Economics as a discipline is constructed around the need to identify agents in the economy and analyze their interactions. As such it is based upon deriving generalizations by identifying behavioural rules and examining causal relationships between economic variables. The emphasis on examining causal relationships is a distinguishing feature of economics and forms an important part of its claim to be a social science. As well as addressing these central concerns, the Department of Economics recognizes the interaction between the economy and other broader social, political, cultural and technological forces. The Department therefore places special emphasis on courses that analyze institutions, facilitate comparative studies, encourage a historical approach, and recognize the pervasiveness of technological change.