International Economics and Global Trade

Catalog description

Economic activity between countries has long been the source of intense study, and it continues to be a hot political issue with heated discourse. For this reason students need to be well informed so they can contribute to the discourse. For example, when consumers purchase an imported good, does it hurt or help the US economy? More generally, is trade a win-win proposition or is it a zero sum game with clear winners and losers? Should we be concerned about a trade imbalance with countries like China? IN the context of trade, is a strong dollar good or bad for the US economy, and how can exchange rates be manipulated? By developing models of international trade and finance and then applying them to real world contexts, this course prepares students to engage in the debate about international issues. Prerequisite(s): ECON 217 and ECON 218 Corequisite(s): None