Economics and Horses, Sunshine and Summer

Explore the surprising connections between seemingly unrelated fields and economics! This course delves into a unique seminar series held in Oxford, UK, during Spring/Summer 2024. Students tackled diverse topics – from horses and tourism to sunshine and summer – and developed short talks applying economic principles.

This isn't your typical economics course! It showcases how economic thinking can be applied to unexpected areas. We've compiled notes from these engaging discussions to demonstrate the breadth of economic analysis.

Here's a glimpse of the topics covered, revealing the hidden economic dimensions within:

• Horses: Discover the economic impact of the equine industry, explore horse tourism, and analyze supply chain dynamics and price fluctuations within the equine sector.
• Sunshine: Uncover the economic benefits of sunshine, including its role in solar energy promotion, urban planning, and tourism development. We'll also examine the psychology of sunshine and its impact on productivity and labour markets.
• Summer: Delve into the economic impact of summer on tourism and leisure industries, agricultural economics, and seasonal employment opportunities. We'll also consider consumer behaviour in summer and economic strategies for managing summer-related challenges.

This course highlights how to take seemingly unrelated topics and develop them into insightful discussions about economics. Learn how to apply economic principles to understand a wide range of real-world phenomena. Ideal for anyone interested in broadening their understanding of economic theory and its practical applications. Explore policy and planning implications across various sectors, from agricultural policies to health and wellbeing initiatives. Consider the economic impact of energy consumption and tourism on local economies. This course offers a fresh perspective on economic concepts and their relevance to everyday life.