Financial Markets (2011) with Professor Robert Shiller

An overview of the ideas, methods, and institutions that permit human society to manage risks and foster enterprise. Description of practices today and analysis of prospects for the future. Introduction to risk management and behavioral finance principles to understand the functioning of securities, insurance, and banking industries.

  1. Introduction and What this Course Will Do for You and Your Purposes

  2. Risk and Financial Crises

  3. Technology and Invention in Finance

  4. Portfolio Diversification and Supporting Financial Institutions

  5. Insurance, the Archetypal Risk Management Institution: Its Opportunities and Vulnerabilities

  6. Guest Speaker: David Swensen

  7. Efficient Markets

  8. Theory of Debt, Its Proper Role, Leverage Cycles

  9. Corporate Stocks

  10. Real Estate

  11. Behavioral Finance and the Role of Psychology

  12. Misbehavior, Crises, Regulation and Self Regulation

  13. Banks

  14. Guest Speaker Maurice "Hank" Greenberg

  15. Forward and Futures Markets

  16. Guest Speaker Laura Cha

  17. Options Markets

  18. Monetary Policy

  19. Investment Banks

  20. Professional Money Managers and Their Influence

  21. Exchanges, Brokers, Dealers, Clearinghouses

  22. Public and Non-Profit Finance

  23. Finding Your Purpose in a World of Financial Capitalism