Abstract
Political economy is studied in a wide range of departments across the humanities and social sciences. This working paper looks at current trends in political economy programs, suggesting they can be helpfully characterized as interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or some combination of the two. I characterize multidisciplinary approaches as proceeding largely through comparing and contrasting different disciplines, and interdisciplinary approaches as aiming at a genuine synthesis of them. Most programs resemble one of these two ideal types, although it is also possible to combine the two basic approaches in a single program. I suggest that the teaching of political economy should fully embrace both its multi- and interdisciplinary aspects, as doing so promotes fruitful exchanges between students, scholars and the general public. The paper closes by sketching possible pitfalls and problems for this attempt to “reintegrate” political economy in the academy, and potential avenues for innovation and collaboration.