Introduction to Economics

The purpose of the course is to provide students with an introduction to the analytical tools and the basic knowledge necessary to understand and interpret the economy. Starting from the microeconomic analysis of individual behavior of consumers and firms, the course will then study the effect of interactions among economic agents and the market equilibrium. The course will also introduce the main analytical tools for understanding the complexity of public sector intervention in the economy (e.g., among other topics we will focus on the role of taxes in market equilibrium as well as the role of public goods and public remedies to externalities, with emphasis on the public role in tackling environmental and climate crisis). Ultimately, the course will aim at making graduates in legal disciplines able to understand the economic impact of laws and institutions through a comprehensive understanding of the basic mechanisms driving economic systems.