Luccasen’s inflation research to be published
Dr. Andrew Luccasen, professor of economics and finance at Mississippi University for Women, will have research published in the March 2026 issue of the academic journal, “International Review of Economics Education.”
Luccasen’s paper, “Two Challenges of Teaching Inflation: Differing Textbook Treatments and Common Student Misperceptions,” offers an in-depth analysis of commonly used textbooks and documents, specifically comparing and contrasting how each presents the subject of inflation including causes, costs and benefits.
“It has been documented for some time that the general public has views about inflation that differ dramatically from economists,” he said. “As an example, it is common for people to believe that inflation makes everyone worse off because if prices are higher, then everyone can buy less stuff. No textbook makes this argument because if one person is paying a higher price, then someone else is receiving more money. Inflation certainly can make some people worse off, but it cannot make everyone worse off. Some people are harmed, but some people benefit.”
Throughout his research, he found that textbooks differed significantly in their treatment of inflation. The ultimate goal is for the information to help teachers better tackle the subject in the classroom.
“I hope that this paper contributes to improved economic instruction and helps other teachers who might not specialize in macroeconomic topics such as inflation,” he said.
The abstract of the paper can be accessed at www.sciencedirect.com/journal/international-review-of-economics-education/vol/51/suppl/C.
About International Review of Economics Education
The International Review of Economics Education is dedicated to enhancing learning and teaching in the higher education economics community. It provides a forum for high quality research in the areas of curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment, teaching and learning innovation.