----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- Those who find the Duke department situation fascinating should check out the departmental "narratives" at their website, especially the one by Craufurd Goodwin. http://www.econ.duke.edu/History/goodwin.pdf Goodwin is another historian of economics in the Duke department, who also received his own Ph.D. from Duke. When he was in grad school, there was a required two-semester course in the "history of economic thought" (Goodwin's words not mine) taught by Spengler. Spengler also taught an intro theory course, and Goodwin describes the two courses as "almost merged as he taught theory by explaining its origins." Spengler, who according to Goodwin dominated the department, also picked those whom he considered the 'best' students to do dissertations with him in the history of economic thought or demography, leaving the rest for the other faculty to supervise. Mat Forstater ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]