Title: Harmonising economic history: exploring pedagogical strategies through the integration of country music in economic education

Authors: Daniel Diaz Vidal; Ashley Salaiz; Robert Beekman

Addresses: Sykes College of Business, The University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606, USA ' Sykes College of Business, The University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606, USA ' Sykes College of Business, The University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606, USA

Abstract: This article describes how to incorporate the song lyrics from the USA country music genre into an undergraduate economic history course. The authors first explore how music is a pedagogical tool that enables students to draw connections between songs, course content, and real-world economic phenomena. Next, the authors introduce seven country music songs whose lyrics describe economic history concepts that have contemporary relevance, and which are traditionally covered in undergraduate economic history courses. While the primary focus lies in the context of economic history, the authors assert the transferability of this pedagogical technique to cultivate the economist's skill set across diverse economic subfields. Encouraging readers to adapt these methods for economic history and beyond, the article emphasises the broader applicability of leveraging music as an effective instructional strategy in various academic settings.

Keywords: economics education; country music; active learning; student engagement; macroeconomics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2024.144146

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2024 Vol.15 No.2, pp.168 - 184

Received: 27 May 2024
Accepted: 23 Sep 2024
Published online: 28 Jan 2025 *

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