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10164-01 - Lecture: Fundamentals of Law and Economics (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Every spring sem. |
| Lecturers | |
| Content | This course provides a foundational understanding of how economic analysis can illuminate the operation of legal rules and institutions. We will focus primarily on private law areas, such as the law of accidents (torts), property, and contracts. For example, we will analyze the economic rationale for property rights, examining how they address externalities and facilitate efficient resource allocation. We will also delve into contract law, investigating how it promotes mutually beneficial exchange by providing a framework for agreement and enforcement. Our exploration of tort law will consider how different liability rules affect incentives for precaution and influence the allocation of accident costs. In addition, we will study the economic analysis of criminal law and, more generally, the public enforcement of law. Foundational topics in litigation and settlement will also be covered. In addition to considering canonical economic analyses of these topics based on the standard rationality assumption of neoclassical economics, we will also consider how insights from behavioral economics—incorporating more realistic psychological assumptions into our economic analyses—can enrich our understanding of legal institutions. |
| Bibliography | Course materials will include book excerpts, scholarly articles and judicial opinions. |
| Comments | This course is part of the Summer School in Law, Business and Economic Policy. |
| Weblink | Weblink to the Summer School |
| Admission requirements | Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to Economics (Grundlagen der Volkswirtschaftslehre, 10130) The course is also very suitable for law students. Please keep in mind that the prerequisites is a recommendation and not mandatory. |
| Course application | All applications have to be processed through the Summer School office. The enrollment for the course is at the same time the final registration for the exam! The online application is open from 16 February - 16 March 2026. Applications that are submitted by 1 March (23:55) will be handled on a priority basis. Please fill in the application form, which can be found on the weblink: https://wwz.unibas.ch/de/studium/summer-school/ If there are still vacancies, we will accept late applications until 31 May 2026. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| täglich | See individual dates | ||
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 29.06.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Tuesday 30.06.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Wednesday 01.07.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Thursday 02.07.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Monday 06.07.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Tuesday 07.07.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Wednesday 08.07.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Thursday 09.07.2026 | 09.30-12.00 | Juristische Fakultät, Sitzungszimmer S1 HG.31 |
| Modules |
Modul: Wahlbereich in Wirtschaftswissenschaften (Bachelor's degree subject: Business and Economics) Modul: Wirtschaft in Osteuropa (Bachelor's degree subject: Eastern European Cultures) Modul: Wirtschaft in Osteuropa (Bachelor's degree program: Eastern European Studies) Wahlbereich innerfakultär: Zusätzliches Lehrangebot (Bachelor's Studies: Business and Economics) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | Course attendance is compulsory. You are expected to prepare for and attend every class and participate actively. Grading will be based on class participation (30%) and a final written examination (70%). |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Registration/deregistration: faculty |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Business and Economics , studiendekanat-wwz@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Faculty of Business and Economics |