ECON 380: Economics of Inequality (Newly added course)

Number of Section: 1 | Day and Time: M/W (11:40-13:20 ICT)

Course Description

This course examines the nature of economic inequality, including its extent,
causes, and consequences. We study inequality from both macroeconomic and microeconomic perspectives. Through its broad coverage of economics, this course may help students identify research interests and generate ideas for their capstone projects.
At the macroeconomic level, the course explores how inequality is related to economic growth and development. We examine competing theories and empirical evidence on whether inequality promotes or hinders growth, and analyze how national institutions such as education systems, labor market policies, taxation, and social protection, shape this relationship.
At the microeconomic level, the course investigates inequality across multiple dimensions, including income, wealth, education, health, and labor market outcomes. We examine how individual decisions, market forces, and economic environments contribute to unequal outcomes. The course concludes with an analysis of discrimination, focusing on how unequal treatment based on
characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, race, or other social identities can restrict access to economic opportunities and generate persistent inequalities. While ECON111 (Introduction to Macroeconomics) and STAT100 (Introduction to Statistics) are not prerequisites, students with prior knowledge of ECON111and STAT100 may find some parts of the course easier to follow.

Prerequisites: ECON 110 – Intro to Microeconomics