Search result: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2018

GESS Science in Perspective Information
Only the topics listed in this paragraph can be chosen as "GESS Science in Perspective" course.
Further below you will find the "type B courses Reflections about subject specific methods and content" as well as the language courses.

6 ECTS need to be acquired during the BA and 2 ECTS during the MA

Students who already took a course within their main study program are NOT allowed to take the course again.

These course units are also listed under "Type A", which basically means all students can enroll
Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence
Students who already took a course within their main study program are NOT allowed to take the course again.
Economics
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
851-0252-04LBehavioral Studies Colloquium Information Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 50.
W2 credits2KM. Kapur, H.‑D. Daniel, D. Helbing, C. Hölscher, R. Schubert, C. Stadtfeld, E. Stern, E. Ziegler
AbstractThis colloquium offers an opportunity for students to discuss their ongoing research and scientific ideas in the behavioral sciences, both at the micro- and macro-levels of cognitive, behavioral and social science. It also offers an opportunity for students from other disciplines to discuss their research ideas in relation to behavioral science. The colloquium also features invited research talks.
ObjectiveStudents know and can apply autonomously up-to-date investigation methods and techniques in the behavioral sciences. They achieve the ability to develop their own ideas in the field and to communicate their ideas in oral presentations and in written papers. The credits will be obtained by a written report of approximately 10 pages.
ContentThis colloquium offers an opportunity for students to discuss their ongoing research and scientific ideas in the behavioral sciences, both at the micro- and macro-levels of cognitive, behavioral and social science. It also offers an opportunity for students from other disciplines to discuss their ideas in so far as they have some relation to behavioral science. The possible research areas are wide and may include theoretical as well as empirical approaches in Social Psychology and Research on Higher Education, Sociology, Modeling and Simulation in Sociology, Decision Theory and Behavioral Game Theory, Economics, Research on Learning and Instruction, Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Science. Ideally the students (from Bachelor, Master, Ph.D. and Post-Doc programs) have started to start work on their thesis or on any other term paper.
Course credit can be obtained either based on a talk in the colloquium plus a written essay, or by writing an essay about a topic related to one of the other talks in the course. Students interested in giving a talk should contact the course organizers (Ziegler, Kapur) before the first session of the semester. Priority will be given to advanced / doctoral students for oral presentations. The course credits will be obtained by a written report of approximately 10 pages. The colloquium also serves as a venue for invited talks by researchers from other universities and institutions related to behavioral and social sciences.
851-0157-75LBehavioral Insights for Environmental and Public Policy Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 24

Particularly suitable for students D-MTEC, D-USYS
W2 credits2VJ. Schmitz, C. Ghesla, M. Grieder, V. Tiefenbeck
AbstractThe course provides an introduction to behavioral environmental economics, and highlights the importance of understanding human behavior and psychology for tackling current environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution or new technology adoption. We discuss recent scientific evidence on topics such as public goods, risk perception, heuristics and biases, impatience, or "nudging".
ObjectiveAt the end of the course, students understand the importance of economic and psychological forces for determining environmentally relevant decisions of consumers and citizens. Students will learn about the existing scientific evidence regarding the most important behavioral forces and have a good understanding of their consequences for environmental outcomes, and what it means to design effective public policies or marketing strategies that take these behavioral forces into account. Students will also learn the basics of how to use experimental methods to scientifically test the effectiveness of potential policy interventions or marketing strategies targeted at changing people's behavior in a pro-environmental way.
851-0609-04LThe Energy Challenge - The Role of Technology, Business and Society Information
Prerequisites: Knowledge in Economics and Environmental Issues is obligatory.
Particularly suitable for students D-BAUG, ITET, MAVT, USYS
W2 credits2VR. Schubert, T. Schmidt, J. Schmitz, B. Steffen
AbstractIn recent years, energy security, risks, access and availability are important issues. Strongly redirecting and accelerating technological change on a sustainable low-carbon path is essential. The transformation of current energy systems into sustainable ones is not only a question of technology but also of the goals and influences of important actors like business, politics and society.
ObjectiveIn this course different options of sustainable energy systems like fossile energies, nuclear energy or all sorts of renewable energies are explained and discussed. The students should be able to understand and identify advantages and disadvantages of the different technological options and discuss their relevance in the business as well as in the societal context.
Lecture notesMaterials will be made available on the electronic learning platform: Link
LiteratureMaterials will be made available on the electronic learning platform: Link
Prerequisites / NoticeVarious lectures from different disciplines.
851-0636-00LEconomics II
Does not take place this semester.
W2 credits2G
AbstractThe course in economics extends over two semesters. The focus during the winter term is on the introduction to economic theory and thought. These considerations provide the fundamental requirements for the analysis of land, habitation and space from an economic perspective in the summer term.
Objective
ContentThe course in economics extends over two semesters. The focus during the Fall term is on an introduction to economic thought. These considerations provide the fundamental requirements for the economic analysis of land, housing and urban markets in the following Spring term.

The Fall semester focuses on the economic way of thinking. We shall discover why A. Marshall defined economics as "a study of mankind in the ordinary business of life". The course introduces the student to the "big questions" in economics, such as the concept of rationality and its limits, factors driving supply and demand, the working of markets, the importance of the price system and the reasons why markets may fail.

There are many interactions between economic and social phenomena on the one hand, and the built environment on the other. Our knowledge of the fundamental economic principles will allow us to understand the workings of the housing, land, credit and real estate markets - markets of fundamental importance for the future architect. We consider questions such as: which are the major problems of the land market? Which factors determine the price of land? What are the economic drivers that shape the form of our cities? Which are the primary difficulties in designing a reasonable housing policy.
Finally, the courses discusses the main determinants of real estate investment -- both its risks and its opportunities.
860-0013-00LPolitical Economy
Prerequisite: An introductory course in Economics is required to sign up for this course.
W3 credits2VJ.‑E. Sturm, V. Eichenauer
AbstractThis course takes incentives of politicians into account to form a better understanding of the formation of policy and the role of different political institutions in shaping economic policy.
ObjectiveIn principles courses of economics, the functioning of markets and ways in which the government can shape and influence are discussed. The implicit assumption thereby is that the government will act in the interest of society at large. This course takes incentives of politicians into account to thereby form a better understanding of the formation of policy and the role of different political institutions in shaping economic policy. The course will consist of three blocks. In the first, the basic issues and the tools of modelling political equilibria will be discussed. These will subsequently be used to look into redistributive policies. The focus thereby is on how the interplay between democratic institutions and self-seeking individuals, lobby groups, and parties determines the degree of redistribution in a society. By taking also intertemporal issues into account, the third part allows us to analyse public debt levels, pensions, capital taxation and economic growth.
Prerequisites / NoticeAn introductory course in Economics is required to sign up for this course.
363-0532-00LEconomics of Sustainable DevelopmentW3 credits2VL. Bretschger
AbstractConcepts and indicators of sustainable development, paradigms of weak and strong sustainability;
neoclassical and endogenous growth models;
pollution, environmental policy and growth;
role of substitution possibilities and technological progress;
Environmental Kuznets Curve: concept, theory and empirical results;
economic growth in the presence of exhaustible and renewable resources.
ObjectiveThe aim is to develop an understanding of the implications of sustainable development for the long-run development of economies. It is to be shown to which extent the potential for growth to be sustainable depends on substitution possibilities, technological change and environmental policy.
ContentThe lecture introduces different concepts and paradigms of sustainable development. Building on this foundation and following a general introduction to the modelling of economic growth, conditions for growth to be sustainable in the presence of pollution and scarce natural resources are derived. Special attention is devoted to the scope for substitution and role of technological progress in overcoming resource scarcities. Implications of environmental externalities are regarded with respect to the design of environmental policies.
Concepts and indicators of sustainable development, paradigms of weak and strong sustainability, sustainability optimism vs. pessimism;
introduction to neoclassical and endogenous growth models;
pollution, environmental policy and growth;
role of substitution possibilities and technological progress;
Environmental Kuznets Curve: concept, theory and empirical results;
economic growth in the presence of exhaustible and renewable resources, Hartwick rule, resource saving technological change.
Lecture notesWill be provided successively in the course of the semester.
LiteratureBretschger, F. (1999), Growth Theory and Sustainable Development, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Bretschger, L. (2004), Wachstumstheorie, Oldenbourg, 3. Auflage, München.

Perman, R., Y. Ma, J. McGilvray and M. Common (2003), Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, Longman , 3d ed., Essex.

Neumayer, E. (2003), Weak and Strong Sustainability, 2nd ed., Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
363-0564-00LEntrepreneurial RisksW3 credits2GD. Sornette
Abstract-General introduction to the different dimensions of risks with
emphasis on entrepreneurial, financial and social risks.

-Development of the concepts and tools to understand these risks,
control and master them.

-Decision making and risks; human cooperation and risks
ObjectiveWe live a in complex world with many nonlinear
negative and positive feedbacks. Entrepreneurship is one of
the leading human activity based on innovation to create
new wealth and new social developments. This course will
analyze the risks (upside and downside) associated with
entrepreneurship and more generally human activity
in the firms, in social networks and in society.
The goal is to present what we believe are the key concepts
and the quantitative tools to understand and manage risks.
An emphasis will be on large and extreme risks, known
to control many systems, and which require novel ways
of thinking and of managing. We will examine the questions
of (i) how much one can manage and control these risks,
(ii) how these actions may feedback positively or negatively
and (iii) how to foster human cooperation for the creation
of wealth and social well-being.

Depending on the number of students and of the interest, the exam
will consist in a project, one for each student or in small groups,
focused on the application of the concepts and tools developed in this
class to problems of practical use to the students in their varied fields.
The choice of the subjects will be jointly decided by the
students and the professor.
ContentThis content is not final and is subjected to change
and adaptation during the development of the course
in order to take into account feedbacks from the
students and participants to the course.

1- Risks in the firm and in entrepreneurship
-What is risk? The four levels.
-Conceptual and technical tools
-Introduction to three different concepts of probability
-Useful notions of probability theory
(Frequentist versus Bayesian approach,
the central limit theorem and its generalizations, extreme value theory)
-Where are the risks for firms? Downside and upside
-Diversification and market risks

2-The world of power law risks
-Stable laws
-power laws and beyond
-calculation tools
-scale invariance, fractal and multifractals
-mechanisms for power laws
-Examples in the corporate, financial and social worlds

3-Risks emerging from collective self-organization
-concept of bottom-up self-organization
-bifurcations, theory of catastrophes, phase transitions
-predictability
-the hierarchical approach to understanding self-organization

4-Measures of risks
-coherent and consistent measures of risks
-origin of risks
-dependence structure of risks
-measures of dependence and of extreme dependences
-introduction to copulas

5-Conceptual and mathematical models of risk processes
-self-excited point processes of economic and financial shocks
-agent-based models applied to collective emergent behavior
in organization of firms and societies and their risks

6-Endogenous versus exogenous origins of crises
-mild crises versus wild catastrophes: black swans and kings
-the dynamics of commercial sales
-the dynamics of Youtube views and internet downloads
-the dynamics of risks in the financial markets
-strategic management and extreme risks

7-Why do markets burst and crash?
-collective behavior, imitation and herding
-humans as social animals and consequence of risks
-bubbles and crashes in human affairs, innovation, new technologies

8-Limits of predictability, of control and of management
-the phenomenon of ``illusion of control''
-the world is a whole: irreducible risks from lack of diversification
-intrinsic limits of predictability
-the concept of pockets of predictability

9-Human-made risks
-political, financial, economics, natural risks
-elements on theories of decision making
-Human cooperation and its lack thereof, mechanisms and design
Lecture notesThe lecture notes will be distributed a the beginning of
each lecture.
LiteratureI will use elements taken from my books

-D. Sornette
Critical Phenomena in Natural Sciences,
Chaos, Fractals, Self-organization and Disorder: Concepts and Tools,
2nd ed. (Springer Series in Synergetics, Heidelberg, 2004)

-Y. Malevergne and D. Sornette
Extreme Financial Risks (From Dependence to Risk Management)
(Springer, Heidelberg, 2006).

-D. Sornette,
Why Stock Markets Crash
(Critical Events in Complex Financial Systems),
(Princeton University Press, 2003)

as well as from a variety of other sources, which will be
indicated to the students during each lecture.
Prerequisites / Notice-A deep curiosity and interest in asking questions and in attempting to
understand and manage the complexity of the corporate, financial
and social world

-quantitative skills in mathematical analysis and algebra
for the modeling part.
363-1039-00LIntroduction to Negotiation Information W3 credits2GM. Ambühl, T. Langenegger
AbstractThe course combines different lecture formats to provide students with both the theoretical background and the practical appreciation of negotiation. A core element of the course is an introduction to the concept of negotiation engineering.
ObjectiveStudents learn to understand and to identify different negotiation situations, analyze specific cases, and discuss respective negotiation approaches based on important negotiation methods (i.a. Game Theory, Harvard Method).
ContentThe course combines different lecture formats to provide students with both the theoretical background and the practical appreciation of negotiation. A core element is an introduction to the concept of negotiation engineering. The course covers a brief overview of different negotiation approaches, different categories of negotiations, selected negotiation models, as well as in-depth discussions of real-world case studies on international negotiations involving Switzerland. Students learn to deconstruct specific negotiation situations, to differentiate key aspects and to develop and apply a suitable negotiation approach based on important negotiation methods.
LiteratureThe list of relevant references will be distributed in the beginning of the course.
363-1050-00LSimulation of Negotiations: Ukraine-Russia-European Union Relations Restricted registration - show details
Does not take place this semester.
W3 credits3VM. Ambühl
AbstractThe Global Studies Institute (University of Geneva) is organizing a simulation seminar on Ukraine-Russia-European Union relations in collaboration with SciencesPo Paris and the Chair of Negotiation and Conflict Management (ETH).
ObjectiveStudents will have the possibility to participate in simulated diplomatic negotiations and to analyse and assess the negotiation logic behind the situation. During the course, they should gain insight in the relations between Ukraine, Russia and the European Union as well as on negotiation techniques in general.

The simulation is conducted in collaboration with experts and students during a two days seminar at the University of Geneva.
ContentIn the lectures, students will be provided with basic information on the relations between Ukraine, Russia and the European Union. The historical, political and socio-economic dimensions of these relations, including the various treaties and existing agreements and their evolution will be analyzed. Students will as well participate in an introduction on negotiation techniques, particularly on the negotiation engineering approach. On the basis of the comprehensive analysis, negotiation scenarii will be developed and subsequently tested during a two-day simulation exercise. The simulation exercise will be prepared with the help of experienced negotiators and experts.

The simulation exercise is intended for Masters degree and PhD students. The course will be taught in English. The project is headed by Prof. Micheline Calmy-Rey, Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva.

More details on the program, timetable, reading lists and performance assessment will be published here (ETH-login needed):
Link

Students from ETH Zurich and Sciences Po will participate in the seminar sessions via video conferencing. They will come to Geneva for the session scheduled on 31 March and for the simulation exercise on 18 and 19 May 2017.

Dates/Time/Location
GE = University of Geneva;
VC = Video conference (ETH main building: HG D22)

21 February | 10:15-12:00 | 1. Indroductory session (VC)
28 February | 10:15-12:00 | 2. The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (VC)
7 March | 10:15-12:00 | 3. Implementation of the Minsk Protocol: security dimension (VC)
14 March | 10:15-12:00 | 4. Implementation of the Minsk Protocol: humanitarian aspects (VC)
21 March | 10:15-12:00 | 5. Implementation of the Minsk Protocol: political dimension, position of the separatist group (VC)
31 March | 10:30-17:30 | 6. Introduction to negotiation techniques and discussion on the modalities of the simulation and the set-up of the negotiation tables (GE, Uni Dufour, room 408)
4 April | 10:15-12:00 | 7. Implementation of the Minsk Protocol: political dimension, position of the European Union (VC)
11 April | 10:15-12:00 | 8. Preparation of the negotiation tables (VC)
18 May, 10:00-19:30; 19. May, 8:30 - 19:00 | 9. Simulation of negotiations (GE)
23 May 2017 | 10:15-12:00 | 10. Debriefing (VC)

In preparation of the simulation, students will prepare a half-page summary of their negotiation mandate and draft brief statements, if possible in collaboration with the permanent missions of the respective countries. After the simulation, a report and a press release have to be submitted by 23 May 2017.
(Technical note for registration: At this stage all registered students are on the waiting list)
Prerequisites / NoticeEvaluation:

I. Active participation in class (50%)

1. Attend all seminar sessions either in person or via videoconference and actively participate in discussions. If you cannot attend a session, please notify the teaching assistant in advance. In case of excessive absences, credit points will be reduced;
2. Participate in person in the session of 31 March 2017 and in the two-day simulation exercise (18 and 19 May);
3. Do the required readings and regularly read international newspapers (e.g. Financial Times, The New York Times, The Economist, NZZ).

II. Texts to be submitted before, during and after the simulation (50%)

1. Before the simulation: students will prepare a 4-5 pages summary of their negotiating mandate, including a summary of the position of all the parties (group evaluation). The negotiation mandate should not be longer than 5 pages and should be submitted by April 24.
2. During the simulation: students draft and present an introductory and final statement (group evaluation).
3. After the simulation: a report on the negotiation outcomes to the Organization, State or region they represent (3-4 pages) and a press release (max. 1 page) have to be submitted by 23 May 2017. The report and press release are individually evaluated.
364-0576-00LAdvanced Sustainability Economics Information
PhD course, open for MSc students
W3 credits2GL. Bretschger
AbstractThe course covers current resource and sustainability economics, including ethical foundations of sustainability, intertemporal optimisation in capital-resource economies, sustainable use of non-renewable and renewable resources, pollution dynamics, population growth, and sectoral heterogeneity. A final part is on empirical contributions, e.g. the resource curse, energy prices, and the EKC.
ObjectiveUnderstanding of the current issues and economic methods in sustainability research; ability to solve typical problems like the calculation of the growth rate under environmental restriction with the help of appropriate model equations.
351-0578-00LIntroduction to Economic Policy Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 100.
W2 credits2VH. Mikosch
AbstractFirst approach to the theory of economic policy.
ObjectiveFirst approach to the theory of economic policy. General understanding from economic policy mechanism.
ContentWirtschaftspolitik ist die Gesamtheit aller Massnahmen von staatlichen Institutionen mit denen das Wirtschaftsgeschehen geregelt und gestaltet wird. Die Vorlesung bietet einen ersten Zugang zur Theorie der Wirtschaftspolitik.

Gliederung der Vorlesung:

1.) Wohlfahrtsökonomische Grundlagen: Wohlfahrtsfunktion, Pareto-Optimalität, Wirtschaftspolitik als Mittel-Zweck-Analyse u.a.

2.) Wirtschaftsordnungen: Geplante und ungeplante Ordnung
3.) Wettbewerb und Effizienz: Hauptsätze der Wohlfahrtsökonomik, Effizienz von Wettbewerbsmärkten
4.) Wettbewerbspolitik: Sicherstellung einer wettbewerblichen Ordnung

Gründe für Marktversagen:
5.) Externe Effekte
6.) Öffentliche Güter
7.) Natürliche Monopole
8.) Informationsasymmetrien
9.) Anpassungskosten
10.) Irrationalität

11.) Wirtschaftspolitik und Politische Ökonomie

Die Vorlesung beinhaltet Anwendungsbeispiele und Exkurse, um eine Verbindung zwischen Theorie und Praxis der Wirtschaftspolitik herzustellen. Z. B. Verteilungseffekte von wirtschaftspolitischen Massnahmen, Kartellpolitik am Ölmarkt, Internalisierung externer Effekte durch Emissionshandel, moralisches Risiko am Finanzmarkt, Nudging, zeitinkonsistente Präferenzen im Bereich der Gesundheitspolitik
Lecture notesNein.
701-0758-00LEcological Economics: Introduction with Focus on Growth CriticsW2 credits2VI. Seidl
AbstractStudents become acquainted with the basics / central questions / analyses of Ecological Economics. Thereby, central will be the topic of economic growth. What are the positions of Ecological Economics in this regard? What are the theories and concepts to found this position in general and in particular economic areas (e.g. resource consumption, efficiency, consumption, labour market, enterprises)?
ObjectiveBecome acquainted with basics and central questions of Ecological Economics (EE): e.g. 'pre-analytic vision', field of discipline, development EE, contributions of involved disciplines such as ecology or political sciences, ecological-economic analysis of topics such as labour market, consumption, money. Critical analysis of growth and learning about approaches to reduce growth pressures.
ContentWhat is Ecological Economics
Field of the discipline and basics
Resource consumption, its development and measurements
Measurement of economic activity and welfare
Economic growth, growth critics and post-growth society
Consumption, Money, Enterprises, labour market and growth pressures
Starting points for a post-growth society
Lecture notesNo Script. Slides and texts will be provided beforehand.
LiteratureDaly, H. E. / Farley, J. (2004). Ecological Economics. Principles and Applications. Washington, Island Press.

Seidl, I. /Zahrnt A. (2010). Postwachstumsgesellschaft, Marburg, Metropolis.

Ausgewählte wissenschaftliche Artikel.
Prerequisites / NoticeParticipation in a lecture on environmental economics or otherwise basic knowledge of economics (e.g. A-Level)
751-1500-00LDevelopment EconomicsW3 credits2VI. Günther, K. Harttgen, C. Humphrey
AbstractIntroduction into basic theoretical and empirical aspects of economic development. Prescriptive theory of economic policy for poverty reduction.
ObjectiveStudents are able to
- critically discuss economic questions in the context of developing countries
- critically discuss policy recommendations for economic development.
Content- measurement of development, poverty and inequality,
- development theories
- trade and development
- education, health, population and development
- states and institutions
- fiscal,monetary- and exchange rate policies
- economic policies for economic growth and poverty reduction
Lecture notesNone.
LiteratureD. Perkins, S. Radelet, D. Lindauer, S. Block (2012): Economics of Development. 7th Edition, W. W. Norton, New York and London.
Prerequisites / NoticeRequirement: Introduction to economics. Questions of economics of development aid will be covered in the fall course.
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