Economics of inequality

Recommended Prerequisites

Microeconomics; macroeconomics; statistic; econometrics; English.

Teaching Methods

Lectures: exposition of core contents and illustrative examples. Discussion of topics by students within the scope of the program.
Presentation of synthesis and discussion works by groups of students.

Learning Outcomes

In this course students will learn the diverse meanings of inequality as well as multiple ways of measuring it. Students will learn how to use fundamental economic concepts as a way to answer these questions. We will discuss how inequality in earnings, wealth, and wellbeing have changed over time and will talk about various economic theories to explain these changes. The second part of the course will focus specifically on inequality along race and gender lines, with some attention to whether these differences are the result of discrimination. We will also explore how economic thinking can help us analyze policies designed to address past and present discrimination. The final part of the course will explore policies designed to address the causes and consequences of inequality. Fundamental economic concepts will be used as a way to critically examine the effectiveness of these policies.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Meanings of inequality
2. Measurement of inequality
3. Inequality and economic performance.
4. Capital and inequality.
5. Technology, human capital and inequality.
6. Globalization and inequality.
7. Institutions, principal-agent relationships, and inequality
8. Gender, race, and inequality.
9. Policy proposals to alleviate inequality.
10. Redistribution: taxes, transfers and social welfare programs.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 20.0%
Synthesis work: 30.0%
Frequency: 50.0%

Bibliography

ACEMOGLU, Daron; ROBINSON, James A. Why nations fail: The origins of power, prosperity, and poverty. Currency, 2012.
BLANCHARD, Olivier; RODRIK, Dani (ed.). Combating Inequality: Rethinking Government's Role. MIT press, 2021.
GOLDIN, Claudia; KATZ, Lawrence F., The Race Between Education and Technology, Belknap/Harvard University Press, 2008
KNOOP, Todd A. Understanding Economic Inequality: Bigger Pies and Just Deserts. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2020
PIKETTY, Thomas. The economics of inequality. Harvard University Press, 2015.
RYCROFT, Robert S. The economics of inequality, discrimination, poverty, and mobility. Routledge, 2017.
*Uma lista de artigos científicos e de fontes de dados relevantes para suporte às apresentações dos/as estudantes será disponibilizada no início de cada semestre/*A more detailed list of scientific articles for student´s presentations will be supplied at the beginning of each semester.