Cross-listed with PHIL362. Credit granted only for PHPE308Q or PHIL362.

Cross-listed with ECON298B and ISRL249O. Credit only granted for ISRL249O, ECON298B, or PHPE308U.

Between geopolitical strife and growing social divides, understanding what drives people's beliefs and behavior is more imperative than ever. In this interdisciplinary course, we will discuss and explore what Behavioral Economics can teach us about the psychological forces that shape and distort our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. We will learn about the psychological biases and illusions behind stories people tell about the world we live in, as well as how our environment unconsciously influences and guides our behavior. The course will also address the cultural and intellectual roots of Behavioral Economics. We will explore how cultural differences affect society, policy, and business. We will see how the ideas apply to narratives of modern Israel as well as the means of influencing behavior and thinking.

Credit only granted for PHPE401 or GVPT449E.

Cross-listed with PHIL438K. Credit granted only for PHPE408M or PHIL438K.

Immigration is a defining issue of our time, at the heart of political debates across the globe. The key question here is, should nations welcome more migrants or impose stricter border controls? The debates on this question often focus on empirical questions: how immigration affects wages, economic growth, and social well-being. But immigration also raises fundamental ethical and normative questions: Do states have a moral right to close their borders? Is there a human right to migrate? Or perhaps individuals have a moral duty to stay or to leave their home country? In this course we will explore the rich philosophical literature from recent decades on these and on related questions.

Cross-listed with PHIL438V. Credit granted only for PHPE408O or PHIL438V.

When friends disagree about where to go for dinner or citizens choose between political candidates, how should the group decide? This course investigates the theory behind voting and collective decision-making, examining different voting methods, surprising paradoxes that arise in elections, and fundamental results about what fair group decisions can and cannot achieve. No prior background in social choice theory is assumed, though familiarity with rational choice theory and/or game theory will be helpful (e.g., PHPE 400, GVPT 390, or introductory microeconomics).

Cross-listed with PHIL408J and PHIL408M. Credit granted only for PHPE408Z or PHIL408M or PHIL408J.