Economics

This course builds on the knowledge acquired in Macroeconomics I (EC1B5). Students use macroeconomic analysis to explore important contemporary questions and special emphasis is given to how public policy can change economic outcomes. Students learn how to understand economic problems by focusing on the key characteristics, choosing the relevant mechanisms and developing a solid intuition. The use of mathematics is minimal (in particular, with no calculus) and the emphasis of instruction is on graphical analysis and economic intuition. Precise topics and readings are announced and are selected to be of current interest.

This course helps students develop the relevant knowledge and understanding of fixed income instruments and interest rate models. The course provides an overview of the major institutions, organizations, and investors, and it covers both the theoretical background of fixed income markets and its practical implementation. Gaining hands-on experience using real-world examples, students develop the critical thinking and analytical skills to engage in fixed income markets globally.

This course introduces the fundamental principles of finance and the basic structure of capital markets. It examines how financial markets (such as bonds, stocks or foreign exchange) and financial institutions (such as banks and mutual funds) work and explore the role of money. It then examines the foreign exchange market and how to cope with exchange rate risk. Finally, the course focuses on the financial services industry by exploring topics such as mutual funds, Financial Technology (FinTech), robo-advisors, cryptocurrencies or blockchain. Key concepts and applications include interest rates, exchange rates, derivatives, the time value of money, the conduct of monetary policies, the difference between passive and active investing, and crypto-assets.

This course explores the fundamental economic concepts necessary to understand human societies as an open system and systems that require the constant flow of energy and materials, while also generating waste and about social metabolism. The course highlights the biophysical processes that underpin economies, and the critical role natural resources play in sustaining economic activity. Additionally, students analyze how institutional frameworks create or remove incentives for the consumption and conservation of energy and materials. Students also learn how various policy approaches tackle today’s pressing environmental issues, and learn the tools to critically assess sustainable practices and potential solutions for a more balanced relationship between the economy and the environment.

This course delves into the study of economic and financial history thorugh the critical reading and analysis of primary sources. It explores the interplay between historical dynamics, economic theories, and financial institutions, providing students with the tools to interrogate the past through sources such as treaties, accounting records, letters, and policy records. A central feature of the course is its engagement with historiographical debates, emphasizing how interpretations of economic and financial history have evolved over time. It explores key controversies, from the causes of economic crises to the role of trade networks in shaping global capitalism, while critically assessing the arguments proposed. The course also prioritizes the study of methodologies employed in the discipline, introducing  approaches such as quali/quantitative analysis, comparative history, and the integration of social and cultural perspectives into economic narratives. Through a combination of lectures, readings, and analyses of archival material, this course provides the analytical skills and historiographical knowledge necessary for understanding and interpreting main economic and financial historical turning points.

This course presents the current debate on the opening of borders at the time of globalization. Through a comparative analysis of the trade policies of the major powers (Europe, the United States, and China), it allows us to measure the stakes and risks associated with the current resurgence of protectionism. The course studies the evolution of trade since 1948, exposes the main theories of international trade, and presents a comparative analysis of the trade policies in Europe, the United States, and China. It provides an understanding of the challenges of trade relations between nations in the context of both the economic crisis and globalization. Should economies be opened or closed? The course presents economic and political doctrines as well as current events that shed light on the current confrontation between free trade and protectionism.

The observed correlation between economic growth on one hand, and a worsening environmental situation on the other, calls for greater consideration of ecological issues in economic thinking. In this respect, and in parallel with the reflections on a hypothetical "decoupling" that would reconcile continued growth and decarbonization of the economy, it may be useful to look at the competing hypothesis: an exit from growth. It is this second hypothesis that this course studies, by taking stock of various works in economics and political science that help us to think about a post-growth society. After briefly recalling the main foundations of the critique of growth, the course sketches out the contours of an economic and social organization that breaks with the imperative of growth. The course addresses the various difficulties that would be posed by an end to growth: unemployment, how to organize production, and how to define what should and shouldn't be produced. The course provides a better understanding of current and future debates around the concepts of green growth and degrowth, questions current growth models, and engages in critical reflection on post-growth perspectives.

This course focuses on the development of the Irish economy since independence, and how various external pressures and policy choices have shaped that development over time. It then shows how various policies, on both demand and supply sides, have been used, and which have not been used, to shape outcomes.

International economic law is a branch of international law governing a number of economic phenomena, such as international trade and investment. The course focuses on the study of intergovernmental institutional frameworks covering the circulation of goods, services, capital, and labor. It discusses institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes, and the Bretton Woods institutions. Furthermore, it introduces normative instruments such as the WTO Multilateral Trade Agreements (GATT, GATS, and TRIPS) and the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement negotiations. The course also explores the international regulation of capital and labor, as well as introduces the private governance of international economic relations.

This course examines the allocation of scarce resources among competing end uses. Although the focus is on perfectly competitive markets, attention is also given to other types of markets. Analysis also includes concepts of expected utility and uncertainty, and welfare economics.