----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- Sixth Annual European Conference on the History of Economics ECHE 2000 University of Amsterdam 20-22 April 2000 CALL FOR PAPERS Changing Instruments in Economics While the history of economics has traditionally tended to focus on theories and ideas - "economic thought" - historians of economics are increasingly approaching their subject from different angles. One such angle, inspired by recent work in the history and sociology of science, involves the consideration of those instruments used in the construction of economic theory and the pursuit of applied economic research. To solve their daily puzzles, economists have found instruments to help their research, ranging from graphical representations and mathematical techniques to computer technology. Some of these instruments were first developed outside, and then transferred into economics, while others were initially built for economic purposes but turned out to be more generally applicable. Sometimes these instruments also changed the nature of the problems to be solved, which, in turn, required new instruments to be used. The theme of ECHE 2000 is the role and function of these instruments in economic practice and their interdependence with economic ideas, with the aim of reconsidering the historical relationship between instruments and theory. We would like to gain more understanding of how the use of instruments affected the field in which they were used. How did instruments change what is regarded as economic explanation or understanding? Why did some instruments temporarily succeed while others failed? What may be said about the relationship between instruments of economic inquiry and political or cultural commitments? To what extent has the adoption of particular instruments brought with them broader concerns and engagements? Paper proposals of around 1000 words should clearly indicate the contribution of the paper to the theme of the conference. The deadline for the submission of paper proposals is 15 September 1999. Notice of acceptance or rejection will be sent on 30 September 1999. The accepted papers should be ready on 29 February 2000. The organizing committee of ECHE 2000 consists of: Marcel Boumans (University of Amsterdam), Jose Luis Cardoso (Technical University of Lisbon), Philippe Fontaine (Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan), Albert Jolink (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Robert Leonard (University of Quebec at Montreal). All proposals and requests for further information should be sent to: Marcel Boumans, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 11, 1018 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e-mail: [log in to unmask] ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]