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References

Suggested Readings and Textbooks

The following texts form the core reading list for the course. They are referenced across modules and provide the conceptual foundations for the film-based discussions.

  1. Staley, S. R. (2018). Contemporary Film and Economics: Lights! Camera! Econ! The foundational text for the course's approach --- using feature films as a lens for economic analysis.

  2. Simpson, D. (2023). Striding with Economic Giants. Business Expert Press. Biographical sketches of the economists whose ideas shaped modern economics, paired with the Nobel Focus sections in each module.

  3. Wolfe, L. & Buckles, S. (2011). Easy Economics: A Visual Guide. An accessible, diagram-rich introduction to core economic concepts --- useful as a quick reference alongside module readings.

  4. Chang, H.-J. (2014). Economics: The User's Guide. A pluralist overview of the major schools of economic thought, written for a general audience. Excellent for understanding why economists disagree.

  5. van Staveren, I. (2015). Economics After The Crisis. A post-crisis introduction that brings institutional, post-Keynesian, and social economics perspectives into dialogue with the mainstream.

  6. Frank, R. H. (2011). The Economic Naturalist. Ebury Publishing. Short, puzzle-based essays that demonstrate how economic reasoning applies to everyday observations --- a model for the kind of thinking the course aims to develop.

  7. nobelprize.org --- nobelprize.org. Prize lectures, biographies, and popular science summaries for all Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences laureates. Used throughout the Nobel Focus sections.

  8. Langlois, R. N. Economics Through Film (ECON 1101). University of Connecticut. Course page. A pioneering film-based economics course pairing 12 films (including The Big Short, Moneyball, and Dr. Strangelove) with concepts from institutions and property rights to game theory and externalities. No textbook --- readings drawn from Smith, Keynes, and contemporary sources. A key inspiration for this course's film-first pedagogy.

Additional Resources (Calibre Library)

The following books are available in the course's digital library and provide supplementary reading across all six modules. They are not required, but students seeking deeper engagement with economic ideas will find them valuable.

  1. Yueh, Linda. What Would the Great Economists Do? Profiles of history's most influential economists and what their ideas mean for contemporary challenges.

  2. Wheelan, Charles. Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science. A lively, jargon-free introduction to how economies work, widely used as a gateway text.

  3. Varoufakis, Yanis. Talking to My Daughter About the Economy: A Brief History of Capitalism. A narrative-driven explanation of how market economies emerged and why they produce inequality.

  4. How Economics Should Be Done: Essays on the Art and Craft of Economics. Reflections on methodology and practice in economics.

  5. Komlos, John. Foundations of Real-World Economics: What Every Economics Student Needs to Know. A heterodox textbook that foregrounds real-world applications, behavioral insights, and policy relevance.

  6. Free, Rhona C. (ed.) 21st Century Economics: A Reference Handbook. A comprehensive reference covering major fields and debates in modern economics.

  7. The Nobel Memorial Laureates in Economics: An Introduction to Their Careers and Main Published Works. A reference guide to the laureates discussed in the Nobel Focus sections.

  8. Buchholz, Todd G. New Ideas from Dead Economists: An Introduction to Modern Economic Thought. An engaging intellectual history from Adam Smith to modern macroeconomics --- pairs well with the Economist Stories section.

  9. Sanders, Shane. The Economic Reason. Short essays on the logic of economic thinking, suitable for students encountering the discipline for the first time.

  10. Lewis, Hunter. Economics in Three Lessons & One Hundred Economic Laws. A concise summary of core economic principles organized around three foundational lessons.

  11. Landsburg, Steven E. Can You Outsmart an Economist? 100+ Puzzles to Train Your Brain. Puzzle-based economic reasoning --- an entertaining complement to the problem sets.

  12. Campbell, Rebecca. How to Teach Economics to Your Dog. An accessible, conversational introduction to economics using everyday examples.

  13. Leyden, Dennis Patrick. Thinking Critically in Economics. A guide to developing the analytical and argumentative skills needed for economic reasoning --- useful for the empirical project.