Andrew Haldane, chief economist of the Bank of England, was wrapping up a speech at a northern English high school recently when one girl raised her hand. “I’ve got two questions for you,” the student said, according to Mr. Haldane: “Who are you, and why are you here?”
Long shrouded in mystery, the world’s major central banks have in recent years been shedding more light on their inner workings. Now, they have a new mission, which is to engage and educate the general public. Top officials are venturing out to open-air markets,...