Smith as educator

How does Smith educate people to live virtuous lives in a modern commercial society?

 

  • Adam Smith knew that we must integrate thinking around morality and markets to reconcile virtue and commerce. His account of how our moral beliefs develop and change over time is one of the earliest and most sophisticated versions of cultural evolution. 

  • Smith's moral philosophy and his teaching at Glasgow were directed at shaping the character of his students and readers to possess the virtues needed to live successful and happy lives in a commercial society.

Learning opportunities

Full Summer School Group with Professor Craig Smith standing at the front of the group. Source: Charlotte Morris External Relations

Age and Ideas of Adam Smith

Students from across the world attended the University of Glasgow's first Adam Smith international summer school to spend two weeks immersing themselves in Adam Smith’s impressive body of work.

image of Adam Smith's handwriting

Global Reading Group

Hundreds of people joined the global online reading group to read, discuss and reflect on The Wealth of Nations with support from experts at the University of Glasgow.

A orange background with two hands holding the earth around it is multiple different languages all saying

Rethinking Adam Smith

This competition challenged students to redesign the front cover of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations or The Theory of Moral Sentiments. 

Panel at the entrance to an exhibition with the words 'Adam Smith. Scholar, Educator. Citizen.'

Adam Smith: Scholar, Educator, and Citizen

This exhibition, created by University of Glasgow's Archives and Special Collections, examines Smith's life, works and lasting influence in Glasgow and beyond.

Conversations: Articles, podcasts and events

Sticker with the text '#BOYCOTT QATAR 2022. www.boycott-qatar.de' and an image of a football dragging a chain. Source: Markus Spiske on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/0pKXTZSxqW4 Free to use under the Unsplash License
Sticker with the text '#BOYCOTT QATAR 2022. www.boycott-qatar.de' and an image of a football dragging a chain. Source: Markus Spiske on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/0pKXTZSxqW4 Free to use under the Unsplash License

It Could Have Been Me: Adam Smith on Empathy and Diversity

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 23:39:00 GMT

How Adam Smith accounts for our willingness to empathize and take action.

Street sign for Hutcheson Street, Merchant City in Glasgow. Source: It Wisnae Us: The Truth About Glasgow and Slavery https://it.wisnae.us/
Street sign for Hutcheson Street, Merchant City in Glasgow. Source: It Wisnae Us: The Truth About Glasgow and Slavery https://it.wisnae.us/

The Wealth of Nations, and 'Adam Smith questions' in Atlantic Slavery Studies

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 23:39:00 GMT

Continuing research agendas in the fields of Atlantic history and British slavery studies.

Painting called 'The Nelson Monument on Glasgow Green Struck by Lightning'. Circa 1810 by John Knox. Source: In the collection of Glasgow Life Museums, published on Art UK and reproduced under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-nelson-monument-on-glasgow-green-struck-by-lightning-84743
Painting called 'The Nelson Monument on Glasgow Green Struck by Lightning'. Circa 1810 by John Knox. Source: In the collection of Glasgow Life Museums, published on Art UK and reproduced under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-nelson-monument-on-glasgow-green-struck-by-lightning-84743

Adam Smith and Cultural Memory

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 23:39:00 GMT

How and why do we remember Adam Smith, and what meaning does this memory hold?

Close up of the cover of a copy of the book, The Wealth of Nations
Close up of the cover of a copy of the book, The Wealth of Nations

The book that changed the world

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 16:52:00 BST

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli and Dr Craig Smith share their views on the impact Smith’s magnum opus, The Wealth of Nations, has had on the world.

Sam Peltzman with Graeme Roy and another person beside them chatting in the centre of a lecture hall. Close-up on Sam Peltzman's animated face and raised hands while he is speaking to a person whose face can't be seen. Source: Chicago Booth University
Sam Peltzman with Graeme Roy and another person beside them chatting in the centre of a lecture hall. Close-up on Sam Peltzman's animated face and raised hands while he is speaking to a person whose face can't be seen. Source: Chicago Booth University

Adam Smith and the Chicago School of Economics

Mon, 15 May 2023 16:36:00 BST

Professor Graeme Roy joined Professor Sam Peltzman to reflect on commonalities between Adam Smith's thinking and the Chicago School of Economics, and common public misunderstandings of each.

A pile of three old books with brown leather bindings and gold writing containing the works of poet Robert Burns. Source: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/critical/research/researchcentresandnetworks/robertburnsstudies/
A pile of three old books with brown leather bindings and gold writing containing the works of poet Robert Burns. Source: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/critical/research/researchcentresandnetworks/robertburnsstudies/

Global Burns: Robert Burns and Adam Smith 2023

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 10:49:00 GMT

This Global Burns online event shared how poet Robert Burns was informed and inspired by the works of Adam Smith.

Statue of Adam Smith with St Giles' Cathedral behind him and a few buildings to the side. In addition a blue cloudy sky above Source: Shutterstock- Ulmus Media link: https://enterprise.shutterstock.com/image-photo/monument-adam-smith-on-royal-mile-606378845
Statue of Adam Smith with St Giles' Cathedral behind him and a few buildings to the side. In addition a blue cloudy sky above Source: Shutterstock- Ulmus Media link: https://enterprise.shutterstock.com/image-photo/monument-adam-smith-on-royal-mile-606378845

In Search of the Real Adam Smith - Freakonomics Radio

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 23:39:00 GMT

For Freakonomics Radio, experts from the worlds of economics, history, philosophy, political science and and drama discuss Adam Smith.

Spotlight image with the University of Glasgow logo and a lightbulb. With the public policy and political process podcast with Graeme Roy and Kezia Dugdale Source: School of Law (Ruth O'Donnell)
Spotlight image with the University of Glasgow logo and a lightbulb. With the public policy and political process podcast with Graeme Roy and Kezia Dugdale Source: School of Law (Ruth O'Donnell)

Spotlight podcast: Adam Smith

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 23:39:00 GMT

Dr Craig Smith, Adam Smith Senior Lecturer in the Scottish Enlightenment, discusses perceptions of Smith, and the historical and cultural context of his work.

Head of Adam Smith Business school John Finch standing with Principal of the University of Glasgow Anton Muscatelli, Dean of Social and Political sciences Sara Carter and Dean of External Engagement Graeme Roy Source: Adam Smith Business school
Head of Adam Smith Business school John Finch standing with Principal of the University of Glasgow Anton Muscatelli, Dean of Social and Political sciences Sara Carter and Dean of External Engagement Graeme Roy Source: Adam Smith Business school

Adam Smith 300 launch

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 10:49:00 GMT

At the Adam Smith 300 launch at the University of Glasgow leading scholars discussed Smith’s contribution to economics, philosophy and the arts.