Office hours MW 1:00-2:15
The Economics of Population is concerned with important and pervasive demographic processes, their causes and their consequences. We will begin with a broad overview of demographic change and its relationship to economic growth drawing on historical experience. Next the course will consider a very active area of research – the application of economic models to demographic events, including childbearing, mortality, marriage, divorce, and living arrangements. The second half of the course will focus more on the consequences of population trends both in low income and high income countries.
Grades will be based on a mid-term examination, a final examination, a term paper, and class participation. Students will present their papers during the last week of class. The course will be conducted as a combined seminar and lecture course. Each student will be expected to lead the discussion of one of the readings during the lecture. The weighting for grades will be finalized by the class on the first day.
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Grading weights |
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| Final | 35% |
| Mid-term | 25% |
| Paper and presentation | 30% |
| Class participation | 10% |
Readings for Sections I and II
| Student Presentations on: | |
| Fogel (1997) | Goldin and Katz (2002) |
| Donohue and Levitt (2001) | Razin and Swagel (2002) |
| Gruber and Wise (1999) | |
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Economics of Population – TENTATIVE Schedule (subject to change) |
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Dates |
Monday |
Wednesday |
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1 |
8/25 and 27 |
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2 |
9/1 and 3 |
Holiday |
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3 |
9/8 and 10 |
III. Economics of the family |
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4 |
9/15 and 27 |
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5 |
9/22 and 25 |
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6 |
9/29 and 10/1 |
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7 |
10/6 and 8 |
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8 |
10/13 and 15 |
Review |
Mid-term Examination |
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9 |
10/20 and 22 |
IV. Intergenerational Transfers |
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10 |
10/27 and 29 |
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11 |
11/3 and 5 |
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12 |
11/10 and 12 |
V. Population and macroeconomics |
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13 |
11/17 and 19 |
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14 |
11/24 and 26 |
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15 |
12/1 and 3 |
VI. Immigration Issues |
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16 |
12/8 and 10 |
Student presentations of papers[1] |
Student presentations of papers |
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17 |
12/15 |
Final Examination – 9:40-11:40 |
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