Michael McLure is an historian of economics known for his investigations of the Paretian school in Italy and the Pigouvian branch of the Cambridge school in England. He was co-editor of: the History of Economics Review between 2007 and 2011; and the critical and variorum edition of Vilfredo Pareto’s Manuale di Economia Politica, which was translated from Italian and French text and published in English by Oxford University Press in 2014.

Michael’s research has been published in two monographs and in numerous journal articles. In October 2020, he was awarded the Premio Galileo Galilei, by the Fondazione Premio Internazionale Galileo Galilei dei Rotary Club Italiani, for his contribution to the history of Italian economic thought; and, in November 2021, he was presented with the Austin Holmes Award by the WA Branch of the Economic Society of Australia for his contribution to economics in Western Australia.

Most important experiences while at UWA

Three points come to mind: the wonderfully warm welcome I received from colleagues on being appointed as a UWA Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2002; the generous guidance and support I received from my mentor, Professor Ken Clements; and being afforded the precious gift of being allowed to set my own research agenda in the history of economics.

Where did you think you would end up, when you began your career?

I started my career as a graduate trainee with the WA Treasury. At the time, I expected to spend my career in public service, but, after a decade or so I decided to work towards an academic career. On doing so, I immediately realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my working life teaching economics and undertaking historically oriented research.

What are some of your most significant achievements?

My most significant achievement in academic leadership is the outcome of my efforts to introduce a ‘Philosophy, Politics and Economics’ program at UWA. My most significant contribution to the history of economic thought is a deepening of our critical understanding of neoclassical economics in Italy (through my studies the Paretian school) and England (through my studies of Pigouvian economics).

What has been the most interesting aspect of your career?

Growing the history of economic ideas as a scholarly activity at UWA – both as an undergraduate unit and as a theme for research by the PhD students I supervised – has been central to my career. Establishing and convening the “History and Philosophy of the Social Sciences Network” at UWA is another interesting aspect of my career.

Where are you planning to go from here? Are there new interests you are looking to get involved in?

I am currently studying French at Alliance Française in Nedlands. As a Senior Honorary Research Fellow in the UWA Business School and member of UWA’s Economic History and History of Economic Thought Network, I envisage investigating aspects of the history of French and Swiss political economy once my understanding of the French language is adequate for that purpose.