The Cambridge Environment, Law, and Economics Reading List

Environment, Law, and Economics (formerly Land Economy) is a unique course because it sits at the intersection of economics, law, politics, geography, planning, development and the environment. For students thinking about applying to Environment, Law and Economics at Cambridge, Oxford-adjacent courses, or similar subjects at other top UK universities, the best reading is not always about memorising technical content. It is about developing curiosity, learning how to connect ideas, and becoming comfortable thinking across disciplines.

This reading list is designed to help applicants build that broader intellectual foundation. The books below are accessible enough to read before university, but serious enough to help you develop argument for a personal statement, interview, or wider academic discussion.

For further support with applications, students can also explore Avalon Education’s  Environment, Law, and Economics course page or book a consultation.

1. Glaeser, E. L. (2011). Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier. New York: Penguin Press.

Edward Glaeser’s book is one of the most engaging introductions to urban economics. He argues that cities are not simply crowded places, but engines of productivity, innovation and social mobility. For Environment, Law and Economics applicants, this is especially useful for thinking about housing, transport, agglomeration, environmental sustainability and why economic activity concentrates in particular places.

2. Barnard, C., O’Sullivan, J. and Virgo, G. (2021). What About Law? Studying Law at University. 3rd edn. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

This is an excellent starting point for students who want to understand what studying law at university actually involves. Rather than simply listing legal rules, the book introduces major legal debates and shows how lawyers reason through cases, principles and policy. It is especially relevant for Environment, Law and Economics because the course includes legal topics such as land law, public law and the regulation of property.

3. Coyle, D. (2020). Markets, State, and People: Economics for Public Policy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Diane Coyle explains how economic ideas can be used to understand public policy problems. The book is useful because Environment, Law and Economics students often have to think about when markets work well, when governments should intervene, and how policy choices affect welfare, efficiency and fairness. It is particularly helpful for applicants interested in inequality, infrastructure, housing, public services and environmental policy.

4. Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House.

Jane Jacobs’ classic critique of modern urban planning remains one of the most influential books ever written about cities. She argues that successful urban neighbourhoods depend on mixed uses, density, diversity and street-level activity. This is a great book for students interested in planning, urban regeneration and the tension between top-down policy and lived experience.

5. Acemoglu, D. and Robinson, J. A. (2012). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. New York: Crown Business.

This book asks one of the biggest questions in political economy: why are some countries rich while others remain poor? Acemoglu and Robinson argue that institutions are central to long-run prosperity. Their distinction between “inclusive” and “extractive” institutions gives applicants a useful framework for thinking about development, governance, property rights and economic growth.

6. Monbiot, G. (2013). Feral: Rewilding the Land, Sea and Human Life. London: Allen Lane.

George Monbiot’s Feral is a provocative and highly readable introduction to rewilding and environmental change. It challenges conventional assumptions about land use, conservation and the relationship between humans and nature. For Environment, Law and Economics applicants, it is useful for thinking about rural land, biodiversity, agriculture, ecosystem services and environmental policy.

7. Harford, T. (2005). The Undercover Economist. London: Little, Brown.

Tim Harford uses everyday examples — from coffee shops to supermarkets — to explain core economic concepts such as scarcity, incentives, market power and information asymmetry. This is one of the most accessible ways to begin thinking like an economist, and it can help applicants connect abstract theory to real-world problems.

8. Hall, P. (2002). Cities of Tomorrow: An Intellectual History of Urban Planning and Design Since 1880. 3rd edn. Oxford: Blackwell.

Peter Hall’s book gives a broad historical overview of how urban planning has developed since the late nineteenth century. It introduces major planning movements, from garden cities to modernism and regional planning. This is especially valuable for students who want to understand how ideas about cities, housing and infrastructure have changed over time.

9. Berman, E. P. (2022). Thinking Like an Economist: How Efficiency Replaced Equality in U.S. Public Policy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Elizabeth Popp Berman examines how economic reasoning became increasingly influential in public policy, especially in the United States. The book is useful because it encourages students to think critically about the language of efficiency, cost-benefit analysis and market-based policy. It is a strong choice for applicants interested in the relationship between economics, politics and inequality.

10. Loughlin, M. (2023). The British Constitution: A Very Short Introduction. 2nd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

This short book introduces the key features of the UK constitution, including parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, conventions and constitutional change. It is particularly useful for Environment, Law and Economics applicants because legal and political institutions shape land ownership, planning, housing policy and environmental regulation.

11. Le Grand, J., Propper, C. and Smith, S. (2017). The Economics of Social Problems. 4th edn. London: Bloomsbury Academic.

 

This book applies economic analysis to social policy questions, including poverty, inequality, health, education and housing. It is useful for students who want to see how economics can be used to analyse real social problems rather than just abstract models. It also helps applicants develop balanced arguments about efficiency, equity and government intervention.

12. Chandler, D. (2023). Free and Equal: What Would a Fair Society Look Like? London: Allen Lane.

Daniel Chandler revisits the political philosophy of John Rawls and asks what a fair society would look like today. The book is valuable for Environment, Law and Economics because many of the subject’s key issues — housing, taxation, inequality, planning and public policy — involve questions of fairness as well as efficiency. It is especially useful for students who enjoy linking economics with moral and political theory.

13. Moretti, E. (2013). The New Geography of Jobs. Boston: Mariner Books.

Enrico Moretti explores why high-skilled jobs cluster in particular cities and regions, and why this matters for wages, inequality and economic opportunity. This is a very relevant book for Environment, Law and Economics because it connects labour markets, regional inequality, education, housing costs and urban development.

14. Hutchinson, A. C. (2010). Is Eating People Wrong? Great Legal Cases and How They Shaped the World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

This book introduces major legal cases in an accessible and memorable way. It shows how individual disputes can reshape legal principles and wider society. For Environment, Law and Economics applicants, it is a helpful reminder that law is not just a set of rules, but a way of resolving conflicts over rights, responsibilities and social values.

15. Norris, P. and Inglehart, R. (2019). Cultural Backlash: Trump, Brexit, and Authoritarian Populism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Norris and Inglehart examine the rise of populism and the cultural divisions behind events such as Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. This is useful for students interested in political economy, regional inequality and the relationship between economic change and social attitudes. It can also help applicants think more deeply about why policy reforms often face political resistance.

16. Piketty, T. (2020). Capital and Ideology. Translated by A. Goldhammer. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Thomas Piketty’s Capital and Ideology is a major work on inequality, wealth and political institutions. It is a long and challenging read, so students may want to focus on selected chapters rather than reading it cover to cover. For Environment, Law and Economics, it is particularly relevant to debates about property, taxation, redistribution, capitalism and the political justification of inequality.

How to Use This Reading List

Students do not need to read every book in full. A better approach is to choose three or four that genuinely interest you, take notes on the arguments, and think about how they connect to current issues. For example, a student interested in cities might pair Glaeser, Jacobs and Hall. A student interested in inequality could read Piketty, Chandler and Moretti. A student more interested in law and institutions might begin with Barnard, Loughlin, Hutchinson and Acemoglu & Robinson.

The most important thing is to read actively. Ask yourself: What is the author’s main argument? What evidence do they use? Do I agree with them? How does this connect to land, economy, law, policy or society?

That kind of reflective reading is excellent preparation for a personal statement, interview, or first-year university study.

If you have further questions, or want support with the rest of your application, book a free consultation.