Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

Economics education should equip students with analytical tools to critically examine the economic systems that shape societies. Rather than presenting economics as a settled discipline with universal truths, courses are structured around "constructive controversy"—exposing students to debates between competing schools of thought and showing how different theoretical frameworks lead to divergent policy prescriptions.

This pluralist approach serves two purposes. First, it develops critical thinking by requiring students to evaluate the assumptions, internal consistency, and empirical validity of competing theories. Second, it prepares students for real-world complexity, where economic problems rarely have textbook solutions and where policy choices involve trade-offs between competing values.

Active learning is emphasized through case studies drawn from MENA economies, collaborative problem-solving, and research projects that connect theory to empirical realities. Students examine how abstract models apply—or fail to apply—to the economic challenges facing their own communities.

The goal is not merely to train skilled analysts, but to develop informed citizens capable of contributing to more equitable economic systems.