COURSE OVERVIEW

In this course, we introduce students to the economic way of thinking about societal issues. We use the themes of incentives and empiricism to illustrate the power of simple economic ideas, and their ability to explain, predict, and improve what happens in the world.

The course will examine how market activities are shaped by both the private and public sector. It will allow students to appreciate how free markets and government policies affect society, creating winners and losers, and to understand the societal trade-offs implicated in an economy.

The course will also examine debates on the importance of social institutions in contributing to economic growth, and on economic policies surrounding the world financial crisis.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Use evidence-based economics approach to explain real-life issues and phenomena as it plays out in our society.
• Develop critical thinking skills to analyze local and global societal issues using key economic principles.