Title: The spontaneous order of words: economics experiments in haiku and renga

Authors: Stephen T. Ziliak

Addresses: Department of Economics, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago IL 60605, USA

Abstract: The search is on for low cost collaborative learning models that foster creative cooperation and growth through spontaneous competition. I propose that a twist on the traditional renga competition can help. The prize-winning Capitalistic Crisis, composed by five undergraduate students at Roosevelt University, is an example of renganomics - a spontaneous, collaboratively written linked haiku poem about economics, inspired by haiku economics (Ziliak, 2011, 2009a) and classical Japanese renga. In medieval Japan renga gatherings were social, political, and economic exchanges ' from small to elaborate parties - with a literary end: a completely unplanned, collectively written poem. Since their ancient and royal beginnings renga have been written competitively and by all social classes for stakes. So far as we know this is the first renga in English, or any language, to focus on economics. The paper concludes with economic haiku by a student and renga master in training.

Keywords: haiku economics; renganomics; creative cooperation; experiential learning; innovation prizes; Hayek; Basho; collaborative learning; Japanese renga; economics education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2014.066680

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2014 Vol.5 No.3, pp.219 - 229

Published online: 14 Jan 2015 *

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