The following graduate level courses at the Levy Economics
Institute are open to qualified
undergraduate economics students with permission of the instructor.
Course: |
ECON 501 Advanced Microeconomics: Value, Distribution, and
Economic Well Being |
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Professor: |
Ajit Zacharias |
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CRN: |
90515 |
Schedule: |
Tue 9:30 AM - 12:50
PM Blithewood - Levy Institute SEM |
Distributional Area: |
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Class cap |
15 |
Credits: |
4 |
This course provides an exposition of the analytical foundations of the
classical ("surplus") and neoclassical ("marginalist")
traditions in the theory of value and distribution. Given its dominance in
contemporary economics, the latter tradition is emphasized in this course. The
historical development of the marginalist theory of value is considered, as are
critiques that focus on issues regarding its internal coherence and
methodological difficulties. The remainder of the course examines the
measurement of economic well-being and deprivation, including the substantive
issues related to the determinants of the standard of living. Topics include
Lorenz curves, social welfare functions, inequality indices, and poverty
indices.
Course: |
ECON 502 Advanced Macroeconomics |
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Professor: |
L. Randall Wray |
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CRN: |
90516 |
Schedule: |
Tue 1:30 PM - 4:50
PM Blithewood - Levy Institute SEM |
Distributional Area: |
|
Class cap |
15 |
Credits: |
4 |
The primary objective of macroeconomic analysis is to explain the
phenomena of aggregate movements in output, employment, and the price level.
This course examines the intellectual influences that have shaped the
development of macroeconomic theory and policy since the beginning of the 20th
century. Students acquire the skills needed to: 1) identify the main
theoretical and methodological differences among competing approaches; 2)
discuss the empirical evidence supporting each approach; and 3) explain why
particular policy instruments are considered appropriate (or inappropriate) for
achieving macroeconomic stability. Prerequisite: Intermediate Macro.
Course: |
ECON 511 History of Economic Thought |
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Professor: |
Dimitri Papadimitriou |
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CRN: |
90517 |
Schedule: |
Wed 9:30 AM - 12:50
PM Blithewood - Levy Institute |
Distributional Area: |
|
Class cap |
15 |
Credits: |
4 |
The focus of this course is an examination of the “contest” between classical political economy and
neoclassical theory in the context of
their respective historical developments. Following an investigation into the
origins and development of classical
theory through Ricardo, we shall turn to
the neoclassical challenge with emphasis on Jeremy Bentham and Jean Baptiste Say. The post-Ricardian
reaction of the 1820—1850 period will be given significant attention, followed
by an examination of the “marginalist revolution” of the 1870’s. Twentieth century advances will be surveyed, and the work of Keynes and the post-WWII period will be given close
scrutiny. In all this, relationships between earlier theory and
current debates/controversies will be highlighted.
Course: |
ECON 517 Economic Inequality |
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Professor: |
Thomas Masterson |
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CRN: |
90520 |
Schedule: |
Thurs 1:30 PM - 4:50
PM Blithewood - Levy Institute |
Distributional Area: |
|
Class cap |
15 |
Credits: |
4 |
This course covers the various theoretical and empirical approaches to the
measurement of economic well-being, poverty, and inequality, both in the United
States, as well as more globally, touching on the most recent debates about
poverty measurement and comparisons across countries, as well as measures
developed at the Levy Institute. It considers characteristics of the
distribution of income, consumption, and wealth, and their relative usefulness
in terms of assessing the inequality of economic well-being and studies the
disparate experiences of poverty and inequality by race and gender both within
and across global regions. In addition, the course examines the impact of
economic structures, policy, and development on poverty and inequality. Both
mainstream and heterodox theoretical approaches to explaining poverty and
inequality will be covered.
Course: |
ECON 520 Gender in Macroeconomic Theory and Policy |
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Professor: |
Luiza Nassif Pires |
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CRN: |
90521 |
Schedule: |
Thurs 9:30 AM - 12:50
PM Blithewood - Levy Institute |
Distributional Area: |
|
Class cap |
15 |
Credits: |
4 |
The main objective of this class is to reclaim the study of macroeconomic
theory and policy from the perspective of gender. The course will start with a
discussion of the gendered impacts of development initiated in the 1970s, which
catalyzed policy and theory considerations deepened in the mid 1990’s. The
course will be divided in four parts. The first part will introduce students to
foundational feminist economics questions and the theoretical aspects of
feminist macroeconomics. We will trace historically the evolution of the
subfield of gender macroeconomics and present its main critiques to economic
theory. The second part of the course will focus on gender discussions
pertinent to macroeconomy policy. We will start this modulus by presenting the
gender bias in monetary and fiscal policy in a closed economy and move towards
open economy discussions with a focus on trade and exchange rate. In the third
part of the course we will examine growth and distribution and provide a survey
of gender sensitive macroeconomic modeling tools. The final part of the course
will discuss current issues and the impact of neoliberal policies and
contemporary crises, with a focus on the coronavirus crisis, on women across
the globe. During this final part we will also look at gender aspects of
current progressive policy proposals. The main questions that this course will
answer are: How does gender inequality impact the economy? What are the
strengths and limitations of different macroeconomic frameworks in accessing
the impact of gender disparities in the economy? How are the impacts of gender
policies being implemented across the globe calculated? What are the problems
with such policies? Would progressive macroeconomic policies help foster a more
gender equal economy? Would then a more gender equal economy have positive
effects in the aggregate? And what are the characteristics of a gender
sensitive macroeconomic research?