84557 - LABOR ECONOMICS

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

In this course we will analyze how the labor market works, how agents in this special market behave, and how governments regulate and set up institutions to govern the labor market. Whether and how much to work, how much to invest in human capital (skills), unionization, and whether and where to migrate are all examples of decisions on the supply side of the labor market. The combination of labor (or different types of labor) and other factors in production, and job creation and job destruction are examples of decisions on the demand side of the labor market. Minimum wages, unemployment insurance, employment protection legislation, and collective bargaining, are examples of institutions governing the labor market. At the end of the course students will be able to understand the literature and participate in a non-ideological way to the debate about labor issues.

Contenuti

This is an undergraduate-level course in labor economics. The goal is to introduce students to the analysis of the labor market and labor policy. We will cover the following topics:

- Labor supply and demand
- Labor market equilibrium and unemployment
- Human capital, education, and training
- Compensating wage differentials and wage inequality
- Labor market institutions: minimum wages, unions, regulations
- Immigration
- Automation and the future of work

Testi/Bibliografia

• Labor Economics, 7/e, George J. Borjas, Harvard University - Cambridge
• Research articles assigned during the semester

Metodi didattici

Lectures (in class and/or remotely, depending on public health updates for in Semester 2)

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Written exams (midterm and final) consisting of problem solving, short essay questions, and multiple choice questions. The grade is computed as follows: 50% midterm exam, 50% final exam. In case the midterm exam is not taken, the final exam will count 100%. Remedial dates for failed exams are available, but a passed exam cannot be repeated.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Giulio Zanella