Title: Teaching the economics of racism

Authors: Junaid B. Jahangir

Addresses: Department of Anthropology, Economics, and Political Science, MacEwan University, 10700 104 Ave, Edmonton AB T5J 4S2, Canada

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to offer three teaching plans in the economics of racial discrimination. It is shown that mainstream textbooks do not adequately capture the key ideas in the economics of racism. They delineate the anachronistic Becker model of discrimination. Resources like the Komlos textbook or the CORE Insight on Racial Inequality offer better alternatives on addressing systemic racism. This paper suggests how to incorporate Disney video clips from The Princess and the Frog; offers key ideas from the economics of incarceration; and discusses pluralist perspectives in the interest of advancing economic pluralism and decolonising economics.

Keywords: economics of racism; John Komlos; Gary Becker; ECON 101; economic pluralism; statistical discrimination; CORE.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2025.148019

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2025 Vol.15 No.3, pp.249 - 263

Received: 09 Sep 2024
Accepted: 27 Dec 2024
Published online: 14 Aug 2025 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article