Economics: In Search of Relevance and Excellence in University Teaching in Sri Lanka

This is an essay on Chapter 4, ‘Economics: In Search of Relevance and Excellence in University Teaching, of the book “Beyond Boundaries: One Hundred Years of Humanities and Social Sciences in Sri Lankan Universities; Volume II: Social Sciences / Premakumara de Silva. [et al.] University Grants Commission, Government Press, Colombo: 2021, 282 pp. (ISBN 978-624- 5980-02-4)” reviewed as a commentary on the evolution of tertiary-level Economics Education under the umbrella of Social Science Education in Sri Lanka. This essay will provide an in-depth and holistic analysis of the content of Chapter 4, highlighting the interconnectedness of most of the disciplines in the social sciences. The chapter attempts to blend the historical orientation of economics with contemporary historical, philosophical, and political developments by taking the reader back in time through the Evolution of Economics teaching in Sri Lanka from university college days to what it is today. It is not unreasonable to conclude that the socio-political culture of the country, together with a lack of knowledge about basic economics, among other things, have been instrumental in leading Sri Lanka to its present predicament. Therefore, understanding and analysing the evolutionary process of economic education has never been more important for Sri Lanka, especially if the country is determined to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.