Labor economics I

Description

This is a graduate course in labor economics. It will provide an overview of the current theoretical and empirical literature on labor economics. Specific topics include labor supply and demand, labor market power, discrimination, intergenerational mobility, immigration, wage determination, and labor market institutions and policies. Many of these topics are related to the research fields of public economics, health economics, education economics, and applied econometrics. On the methodological side, we will examine econometric techniques that researchers have used to identify causal relationships.

The goal of the class is to learn to evaluate and interpret empirical findings in labor economics. To that end, we will read some papers in detail, spending time to understand the research methodology and to interpret the findings reported. Students will also have the chance to practice presenting by explaining recent research papers to their classmates. In addition, the course should also be good preparation for students’ own empirical work and writing of applied research papers.

The emphasis of the course is on linking basic theoretical insights with empirical patterns in the labor market, using a combination of methodologies. To that end, the course is divided into two parts. During the weekly lectures on Thursdays we will cover theoretical and empirical topics structured around assigned readings. During the tutorials on Tuesdays (~every other week) we will work with empirical applications, including replications of existing papers and the analysis of real-world data using statistical software (e.g., Stata/R).

Instructor

Jun.-Prof. Sofía Fernández-Guerrico

Language

English

Grading

Presentation of a research paper from the course reading list (20%); problem sets and research ideas submission (30%), in-class pop quizzes and participation (15%); final written exam (35%).

Prerequisites

A solid background in introductory microeconomics and econometrics is recommended.

Dates

Lectures: Thursdays, 13.30-15.00, room F424

Tutorials: Tuesdays (specific dates), 11.45 -13.15, room F424