International Trade and Migration

This module introduces students to the economics of globalisation.

The module explores reasons why classical economists thought comparative advantage (or differences between countries) was the basis for international trade, when in the past few decades the bulk of international trade has been between very similar countries.

The effects of the growing importance of international trade will be studied, with a focus on recent trade agreements and their projected consequences.

The second part of the module considers one of the hottest topics in any country – immigration. The causes and effects of migration will be studied and data and policy analysis will be conducted to investigate the immigration regimes of some popular migrant destinations.

Course leader

Dr. Lorenzo Lotti

Target group

This is a level one module (equivalent to first year undergraduate). No prior subject knowledge is required, but students are expected to have a keen interest in the area and some competency reading graphs.

Course aim

Upon successful completion of this module, students will:

Have an understanding of the reasons why countries trade, and be able to analyse the effects of a particular trading agreement
Have gained the ability to use economic analysis to address one of the most controversial topics in today’s world: immigration
Have proficiency in accessing and using of real-world data to answer questions on globalisation
Have an understanding of how simple intuitive concepts can be used to analyse complicated economic issues
Have confidence using and producing multimedia resources for economic analysis