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Home > Degree Programs > Teaching & Courses > 2009-2010 Course Listing > Social Problems and Government Responses
API-129: Social Problems and Government Responses
Faculty: Erzo F.P. Luttmer
Schedule
| Day | Time | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | 9/2 | ||
| Meet Day | M/W | 1:10 PM - 2:30 PM | L332 |
| Review | F | 1:10 PM - 2:30 PM | STARR |
Description
How do governments respond to social problems such as poverty, inequality, and economic insecurity? Which policies are effective, which are not, and why? What are the drawbacks of various policies? This public economics course uses a rich mix of economic theory, empirical analysis, and practical policy applications in both developed and developing countries to gain a better understanding of income redistribution and social insurance programs that address these social problems. In particular, the course will analyze welfare, workfare, wage subsidies, food vouchers and subsidies, public pensions, mandated benefits, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and public health insurance. A central goal of the course is to enable students to apply the fundamental economic principles of social insurance and income redistribution to the design and analysis of government programs anywhere in the world. Prerequisites: Microeconomics at the level of API-101/102; statistics/empirical analysis at the level of API-201/202.