ECC3146 · Community, market and government

Overview

Many important human activities take place in the community and are not mediated by the price mechanism through the market. People give to charities, donate blood, join environmental movements, engage in discussion on the internet that shape public opinions. This unit first discusses how community affects the provision of social insurance and redistribution; public health outcomes; effectiveness of law enforcement; and the governance of common pool resources. It then discusses the interactions between community, market, and government. This will be done through examining issues such as fair trade and consumer activism; public policy and charitable giving; the relationship between public policies, social interaction and public health outcomes; social influence and polarisation online and offline. It concludes with a discussion on community failure vis-a-vis-market failure and government failure.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. understand how community facilitates human interactions and have significant effects on social welfare
2. critically consume the fast-growing literature that studies how social and economic incentives interact to shape community interactions
3. develop a good understanding of the substitutability and complementarity between community, market, and government.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. You are expected to complete all pre-class activities prior to your scheduled class, and post-class activities should be completed after your scheduled class. Learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed, peer directed and online engagement activities.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.