Political economy club gains members, momentum
Katherine Poythress
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: News
Praxis, Hillsdale College's political economy club, began the semester last Thursday evening by showing the film "The Ultimate Resource" in the television lounge of Grewcock Student Union.
The film, which marked one of many diverse events Praxis has hosted in the past six months, drew more than 30 students.
Praxis introduced the 57-minute documentary as a film that "shows what people can do with the right tools," said Praxis Vice President Micah Seppanen, a senior.
Junior Hannah Mead, Praxis secretary, said the film's message is that human ingenuity is the "ultimate resource." The documentary visits several countries from different areas of the world, focusing on the success of free market economics in those countries. The resources in each case are different, with only human ingenuity as the common denominator.
Junior Josh Grabner said "The Ultimate Resource" was about "what ordinary people can do in disadvantaged situations."
Interest in the club and its mission for encouraging the study and discussion of economics and politics seems to be "resurging," Mead said. This is partly due to better marketing and consistent promotion of Praxis in class by professors.
Seppanen said membership consists primarily of economics students, with some exceptions. Those who attend events and are on the Praxis e-mail list come from all kinds of majors he said.
When he joined Praxis two years ago, Seppanen said, the club sponsored only about two to three events during the year. This year, he said he anticipates at least 10 Praxis events. Associate Professor of Economics Ivan Pongracic has done a great job motivating Praxis officers to hold events, Seppanen said.
Seppanen also attributed much of the club's recent success to senior Karen Miller's leadership as president.
"Karen's been great and has had a really big impact as Praxis president," Seppanen said.
Mead said Praxis hosts numerous speakers throughout the semester. These speakers are usually connected with professors in the economics department, and attendees are often invited to afterglow discussions at professors' homes following club events.
Miller said last semester Praxis hosted seven speakers, including John Lott, author of "Freedomnomics," a response to Steven Levitt's "Freakonomics."
Seppanen said the club places emphasis on the economics of politics. Rarely, if ever, do they have a speaker or discussion focused solely on politics, he said.
The film, which marked one of many diverse events Praxis has hosted in the past six months, drew more than 30 students.
Praxis introduced the 57-minute documentary as a film that "shows what people can do with the right tools," said Praxis Vice President Micah Seppanen, a senior.
Junior Hannah Mead, Praxis secretary, said the film's message is that human ingenuity is the "ultimate resource." The documentary visits several countries from different areas of the world, focusing on the success of free market economics in those countries. The resources in each case are different, with only human ingenuity as the common denominator.
Junior Josh Grabner said "The Ultimate Resource" was about "what ordinary people can do in disadvantaged situations."
Interest in the club and its mission for encouraging the study and discussion of economics and politics seems to be "resurging," Mead said. This is partly due to better marketing and consistent promotion of Praxis in class by professors.
Seppanen said membership consists primarily of economics students, with some exceptions. Those who attend events and are on the Praxis e-mail list come from all kinds of majors he said.
When he joined Praxis two years ago, Seppanen said, the club sponsored only about two to three events during the year. This year, he said he anticipates at least 10 Praxis events. Associate Professor of Economics Ivan Pongracic has done a great job motivating Praxis officers to hold events, Seppanen said.
Seppanen also attributed much of the club's recent success to senior Karen Miller's leadership as president.
"Karen's been great and has had a really big impact as Praxis president," Seppanen said.
Mead said Praxis hosts numerous speakers throughout the semester. These speakers are usually connected with professors in the economics department, and attendees are often invited to afterglow discussions at professors' homes following club events.
Miller said last semester Praxis hosted seven speakers, including John Lott, author of "Freedomnomics," a response to Steven Levitt's "Freakonomics."
Seppanen said the club places emphasis on the economics of politics. Rarely, if ever, do they have a speaker or discussion focused solely on politics, he said.
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