Course Description
Course Description The objective of this course is to introduce you to the basics of international trade and of the world financial system. We begin by examining motives for international trade and the benefits countries can realize from such trade. This includes identifying groups who may gain or lose when a country opens its borders to trade. Next we examine the effects of imposing tariffs and other barriers to free trade. Policy discussions will include the roles of NAFTA and the WTO and ongoing efforts to minimize trade barriers.

The second half of the course focuses on the world financial system. Topics here range from exchange rate determination to the IMF and the World Bank to the importance of international capital flows in the modern world economy. Our analysis will include both empirical and theoretical components. While the primary classroom format will be lectures, classroom discussions will occur regularly. Students are encouraged to find relevant articles on the internet or in the popular press and to come to class prepared to discuss assigned readings and homeworks.

Readings
The text for this course is International Economics by Steven Husted and Michael Melvin (5th Ed.), published by Addison Wesley Longman (2001)

Additional readings will be provided as the courses proceeds.

Prerequisites
Introduction to Macroeconomics (Econ 100) and Introduction to Microeconomics (Econ 101)