History of Economic Thought at the University of Western Australia: 1953 compared to 2003

This brief paper contrasts the history of economic thought programs offered at the University of Western Australia in 1953 and 2003: an interval of fifty years. The study identifies lessons for current HET units from Merab Harris' class of '53, where HET was taught with general reference to economic history. The contrast is also used as a basis for identifying the advantages and disadvantages of teaching HET collectively, as a topic within a compulsory core economics unit as it was in 1953, or independently, as an optional but specialist unit as it was in 2003. The paper concludes with some personal views on the future of HET studies.