Recent “History of Economics” Textbooks and the Diversity of Economics

This review examines five textbooks on the history of economics, all published within the past five years.I analyze the content of each textbook and explore the broader significance of studying the history of economics, particularly how these textbooks can be used as educational tools.A central theme across these works is the "diversity of economics," although the ways in which this diversity is addressed vary between textbooks.This review also considers how to teach students to navigate the balance between mainstream and heterodox economics.Ultimately, the goal is to assess whether studying the history of economics can help students better understand the most pressing issues of our time.