Democracy thrives when citizens have a real say. For this to happen, they must be able to understand what is going on. This is especially the case when it comes to topics that determine citizens’ own lives, and impact on society as a whole. And it’s even moreso the case in times of crisis. The economy affects us all, and yet many people do not understand how it operates. But this is not inevitable: people can understand the economy, with the right tools.
This is the aim of our project. To this end, adult educators, together with economists from different schools of thoughts, from Austria, Estonie, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Poland, Spain and Germany are working together to build a learning platform.
Our focus is on the following topics:
- Examining different schools of economic thinking Money and where it comes from
- The relationship between the state and the market
- Inequality, justice & diversity
- Economic growth
- Economic strategies for responding to crises: austerity or investment?
- The future of Europe: competition and/or cooperation?
- Sovereign debt in the economy, and the Irish debt crisis
- The effects of tax evasion on the Global South,
- Public goods and social welfare
- Climate Change
- Feminist economics
- Empowering women through coaching and entrepreneurial skills
- Migration and the economy: Do refugees really take away the work of others?
The primary information on each issue is written for the beginner. More detailed background notes are provided alongside this, for those seeking a deeper understanding or, indeed, those educating others. In addition, adult educators will find relevant educational activities and tools to accompany each topic. We hope these will encourage educators to bring economic issues their work.