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Economics of the Undead: Zombies, Vampires, and the Dismal Science
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 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.
Contributions Kyle William Bishop, Eleanor Brown, Ian Chadd, Darwynn Deyo, Steven Horwitz, Daniel Farhat, Jean-Baptiste Fleury, Enrique Guerra-Pujol, Brian Hollar, Sebastien Lecou, Joseph Mandarino, Alain Marciano, Fabien Medvecky, David T. Mitchell, Michael O’Hara, M. Christine Phillips, A. Lynn Phillips, G. Michael Phillips, Lorna Piatti-Farnell, Robert Prga, Hollis Robbins, Sarah Skwire, Ilya Somin, David Tufte, Mary Jo Tufte, and Charlotte Weil
Contributions Kyle William Bishop, Eleanor Brown, Ian Chadd, Darwynn Deyo, Steven Horwitz, Daniel Farhat, Jean-Baptiste Fleury, Enrique Guerra-Pujol, Brian Hollar, Sebastien Lecou, Joseph Mandarino, Alain Marciano, Fabien Medvecky, David T. Mitchell, Michael O’Hara, M. Christine Phillips, A. Lynn Phillips, G. Michael Phillips, Lorna Piatti-Farnell, Robert Prga, Hollis Robbins, Sarah Skwire, Ilya Somin, David Tufte, Mary Jo Tufte, and Charlotte Weil
- GenresNonfictionEconomics
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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240 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 12, 2021
It's a bit and some of the authors are more committed to the bit than others. But overall, it's a good diverse approach to applying economic concepts to silly topics. Since there is no baseline definition of zombie or vampire, each author takes up their own definition to run with and Warm Bodies comes up 100 times too many - really aging the book. It kinda feels like each expert was given Walking Dead, Warm Bodies, Twilight, World War Z and told to apply their craft. So it does get repetitive. Some authors pull more deep references, but most stick to the 'big four.' One author discusses ghosts (briefly.) And one author teases an upcoming discussion on the economics on Orcs (LFG.) Several chapters left me with a bad taste in my mouth, but the last one on Dracula and Time was excellent. It's how you stick the landing sometimes!
January 30, 2015
A friend of mine suggested to me that Economics of the Undead is probably of more relevance to those interested in economics than horror literature. I tend to agree with him. However, I also firmly believe there is plenty in this volume to entertain both groups. Also, as someone who has never thought much about the subject, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how fun and accessible economics could be!
Economics of the Undead: Zombies, Vampires and the Dismal Science is a collection of essays by economists and literary theorists edited by Glen Whitman and James Dow. Basing their evidence on Vampires and Zombies from popular culture, the writers explore the real-world implications of the behaviours of the undead, such as the likelihood of a total Zombie apocalypse, the logic behind Vampire blood addiction, and the best strategy to woo and win an undead beau.
Overall I found this collection to be excellent. While some of the essays were better written than others, they were all very engaging and worth reading. Stand-out essays include “Eating Brains and Breaking Windows” by Steven Horwitz and Sarah Skwire which successfully deconstructs the argument that war (Zombie or otherwise) can ever be economically advantageous, and Daniel Farhat’s essay “Between Gods and Monsters: Reason, Instinct and the Artificial Vampire” which demonstrates how algorithms can be used to predict future attacks from Vampires (or indeed other intruders such as burglars). I also particularly loved the final essay in the collection, “Killing Time: Dracula and Social Discoordination” by Hollis Robbins, which is a fantastic reading of Bram Stoker’s Dracula as a struggle between natural time governed by the sun and moon and institutionalised Greenwich Mean Time.
My only criticism is that the collection perhaps relies too much on certain case studies to support its arguments. In particular, The Walking Dead and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are discussed to death. I understand that these are staples of undead fiction, but at the same time I would have liked to see the essays dealing with a larger array of popular culture – even just to provide me with recommendations for further reading and viewing. For example, I was fascinated to learn about the 2010 Vampire film Daybreakers, and would love to have even more movies to add to my “to view” list.
Perhaps the best part of Economics of the Undead is that it links what is so often considered an “escapist” genre to the real world. As outlined above, many of the theories that are applied to the undead figures also have practical applications. Thus we are brought full circle as the volume gives us a deeper sense of why Vampire and Zombie narratives resonate so deeply with us humans. All in all, this collection is a wonderful link between two subjects that are usually considered so disparate, and it is encouraging to think that there is so much scope for research such as this. I would love to read similar volumes regarding the economics of the post-apocalyptic and sci-fi genres, and would recommend this collection highly to any undead or economic enthusiast!
Economics of the Undead: Zombies, Vampires and the Dismal Science is a collection of essays by economists and literary theorists edited by Glen Whitman and James Dow. Basing their evidence on Vampires and Zombies from popular culture, the writers explore the real-world implications of the behaviours of the undead, such as the likelihood of a total Zombie apocalypse, the logic behind Vampire blood addiction, and the best strategy to woo and win an undead beau.
Overall I found this collection to be excellent. While some of the essays were better written than others, they were all very engaging and worth reading. Stand-out essays include “Eating Brains and Breaking Windows” by Steven Horwitz and Sarah Skwire which successfully deconstructs the argument that war (Zombie or otherwise) can ever be economically advantageous, and Daniel Farhat’s essay “Between Gods and Monsters: Reason, Instinct and the Artificial Vampire” which demonstrates how algorithms can be used to predict future attacks from Vampires (or indeed other intruders such as burglars). I also particularly loved the final essay in the collection, “Killing Time: Dracula and Social Discoordination” by Hollis Robbins, which is a fantastic reading of Bram Stoker’s Dracula as a struggle between natural time governed by the sun and moon and institutionalised Greenwich Mean Time.
My only criticism is that the collection perhaps relies too much on certain case studies to support its arguments. In particular, The Walking Dead and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are discussed to death. I understand that these are staples of undead fiction, but at the same time I would have liked to see the essays dealing with a larger array of popular culture – even just to provide me with recommendations for further reading and viewing. For example, I was fascinated to learn about the 2010 Vampire film Daybreakers, and would love to have even more movies to add to my “to view” list.
Perhaps the best part of Economics of the Undead is that it links what is so often considered an “escapist” genre to the real world. As outlined above, many of the theories that are applied to the undead figures also have practical applications. Thus we are brought full circle as the volume gives us a deeper sense of why Vampire and Zombie narratives resonate so deeply with us humans. All in all, this collection is a wonderful link between two subjects that are usually considered so disparate, and it is encouraging to think that there is so much scope for research such as this. I would love to read similar volumes regarding the economics of the post-apocalyptic and sci-fi genres, and would recommend this collection highly to any undead or economic enthusiast!
January 14, 2015
As someone who hasn't studied much economic theory I found this book to be an entertaining explanation of some basic concepts of economics, as understood through the lens of the undead. A few chapters tend to be repetitive (explaining the same concepts that were just explained by the author of the last chapter), which an editor could have cleaned up, but which doesn't hurt the overall reading experience very much.
October 26, 2017
The trend of bringing analytic academic disciplines to science fiction topics continues. Here, various economic theories investigate the logic of the undead: vampire investment strategies, the tragedy of the (blood) commons and how privatization might help; zombies as an invasive species; and how vampires—with their long 'lives'—might treat public policy economics like climate change. Get your dose of Becker and Murphy's rational addiction model, applied to bloodlust; or fascinating models of predator-prey populations, and whether a steady state can be achieved. And yes, we're the prey. From behavioral economics to choice decision theory—it all makes more sense (and brings interesting insights) when applied to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's work. I recommend it.
March 15, 2017
This is a collection of essays by economists about how the existence of zombies and vampires would affect the economy, using examples from popular fiction. What if vampires were voted into government? (With their long-term outlook, they might be more prepared than humans to take action on climate change.) How would a market for blood work? Should you insure against zombiefication? The best essay is the last one, which looks at the use and symbolism of natural and standard clocks and calendars in Bram Stoker's Dracula, which almost made me want to reread that. Almost.
October 1, 2019
Too much Austrian School. Too much classical economics, with zombies standing in for widgets.
February 13, 2017
If you're interested in economics, this is a really fun way to learn.
June 2, 2015
This book combines two of my top five topics in both fiction and nonfiction, respectively. Covering a wide range of topics from vampiric investment strategies and lawkeeping or barter during the zombie apocalypse, this book covers quite a bit. There is even a chapter at the end with some literary interpretation of Bram Stoker's Dracula and his thoughts on the transition to a Standard (or social) time over a Natural (or lunar) time system.
While some may be dismissive of the format in which many legititmate economic principles are put forward, I found it entertaining to learn of an economic rule and immediately apply to my favorite fictional universe.
The version that I got printed hardcover from Rowman and Littlefield had the first twenty or so pages double printed, which made the page look severely out of focus. It didn't take too long to get through it but was a detractor.
If you are ready to learn about the "dismal science" then pick this book up and don't forget your highlighter.
While some may be dismissive of the format in which many legititmate economic principles are put forward, I found it entertaining to learn of an economic rule and immediately apply to my favorite fictional universe.
The version that I got printed hardcover from Rowman and Littlefield had the first twenty or so pages double printed, which made the page look severely out of focus. It didn't take too long to get through it but was a detractor.
If you are ready to learn about the "dismal science" then pick this book up and don't forget your highlighter.
December 27, 2014
This is a compilation of essays so I give the book a two and a half but really some essays were fives and some just boring. My favorites were the ones that used zombies or vampires in a silly way to teach a basic economic principle. The "broken window fallacy" for example was a good chapter. I also really enjoyed the one on competitive advantage and the chapter on how using zombies for labor would be taxed or if they were considered property and the owner subject to property taxes. A true nerd read.
January 21, 2023
Es una gran colección de ensayos donde puedes aprender términos económicos y la política que ls rodea, a través del análisis de situaciones y personajes de la literatura y la cultura pop. Sin embargo, puede parecer tedioso después de un rato pues no deja de ser investigación científica y no son temas que se discutan todos los días. Es mejor leerlo en bloques. Escucha nuestra reseña: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0rvN...
March 4, 2017
This is a book that embraces my weirdness, it treats Buffy as canon and "seriously" examines its implications. I laughed through it and read a chapter on days I need a giggle. That said it is intensely informative as well. I identify with its blending of a quest for knowledge and new ideas but embracing whimsy at the same time.
August 9, 2016
A fun application of economic theory to the possibilities of a world with the undead - also a great reference of books and movies which define the genre. The diversity of topics covered makes for an easy read - ten minute chapters from different economists. Helps ground abstract principles, and raises interesting questions and parallels to the conditions of the living.
July 28, 2016
Great book which presents some interesting economic theories within the context of the undead. Chapter 23 (the final chapter) I found especially interesting, and the material as a whole presents real world issues within an undead framework.
February 3, 2016
It’s so incredibly, dryly tongue-in-check that I think they might actually be serious and not joking, but either way it’s a delightful examination of the horror genre through the lens of modern economics with actually a lot more emphasis on how important economics is to everyday life.
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October 17, 2014330.0207 E1983 2014
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews