail, to: 
 
Hansjoerg Klausinger Vienna University of Economics and Business Department 
of Economics Augasse 2-6 A 1090 Vienna, Austria phone: 43-1-31336/5095; 
fax: 43-1-31336/727; e-mail: 
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask] 
at 
 
For updated information on the conference please visit the ECHE website 
http://www.eche.eu.com/ 
 
Hansjoerg Klausinger