Course Information
Course title
The Economics of Networks 
Semester
110-2 
Designated for
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES  GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS  
Instructor
 
Curriculum Number
ECON5150 
Curriculum Identity Number
323 U1730 
Class
 
Credits
2.0 
Full/Half
Yr.
Half 
Required/
Elective
Elective 
Time
Tuesday 6,7(13:20~15:10) 
Remarks
Restriction: juniors and beyond OR Restriction: MA students and beyond OR Restriction: Ph. D students
The upper limit of the number of students: 20. 
Ceiba Web Server
http://ceiba.ntu.edu.tw/1102ECON5150_ 
Course introduction video
 
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Course Syllabus
Please respect the intellectual property rights of others and do not copy any of the course information without permission
Course Description

Social networks provide opportunities for individuals in spreading information, such as the experience sharing of a new product. They facilitate the job search, such as the referrals are often used in the process matching labors and firms. They also influence the collective actions, as we may influence our friends’ political inclinations as well as their voting behaviors. This course provides several game-theoretic models that intends to understand the interaction between social networks and economic behaviors.

This course is theory-based. The students are required to acknowledge basic game theory. 

Course Objective
Course Objective:
This course aims at undergraduate students and to provide a game-theoretic overview on social networks in the disciplines of economics. We will learn the basic tools in analyzing the interaction between social networks and economic behavior. The topics will cover game theory, basic definitions in graph theory, social learning, local public good, collective actions, and network formation.

Week 1: Introduction

Week 2: Elements of graph theory
• Ch.2 of (SEN)
• Ch.10 of (NCM)
• Ch.1 to Ch.3 of Graph Theory and Its Applications by J.L. Gross and J. Yellen 2006, Chapman and Hall CRC

Week 3: Games on networks
• Ch.3 of (C)
• Bramoulle, Y. and R. Kranton 2007, Local Public Goods in Networks, Journal of
Economic Theory

Week 4: Coordination game
• Ch.4 of (C)

Week 5: Social Learning
• Ch.5 of (C)
• Bala, V. and S. Goyal 1998, learning from neighbors, The Review of Economic Studies

Week 6: Labor Market
• Ch.6 of (C)
• Calvu-Armengol, A. and M.O. Jackson 2004, The Effects of Social Networks on Em-
ployment and Inequality, American Economic Review

Week 7: Network formation
• Ch.7 of (C)
• Ch.5 of (SEN)

Week 8: Student project proposal

Week 9: Network formation
• Ch.8 of (C)

Week 10: Student Presentation

Week 11: Student Presentation

Week 12: Student Presentation

Week 13: Student Presentation

Week 14: Student Presentation

Week 15: Student Presentation

Week 16: Final-term report (No class) 
Course Requirement
Grading:
Final term paper 40%
Student presentation 40%
Participation 20%

Requirements for students after the class:
The final term paper will be either (1) a summary of a selected paper or (2) a proposal for the future research. In the student presentation session, students are required to present a selected paper. 
Student Workload (expected study time outside of class per week)
 
Office Hours
 
Designated reading
 
References
(C) Connections: An Introduction to The Economics of Networks by Sanjeev Goyal.

(ISSS) Individual Strategy and Social Structure by H. Peyton Young
(SEN) Social and Economic Networks by M.O. Jackson 
Grading
   
Progress
Week
Date
Topic