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Curricular information is subject to change
When you finish this course, you will
• Understand the underlying theory and main concepts of Behavioral Law and Economics
• Be able to make Behavioral Law and Economics arguments about important legal and policy issues, including in areas such as criminal law, welfare policy, and climate concerns
Week 1, January 25: Introduction to Behavioral Law and Economics
Week 2, February 1: Behavioral Law and Economics: Some basic concepts
Week 3, February 8: Behavioral Law and Economics: Some major concepts and examples
Week 4, February 15: Behavioral Law and Economics: Worldviews--Risk vs. Uncertainty; Survival of the Fittest vs. Good Enough
Weeks 5 and 6, February 22 and March 1: Behavioral Law and Economics: Personal Characteristics and Experiences; Time Horizons; Language
For the next 3 weeks (March 8, 15 and 22):
US students have 2 sessions (March 15 and March 22, during the Irish students’ break)
Irish students have 1 session (March 8, during the US students’ break)
The schedule for the 3 weeks will be announced, but one session, the “extra” class for US students, that Irish students are welcome to attend, is this:
Case Studies: Bankers generally, and Wells Fargo in particular (optional for Irish students, but Irish students are welcome to come)
Carbone, Board Diversity: People or Pathways?
Hill & Painter, Better Banks, Better Bankers (Chapter 3)
Note that because the US will be on Daylight Savings Time and Ireland will not, the Irish time for this class will be at 1-3pm, not 2-4pm
Weeks 8-10, March 29, April 5, and April 12
These are the “application” classes. There will be several topics per class (depending on the nature of the topic, and on enrollment). I will assign a few readings that introduce the issue and the law and econ/behavioral law and econ perspectives; students’ assignments will include coming up with their own lists of readings. The broad topics will include some or all of the following; I will identify specific issues within these topics.
• Dealing with scarcity, for example:
o Of blood/organs
o During emergency periods
• Paternalism
o As rationale for regulation
(example: gambling? Heart Attack Grill?)
o Appraising approaches to paternalistic ends
• Other-regarding (altruistic) and future-regarding behavior
o By organizations
o By individuals
• Risk-taking
o Societal interest in level and type of risk
o Appraising approaches to encourage responsible risk-taking and discourage irresponsible risk-taking
• What should we do about diversity in business leadership and employee ranks and why?
• Is there an entitlement to merit goods?
o If so, what goods count as merit goods?
How best to provide them?
• What public services should be provided, and how?
Last class: CONCLUSION/recap
| Student Effort Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 24 |
| Autonomous Student Learning | 178 |
| Total | 202 |
Not applicable to this module.
| Description | Timing | Component Scale | % of Final Grade | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment: Written assignments in assigned topics with aggregate number of words per student being 5000, not including reading lists. | Throughout the Trimester | n/a | Graded | No | 65 |
| Continuous Assessment: Participation in discussion of assigned topics, including primary leading role in discussion of 1 topic and contributory role in discussion of 2 other topics, plus overall contrib to class discussion | Throughout the Trimester | n/a | Graded | No | 35 |
| Resit In | Terminal Exam |
|---|---|
| Autumn | No |
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
Written feedback on all assignments will be provided to students.