An introduction to the family as a producing and consuming unit, including the decision-making process involved and the special role of housing.
Emphasis is on interrelationships among decisions and the links between economic and social issues.
Overview Content for this course is organized around eight issues faced by a fictional family. Each issue contains a story segment to define the situation and set up the economic decision which the family must make. After the story, there are a series of readings illuminating the dimensions of the issue. Classroom lectures and discussion, as well as tests, will draw from these readings and additional material presented by the instructor. Sections on key terms and concepts and speculations about the future follow the readings for each issue.