Whether preparing us for economic recovery after the zombie apocalypse, analyzing vampire investment strategies, or illuminating the market forces that affect vampire-human romances, Economics of the Undead: Zombies, Vampires, and the Dismal Science gives both seasoned economists and layman readers something to sink their teeth into. Undead characters have terrified popular audiences for centuries, but when analyzed closely, their behaviors and stories-however farfetched-mirror our own in surprising ways. The essays collected in this book are as humorous as they are thoughtful, as culturally relevant as they are economically sound, and provide an accessible link between a popular culture phenomenon and the key concepts necessary to building one's understanding of economic systems big and small. It is the first book to apply and combine economics and our society's fascination with the undead, and is an invaluable resource for those looking to learn economic fundamentals in a fun and innovative way.
Introduction: Grave Thoughts on the Dismal Science by Glen Whitman and James Dow Part I: Soulless Mates Human Girls and Vampire Boys, Part 1: Looking for Mr. Goodbite, by Glen Whitman Human Girls and Vampire Boys, Part 2: 'Til Death Do Us Part, by Glen Whitman Part II: Apocalyptonomics Packing for the Zombie Apocalypse, by James Dow Is It Still a Fallacy When Zombies Break the Windows?, by Steven Horwitz and Sarah Skwire To Truck, Barter... And Eat Your Brains!!! Pursuing Prosperity in a Post-Productive World, by Brian Hollar What Happens Next? Endgames of a Zombie Apocalypse, by Kyle William Bishop, David Tufte, and Mary Jo Tufte Order, Coordination, and Collective Action among the Undead, by Jean-Baptiste Fleury and Alain Marciano Part III: Blood Money Investing Secrets of the Undead, by James Dow Zombification Insurance, by Eleanor Brown and Robert Prag Monsters of Capital: Vampires, Zombies, and Consumerism, by Lorna Piatti-Farnell Trading with the Undead: A Study in Specialization and Comparative Advantage, by Darwyyn Deyo and David T. Mitchell Buy or Bite?, by Enrique Guerra-Pujol To Shoot or to Stake, That Is the Question: The Market for Anti-Vampire Weapons, by Charlotte Weil and Sebastien Lecou Taxation of the Undead: Non-Sentient Entities, by Joseph Mandarino Part IV: The Dead Body Politic Tragedy of the Blood Commons: The Case for Privatizing the Humans, by Glen Whitman Zombies as an Invasive Species, by Michael E. O'Hara What Would the Reasonable Man Do in a World Gone Mad?, by Brian Hollar Brain-Dead vs. Undead: Public Ignorance and the Political Economy of Responses to Vampires and Zombies, by Ilya Somin Sinking Our Teeth into Public Policy Economics: A Taste of Immortality, by Fabien Medvecky Where Oh Where Have the Vampires Gone? An Extension of the Tiebout Hypothesis to the Undead, by A.L. Phillips, M.C. Phillips, and G.M. Phillips Part V: Brain Food The Economics of Bloodlust, by Ian Chadd Between Gods and Monsters: Reason, Instinct, and the Artificial Vampire, by Daniel Farhat Killing Time: Dracula and Social Discoordination, by Hollis Robbins Pop Culture Bibliography Contributor Biographies
