47306 - Civil Economy

Learning outcomes

The course analyses the working of economic institutions and their evolution in the market, from the persepective of civil economy. At the end of the course the student will: - know the perspective of the civil economy approach; - know the main instruments of game theory to analyze social behaviour; - be capable of applying the relational paradygm to the study of behaviour in non-profit organizations.

Course contents

1. The study perspective of civil economy: the birth of the market economy; the evolution of the market economy and its establishment into a capitalist market economy; the reasons for the return, in the present era, of the economic-civil discourse perspective
2. The philosophy of individualism and the behavior of homo oeconomicus: the Hobbes-Mandeville- Bentham line of thought; emergent elements of axiological individualism; instrumental rationality and the Paretian criterion; paradoxes and dilemmas of homo oeconomicus.
3. The homo reciprocans paradigm: evolutionary game theory; psychological games and identity; emergence of social norms of behavior; the principle of reciprocity and relational goods.
4. Applications of the relational paradigm: the paradoxes of happiness in advanced economies; corporate social responsibility; fair trade and critical consumption; microfinance and sharing economy; the ethical challenge in the 4th industrial revolution.
5. The tripolar social order model: State, Market, Community. The specific role of the Third Sector in the tripolar model. Circular Subsidiarity and Community Welfare.
6. Civil economy in emergency situations: the case of the pandemic from COVID. Arguments in favor of the strategy of transformative resilience.
7. Climate Change and the Civil Economy.
8. Impact assessment from a civil economy perspective

Readings/Bibliography

S. Zamagni, Responsabili. Come civilizzare il mercato, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2019

D. Acemoglu, J. Robinson, Why nations fail?, New York, Croen Business, 2012

B. Frey, A. Stutzer, Economia e felicità, Il Sole24Ore, Milano, 2006

L. Bruni, S. Zamagni, Economia civile, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016

L. Bruni, P. Porta (a cura di), Felicità ed Economia, Guerini, Milano, 2004

P. Sacco, S. Zamagni (a cura di), Teoria economica e relazioni interpersonali, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2006

D. Dal Maso, G. Fiorentini (a cura di), Creare valore a lungo termine, Milano, Egea, 2013

L. Bruni, S. Zamagni (a cura di), Handbook of the economics of reciprocity and social enterprise, Elgar, Cheltenham, 2013

G. Dragonetti, Trattato delle virtù e dei premi, Roma, Carocci, 2012 (riedizione)

V. Pelligra, I paradossi della fiducia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2003

S. Zamagni, Impresa responsabile e mercato civile, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2013

G. Pizzo, G. Tagliavini (a cura di), Dizionario di microfinanza, Roma, Carocci, 2015

M. Mazzucato, M. Jacobs (a cura di), Ripensare il capitalismo, Roma Laterza, 2017

R. Rajan, Il terzo pilastro, Milano, Egea, 2019

L. Pesenti, G. Sansoni, Smart Working Reloaded, Milano, Vita e Pensiero, 2022

S. Zamagni, Diseguali, San Sepolcro, Aboca, 2020

I. Gans, Economics in the Age of Covid, MIT Press, Cambridge, 2020

J. Ecckhout, The profit paradox, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2021

C. Wilber, Was the Good Samaritan a Bad Economist?, New York, 2021

A. Case, A. Deaton, Morti per disperazione, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2021

S. Zamagni, "On peace building in the global era, Roma, 2022

T. Jackson, Post-crescita, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2022

N. Oreskes, E. Conway, The big myth, New York, Bloomsbury Pu., 2023

S. Gallagher, E. Petracca, "Trust as the glue of cognitive institutions, Philosophical Psychology, 2, 2022

S. Zamagni, Prendersi cura della democrazia. Il ritorno dell'economia civile, Roma, ECRA, 2023.

D. Acemoglu, S. Johnson, Power and progress, London, Basic Books, 2023

I. van Stavaren, "Beyond utiltarianism and deonthology", Review od Political Economy, 19, 2007

T. Kopczwwski, I. Okhrimenko, "The paradox of effective altruism", JOIE, CUP, 2023

Teaching methods

Class lectures and discussions

Assessment methods

The exam is mad up of a paper of at least 7000 words, which can contain a critical review of the literature on one of the themes suggested by the teacher or an original contribution of a theoretical or empirical type. A simple resumé is not enough to get a positive grade. The paper must be delivered within nine months from the end of the course to the teacher's email. The grade will be notified, together with the evaluation, from the teacher directly to the student's email.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Zamagni