Political Economy

Course objectives

Learning goals. The aim of the course is to present the basic principles and tools of modern economic theory - both micro and macroeconomics - showing at the same time their empirical relevance. This is achieved by integrating the theoretical exposition with the description of actual features of the Italian economy and of other national economies. Knowledge and understanding. The lectures aim at allowing students to gain a general knowledge of the essential concepts used in economic analysis and a historical perspective of the development of the main theoretical approaches to the study of the economic system. Applying knowledge and understanding. Students will learn the main lines of development of microeconomic and macroeconomic theories, including monetary theory, and will have a general view of economic policy. This will allow students to approach both historical economic development and present day economic facts. Making judgements. The course aims at fostering students' ability to apply economic theory and methodology to the analysis of economic facts and of economic policy. These analytical abilities will be such to be also applied to current phenomena. Communication skills. Frontal teaching and preparation of oral examination allows students to acquire mastering of elementary techniques and of communication skills properly belonging to the fields of economic analysis. Learning skills Students who pass the exam will have acquired analytical methodologies which ail allow them to tackle themes proper of other courses and to discuss current economic facts."

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NERIO NALDI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The course covers three main areas (which will be respectively covered, approximately, in 3, 4 and 5 weeks). The first part illustrates the existence of alternative approaches to the description of an economic system and places particular attention to the essential features of the classical approach. The second part (microeconomics) deals with the study of consumer and firm behavior in order to understand what determines prices and quantities in the market. The analysis focuses on individual choices and on the issues raised by the interactions among agents considered in goods and input markets (perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, oligopoly). The third part (macroeconomics) focuses on macroeconomics. It presents the modern macroeconomic theory showing at the same time its empirical relevance. The objective is to explain how macroeconomics may help to understand the dynamics of the main macroeconomic variables (such as GDP, employment, consumption, investment, public budget, rates of interests) and situations such as unemployment, inflation, public debt.
Prerequisites
Economia Politica is a basic course. No university-level pre-requisite is required.
Books
Handbook: 
M.Corsi, A. Roncaglia, Nuovi lineamenti di economia politica, Laterza (2017 or later editions) Please do not look for on line substitutes to this handbook. The handbook contains a list of further readings for those who wish to improve their understanding of specific parts of the programme
Teaching mode
Traditional lectures (on line, if necessary because of Covid emergency)
Frequency
Attending lectures is useful, but it not a pre-requisite to sit the exam
Exam mode
Written examination. Students will have to answer four questions (the time available to answer them will be 75 minutes). Results on each question (FAILED or 18 to 30 cum laude) will be sent to studens via e-mail and a meeting to discuss them will be agreed (if required by students).
Bibliography
see above "Testi adottati / Testi di riferimento" The handbook contains a list of further readings for those who wish to improve their understanding of specific parts of the programme
Lesson mode
Traditional lectures (on line, if necessary because of Covid emergency)
  • Lesson code1013712
  • Academic year2024/2025
  • CourseStatistics for management
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDSECS-P/01
  • CFU9
  • Subject areaEconomico-aziendale