The Sharing Economy

The rapid growth of the sharing economy, sometimes also called the peer to peer economy, is made possible by the ubiquity of smart phones, inefficiency of ownership, and measures designed to create and measure trust among participants. The course will explore not only the rapid rise of certain companies but also the shadow side of commercialized relationships. We will examine the economics and development consequences of the sharing economy, primarily with an urban focus, along an emphasis on the design of platforms and markets, ownership, the nature of work, environmental degradation and inequality.