The goal of this course is to use the analytic tools of microeconomic theory to study the worker-firm employment relationship.

This course will introduce students to skeptical and effective consumption and production of information in the era of big data. Students will learn how to spot and avoid statistical pitfalls, irrational decisions, fake news, information out of context, and blind faith. The course will draw from historical examples and current events and from contemporary debates in economics and political economy. Students will practice interpreting, visualizing, and writing about big data.

This course will introduce students to skeptical and effective consumption and production of information in the era of big data. Students will learn how to spot and avoid statistical pitfalls, irrational decisions, fake news, information out of context, and blind faith. The course will draw from historical examples and current events and from contemporary debates in economics and political economy. Students will practice interpreting, visualizing, and writing about big data.

In this course, we will investigate how incomes are distributed in our society, why income inequality has risen so dramatically in recent years, and what public policy tools exist to counter inequality increases. The course will consider various normative approaches to answering the following question: should we care about inequality?

Introduction to labor economics; emphasis on public policy issues such as unemployment, age and sex discrimination, collective bargaining, labor law reform, occupational safety and health.

The pure theory of non-monetary international trade, including analysis of the costs and gains of trade, application of the theory to problems of commercial policy. Prerequisite: ECON 203 or RES-ECON 202

The history of the international monetary and commercial system from the gold exchange standard in the 1920's to the present period of floating exchange rates. Systems of fixed and floating exchange rates from theoretical and applied points of view. The roles of international credits, Euro-currency, central bank policies. Prerequisite: ECON 204. (ECON 311 recommended.)

We will analyze how debt works in the economy, and the broader political economic context of debt financing and financialization. We will explore debt and it's function in society, and how debt emerged in capitalist economies. We will look at the student loan debt crisis, and potential policy solutions. Debt plays a role in other parts of the economy, including corporations and the govenment, that have implications for the stability of the economy. Throughout the course, we will explore a mix of theory, applied empirical studies, history, and policies relevant to debt.

Federal budgetary policy and the U.S. economy. Impact of social-welfare spending and taxes on income distribution, growth, cyclical stability, and efficiency. Prerequisite: ECON 203 (or RES-ECON 202) and ECON 204.

The nature and functions of money and the significance of monetary circulation, commercial banks, the Central Bank, the non-bank financial institutional structure; integration of monetary theory into a general theory of economic activity, employment, prices. Prerequisites: ECON 103 or RES-ECON 102, ECON 104 and ECON 204.