WASHINGTON — In the last year, the International Monetary Fund has performed a major reassessment of how it thinks austerity harms a weak, financially troubled economy. But while warning of the perils of slow growth, it still often insists on austerity for just such economies.

The tension between those realities will be on full display in Washington this week, as top economic officials from around the world gather for the spring meetings of the monetary fund and its sister institution, the World Bank. Once again, sluggish growth in advanced economies, and in particular the unfurling economic and fiscal afflictions in the euro zone, will be the central topic of discussion.

Political and economic officials agree that most countries, particularly in Europe, desperately need more growth. But they remain sharply divided on how to get it. Officials strongly influenced by the Great Depression thinking of John Maynard Keynes, including some from Europe, want an easing of austerity measures, more expansionary monetary policies and even some stimulus. But powerful northern European officials, including those from Germany, have argued that balanced budgets and fiscal consolidation are prerequisites for restoring sustainable growth.

In a somewhat dissonant posture, the monetary fund has split the difference: reassessing its views on austerity, pushing strongly for aggressive measures to bolster growth but all without repudiating its existing programs.