SYLLABUS FOR ECON 3186 STUDIES IN ECONOMICS
SPRING 2015
Ken McCormick Office: CBB 213 Phone: 273-6051 Office hours: MWF 1:00 - 2:00 and by appointment Email: [email protected] Webpage: http://www.cba.uni.edu/mccormick/
Required Books: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (2011) Social Physics by Alex Pentland (2014) The Tyranny of Experts by William Easterly (2013) Poor Economics by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo (2011) Think Like A Freak by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (2014) The Great Crash by John Kenneth Galbraith (1954/2009)
Course Description: The course is a seminar. That means that there will be no lecture. Instead, students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the reading assignment for the day. The quality of any seminar depends on the dedication of the participants.
Reading Schedule: Date Book/Article Reading 1/14 Thinking, Fast and Slow Intro & Chapters 1 & 2 1/16 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 3, 4, 5, & 6 1/21 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 7, 8, & 9 1/23 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 10, 11, & 12 1/26 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 13, 14, & 15 1/28 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 16, 17, & 18 1/30 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 19, 20, & 21 2/2 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 22, 23, & 24 2/4 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 25, 26, & 27 2/6 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 28, 29, & 30 2/9 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 31, 32, & 33 2/11 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 34, 35, & 36 2/13 Thinking, Fast and Slow Chapters 37, 38, & Conclusion 2/16 Social Physics Chapters 1 & 2 2/18 Social Physics Chapters 3 & 4 2/20 Social Physics Chapters 5, 6, & 7 2/23 Social Physics Chapters 8 & 9 2/25 Social Physics Chapters 10 & 11 2/27 The Tyranny of Experts Chapters 1 & 2 3/2 The Tyranny of Experts Chapters 3 & 4 3/4 The Tyranny of Experts Chapters 5 & 6 3/6 The Tyranny of Experts Chapters 7 & 8 3/9 The Tyranny of Experts Chapters 9 & 10 3/11 The Tyranny of Experts Chapters 11 & 12 3/13 The Tyranny of Experts Chapters 13 & 14 ********************************SPRING BREAK************************************** 3/23 Poor Economics Foreword, Chapters 1 & 2 3/25 Poor Economics Chapter 3 3/27 Poor Economics Chapter 4 3/30 Poor Economics Chapter 5 4/1 Poor Economics Chapters 6 & 7 4/3 Poor Economics Chapter 8 4/6 Poor Economics Chapter 9 4/8 Poor Economics Chapter 10 & Conclusion 4/10 Think Like A Freak Chapters 1 & 2 4/13 Think Like A Freak Chapters 3 & 4 4/15 Think Like A Freak Chapters 5 & 6 4/17 Think Like A Freak Chapters 7 & 8 4/20 Think Like A Freak Chapter 9 4/22 The Great Crash Foreword, Intro, & Chapter 1 4/24 The Great Crash Chapters 2 & 3 4/27 The Great Crash Chapters 4 & 5 4/29 The Great Crash Chapters 6 & 7 5/4 The Great Crash Chapters 8 & 9
Grades: 80% of your grade will be based on class participation. If you are not here, you cannot participate, so attendance will be taken. If you cannot attend but have a good reason, let me know in advance. Unexcused absences will be penalized by 2N – 1 percentage points, where N = the number of unexcused absences.
Both the quantity and quality of your participation matters. I expect everyone to participate in the discussions.
Each day I will ask a student to begin the discussion. I will also ask specific students to comment on the discussion. If you are not prepared, it will show.
By its very nature, grading on class participation is somewhat subjective. I will try very hard to be objective and consistent. Your primary task will be to convince me, every day, that you have read and understood the assignment.
20% of your grade will be determined by four two-page papers. When you find an idea in the readings that interests you, write about it. Because you have only two pages, your writing must be both concise and precise. The two page limit will be strictly enforced. Blaise Pascal wrote, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Figure out what he meant. The papers must be double-spaced, with one-inch margins and a 12-point font. The papers will be graded on both content and style. Keep in mind that content that is unclear because of poor style will harm you on both counts.
You should turn in one paper per month (January, February, March, April). Turn them in any time during the month.
Other Comments: 1. Take notes on what you read. Bring the notes to class to help you remember important points for discussion.
2. Look up words you do not know. That will expand your vocabulary as well as improve your comprehension.
3. In the event that your professor cannot come to class, meet and discuss the assigned reading anyway.
4. In the event that classes at UNI are cancelled, we will discuss two assigned readings at the next class period.