The global economy is driven by a complex and evolving mix of institutions and individuals, and the incentives, rules and external trends that both bound and drive their actions. In this class, we cover the main players and frameworks in the global economy and how they interact to make things happen. The course includes an overview of:

The current wealth of countries, and trends

Who is who in the global economy

Central banking and money

Domestic policy and international economics

Trade and trade agreements

International payments

Investments and investor behavior, the money chasers that make it all happen

Economic growth and development

We then look at a series of “big trends,” both inside and outside of economics, that are currently and likely to continue to shape the global economy. These include topics such as: demographic shifts, increasing virtualization, shifts in returns to labor and capital, trends in interest rates, emerging market, and responses to global ecological concerns.

The course has a strong focus on analysis and discussion of current and recent global economic events.

Instructor: Andrew Vonnegut