Fall 2026
Below are links to articles on the reading list that are available on-line through the Syracuse University library. 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
DePillis, Lydia, “The Mysteries of Tokenomics,” The New York Times, August 5, 2026, B1.
“Silicon seiling,” The Economist, May 2, 2026, 52-53.
Supply and Demand
Brooks, David, “Do Markets Work in Health Care?” The New York Times, January 13, 2017, A27.
“Can’t live with them…,” The Economist, June 28, 2025, 64-65.
“Palm roiled,” The Economist, May 7, 2022, 57
“Treating an ailing market,” The Economist, March 14, 2026, 23.
Applications of Supply and Demand
Davis, Lucas “More Good News for EV Buyers,” Energy Institute Blog, October 16, 2023.
Mariani, John, “Gas tax cap comes off, but so what?” Syracuse Post-Standard, June 8, 2008, B1, B3.
Swanson, Ana, “The Effects of Tariffs are Muted” The New York Times, January 5, 2026, B1.
“Counting costs,” The Economist, April 12, 2025, 60.
“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.
“Smoke and mirrors,” The Economist, November 1, 2025, 68.
“Too damned high,” The Economist, August 27, 2022, 20.
“The white stuff,” The Economist, August 16, 2025, 28-29.
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
“Money where your mouth is,” The Economist, November 10, 2013, 41-42.
“Feeding expectations,” The Economist, February 22, 2014, 63.
“BOGOF bobbies,” The Economist, December 17, 2016, 50.
Applications of Consumer Theory
“Poor behaviour,” The Economist, December 6, 2014, 88.
“Fat is a fiscal-policy issue,” The Economist, October 7, 2017, 71.
“Reasonable doubt,” The Economist, October 14, 2017, 68.
Brooks, David “The Nudge Debate,” The New York Times, August 9, 2013, A17.
Production
No assigned reading
Costs of Production
Valbuena, Audrey, Justin Lahart, and Te-Ping Chen, “Economists Weigh in on the Future of Work and AI,” The Wall Street Journal (Online), June 9, 2026. (NOTE: SU students can obtain free digital access to WSJ resources following the instructions here.
“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, “Job Licenses in Spotlight as Uber Rises,” The New York Times, January 28, 2015, B1, B5.
“Food fight,” The Economist, July 25, 2026, 58.
“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.
“Internet monopoly,” The Economist, October 21, 2023, 65.
The Role of Government
Borenstein, Severin, “Stabilizing Utilities in an Unstable Climate” Energy Institute Blog, January 22, 2019.
“Death may be certain,” The Economist, May 17, 2025, 67.
“A guide to redistributing AI wealth,” The Economist, June 13, 2026, 83.
“The Robin Hood State,” The Economist, February 21, 2026, 51-53.
“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.
“The price of jam,” The Economist, August 5, 2017, 45-46.
“Turnspike,” The Economist, December 20, 2025, 24.
Externalities
Wald, Matthew L., “Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions, Study Says,” The New York Times, October 20, 2009, A16.
“Taxes of sin,” The Economist, July 28, 2018, 44-45.
“The lives of others,” The Economist, August 19, 2017, 58-59.
Other Market Failures
“Cold-blooded analysis,” The Economist, December 6, 2025, 69.
“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)
Pear, Robert, “New Laws Now Evaluated by Job Creation,” The New York Times, January 3, 2012, A16.
Prest, Brian, “Discounting 101” Resources for the Future, January 6, 2020.
Wald, Matthew L, “Energy Dept. Said to Err on Coal Project,” The New York Times, March 11, 2009.
Discussion and Final Thoughts
Casselman, Ben, “Economists See Influence Wane In Policy Circles,” The New York Times, January 12, 2025, BU1.