Fall 2025

Below are links to articles on the reading list that are available on-line through the Syracuse University library or in Blackboard. The articles are organized by subject, as on the syllabus.

Because these articles are made available through the SU library, they are only available to SU students. If you are using a computer on campus, the links will take you directly to the article. If you are off-campus, you will be taken to a sign-in page so that you can access library materials remotely.

Introduction
Irwin, Neil, “How Much is a C.E.O. Worth? America’s Confused Approach to Pay,” The New York Times, August 6, 2015, B5.

Kolata, Gina, “Tiny Heart Devices Reduce Death Rate, But Cost is Concern,” The New York Times, March 20, 2002, A1, A26.

Supply and Demand
Brooks, David, “Do Markets Work in Health Care?” The New York Times, January 13, 2017, A27.

Porter, Eduardo, “Rationing Health Care More Fairly,” The New York Times, August 22, 2012, B1, B2.

“Can’t live with them…,” The Economist, June 28, 2025, 64-65.

“Never a bargain,” The Economist, June 29, 2019, 23.

“Palm roiled,” The Economist, May 7, 2022, 57

Applications of Supply and Demand
Davis, Lucas “More Good News for EV Buyers,” Energy Institute Blog, October 16, 2023

Fowlie, Meredith “Tariff Trial and Error in the Solar Energy Sector,” Energy Institute Blog, August 4, 2025.

Mariani, John, “Gas tax cap comes off, but so what?” Syracuse Post-Standard, June 8, 2008, B1, B3.

“Counting costs,” The Economist, April 12, 2025, 60.
“Field work,” The Economist, April 13, 2013, 43-44.

“Giving the thumbs up,” The Economist, September 9, 2023, 53-55.

“In a fix,” The Economist, January 11, 2020, 58-59.

“Levying the land,” The Economist, June 29, 2013, 69.

“Too damned high,” The Economist, August 27, 2022, 20.

Consumer Behavior: An Introduction to the Concept of Utility
Frank, Robert H., “Economic Scene: Of Hockey Players and Housing Prices,” The New York Times, October 27, 2005, C2.

“Economic focus: Stomach staples,” The Economist, March 26, 2011.

Consumer Behavior: Maximizing Utility
“BOGOF bobbies,” The Economist, December 17, 2016, 50.

“Money where your mouth is,” The Economist, November 10, 2013, 41-42.

“Feeding expectations,” The Economist, February 22, 2014, 63.

Applications of Consumer Theory
“Fat is a fiscal-policy issue,” The Economist, October 7, 2017, 71.

“Poor behaviour,” The Economist, December 6, 2014, 88.

“Reasonable doubt,” The Economist, October 14, 2017, 68.

Brooks, David “The Nudge Debate,” The New York Times, August 9, 2013, A17.

Jack, Kelsey, “Do Monthly Bills Undermine the Impact of Carbon Pricing?” Our 2 Cents Blog, July 10, 2019.

Thaler, Richard H. 2018. “From Cashews to Nudges: The Evolution of Behavioral Economics,” American Economic Review 108(6): 1265-1287 (optional).

Production
No assigned reading

Costs of Production
“Land of the corporate giants,” The Economist, November 3, 2012, 76.

The Behavior of Firms Under Perfect Competition: Profit Maximization and the Derivation of the Supply Curve
Porter, Eduardo, “A Stock Windfall for Titans, A Debacle for Everyone Else,” The New York Times, February 14, 2018, B1, B4.

Porter, Eduardo, “Job Licenses in Spotlight as Uber Rises,” The New York Times, January 28, 2015, B1, B5.

Varian, Hal R., “Economic Scene: Why Old Media and Tom Cruise Should Worry About Cheaper Technology,” The New York Times, C3, October 19, 2006.

Wei, Lingling and Jason Douglas, “China’s Exports Squeeze Businesses Worldwide,” The Wall Street Journal, A1, August 24, 2024.

“Rules for fools,” The Economist, May 14, 2011, 84.

Perfect Competition and Economic Welfare
Kenny, Charles, “Trickle Down Economics,” Foreign Policy, December 5, 2011.

Porter, Eduardo, “The Risks of Cheap Water,” The New York Times, October 15, 2014, B1, B6.

The Effects of Market Power: Monopolies
Borenstein, Severin “The Little Utility that Could,” Energy Institute Blog, November 8, 2021.

Schultz, Joe, “We Energies says electric rates for data centers should cover infrastructure costs in Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Public Radio, April 4, 2025.

“Internet monopoly,” The Economist, October 21, 2023, 65.

The Role of Government
Borenstein, Severin, “Stabilizing Utilities in an Unstable Climate” Energy Institute at Hass blog, January 22, 2019.

Porter, Eduardo, “When Public Outperforms Private in Services ,” The New York Times, January 16, 2013, B1, B6.

Sorkin, Aaron Ross, “Price Gouging Can Aid Victims? Why Some Economists Say Yes,” The New York Times, September 12, 2017, B1, B6.

Tankersley, Jim and Jeanna Smialek, “Harris Plans a Gouging Ban, But the Issue is Complicated,” The New York Times, August 16, 2024, A16.

“Death may be certain,” The Economist, May 17, 2025, 67.

“Signal failure,” The Economist, April 11, 2020, 56-57.

“The unstuck middle,” The Economist, January 21, 2023, 19-20.

“The voice of public choice,” The Economist, January 19, 2013, 76.

“The worth of nations,” The Economist, May 5, 2018, 72.

Public Goods
Campo-Flores, Arian, “The Next Red-Blue State Split: EV Taxes,” The Wall Street Journal, March 8, 2024, A3.

Nixon, Ron, “Agreement on Interstate Repair Needs, but Not on How to Pay for Them,” The New York Times, April 4, 2014, A13.

Wolfers, Justin, “Unusual Flavor of G.O.P. Primary Illustrates a Famous Paradox,” The New York Times, May 10, 2016, A3.

“The price of jam,” The Economist, August 5, 2017, 45-46.

Externalities
Wald, Matthew L., “Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions, Study Says,” The New York Times, October 20, 2009, A16.

“The lives of others,” The Economist, August 19, 2017, 58-59.

“Taxes of sin,” The Economist, July 28, 2018, 44-45.

Other Market Failures
“Rainy-day funds needed,” The Economist, April 22, 2023, 77.

“Secrets and agents,” The Economist, July 23, 2016, 55-56.

“Uninsurable America”, The Economist, September 23, 2023, 23-24.

Cost-Benefit Analysis
Dudley, Susan et al. (2017), “Consumer’s Guide to Regulatory Impact Analysis: Ten Tips for Being an Informed Policymaker,” Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, 1-18.

Vining, Aidan R. and Weimer, David L., “The Application of Cost-Benefit Analysis to Social Policy,” La Follette Policy Report, 19(2), Spring 2010, pp. 1-4.(available in Blackboard)

Carroll, Aaron E., “Forbidden Topic in Health Policy Debate: Cost Effectiveness,” The New York Times: The Upshot Blog, December 16, 2014.

Frakt, Austin, “Fighting Over Chores? Spend Money, Save the Marriage,” The New York Times: The Upshot Blog, April 2, 2018.

Pear, Robert, “New Laws Now Evaluated by Job Creation,” The New York Times, January 3, 2012, A16.

Wald, Matthew L, “Energy Dept. Said to Err on Coal Project,” The New York Times, March 11, 2009.

Prest, Brian, “Discounting 101” Resources for the Future, January 6, 2020.

Weinder, Mark, ““Builders balk at proposal to require home fire sprinklers. The plan comes as building costs have been on the rise.” Syracuse Post-Standard, December 22, 2024, A1.

Discussion and Final Thoughts
Casselman, Ben, “Economists See Influence Wane In Policy Circles,” The New York Times, January 12, 2025, BU1.

Kiernan, Paul, “Voters, Economists Diverge on Policy,” The Wall Street Journal, September 23, 2024, A4.