OVERVIEW

The teaching unit covers international economic relations, international trade, the processes of economic globalization, and economic policy interventions in foreign relations. It is part of the curriculum by providing an updated analytical framework for understanding international economic phenomena.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course illustrates the fundamental principles of international economics. Students are introduced to the theories with which to understand international trade patterns, examine trade policies, analyse the determinants of exchange rates and international financial crises, and address topical issues of international economic interdependence between states. The course also focuses on the history of the European Union and on the economic role of European institutions.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the teaching unit, students will be able to:
- Apply the main models of international trade to analyze real-world cases of exchanges between countries, using empirical data.
- Distinguish between different theories of international trade based on their underlying assumptions and assess their distributive effects at the country, sector, or factor of production level.
- Analyze trade policy strategies and related theories in relation to current cases, arguing for or against free trade.
- Understand and summarize popular articles, specialized press, and reports from international organizations analyzing trade measures adopted by countries, highlighting the main economic implications.
- Evaluate the most relevant phenomena in international trade in light of the economic and political forces driving globalization, formulating independent judgments.

PREREQUISITES

It is recommended to have attended the courses of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics before taking this teaching unit and its exam.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures and seminars. In-person lectures are integrated with case studies to reinforce the topics covered, illustrate their relevance in the real world, and provide important historical references.
Attendance is not compulsory, but strongly recommended.

Students with disabilities, SLD or SEN

Students with disabilities, with SLD or with SEN are reminded that, to request exam accommodations, they must first upload their certification to the University website at servizionline.unige.it<https://servizionline.unige.it/>, in the “Students” section. The documentation will be checked by the University’s Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with SLD.

At the beginning of the course, students are advised to contact the lecturer to agree on exam arrangements which, while respecting the learning objectives of the course, take individual learning needs into account.

To request compensatory tools or dispensatory measures, students with disabilities or SLD must fill in the dedicated Webform available athttps://unige.it/disabilita-dsa, at least 7 working days before the exam.

Students with SEN may instead send their request by e-mail to the lecturer, copying the Department Representative, Prof. Elena Lagomarsino, atinclusione.economia@unige.it<mailto:inclusione.economia@unige.it>, and the Inclusion Office atinclusione.studenti@info.unige.it<mailto:inclusione.studenti@info.unige.it>.

Requests from students will be assessed by the lecturer and may be approved or rejected.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course aims at providing students with a firm grasp of the theories of international trade and the theoretical tools required to interpret international economic relations in a context of globalization. In particular, the course covers the following topics:

Part One
Theory and Policy of International Trade
The historical evolution of international trade
International trade and technology: the Ricardian model
Trade and resources: the Heckscher–Ohlin model, the Stolper-Samuelson model, the Rybczynski model
International mobility of labor and capital
Increasing returns to scale and imperfect competition
Tariffs and import quotas under perfect and imperfect competition
Export subsidies
International trade agreements

Part Two
International Monetary Economics
The use of money in international transactions
The evolution of the international monetary system
The equilibrium exchange rate
Exchange rate arrangements
Currency crises
The European Monetary Union
The transmission of monetary policy in open economies

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference textbook: Giuseppe De Arcangelis (2024), Economia Internazionale, McGraw-Hill.
Teaching material provided by the instructor during lectures.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lectures will be given in the second semester.
 

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The assessment of students' knowledge acquisition will be conducted through a written exam, which may replace all or part of the oral exam. Any changes will be announced in class and/or on Aulaweb.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written exam aims to assess the student's actual knowledge and acquisition of the basic theoretical concepts addressed during the course and their ability to analyze the economic problems studied. Through general theoretical questions, it will be verified whether the student is able to:
- identify and define economic concepts using appropriate technical language;
- reason independently using the conceptual models studied during the course. The student must demonstrate an understanding of the importance and meaning of the topics covered by discussing in depth the relevant modeling frameworks. The evaluation criteria adopted for the exam will be explained during the course, published on Aulaweb, and made available at the examination session.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The program of the course is the same for attending and non-attending students.
Any additional information will be provided during lectures and on Aulaweb.