Course 2011-2012 a.y.

Go to class group/s: 31

CLMG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - IM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - MM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - AFC (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - CLAPI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - CLEFIN-FINANCE (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - CLELI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - ACME (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03) - EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/03)

Course Director:
ALESSANDRA CASARICO

Course Objectives

The aim of the course is to lay the groundwork for an understanding of Public Economics at a master level. The course tries to strike a balance between the development of theoretical tools and the use of empirical methods to assess the impact of government intervention.

The course develops along three main parts.

• The first part analyses the government expenditure with a special focus on social security and education.
• The second part of the course examines public policies in an open economy, with a view on multiple jurisdictions and migration decisions issues: we discuss how national policies can be sustained in the presence of international labour and capital movements and we will focus on the setting of migration policies.
• The last part covers issues related to gender gaps in participation and wages: their causes and policies aimed at reducing them.

Course Content Summary

• Social Security.
  • Pension systems, savings and the accumulation of physical capital.
  • Pensions and the labour supply.
  • Pensions and demographics.
  • Pension design and reform.
  • Pensions and risk-sharing.
• Education.
  • Private versus public provision. 
  • Financing of schools. The role of vouchers
  • The redistributive effects of education and education financing.
• Public Policy in Open Economy.
  • Fiscal competition.
  • Migration and migration policies.
• Gender.
  • Gaps in the labour market and in politics.
  • Public Policies to reduce gender gaps.

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Attending students

Written exam. A presentation based on topics agreed upon during the course can complement part of the written exam.

Non attending students

Written exam

Textbooks

Reference texts are:

• HINDRICKS, MYLES, Intermediate Public Economics, MIT Press, 2005.
• MYLES, Public Economics, CUP, 1998.
• J. GRUBER, Public Finance and Public Policy, Worth Publishers, 2005.
• AUERBACH, FELDSTEIN (eds.) Handbook of Public Economics, vol.2 and 4, North-Holland.
• N. BARR, The Welfare State as Piggy Bank, Part III, OUP, 2001.  

Most of the course is based on articles from scientific journals and working papers. A complete and up-to-date list with an indication of the compulsory readings are provided at the beginning of the course.

Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)

Last change 22/06/2011 11:49