Distribution is a central issue in empirical socioeconomics, spanning social, environmental, democratic as well as economic questions. This module focuses on the interrelation between empirical and theoretical questions of distribution, power imbalances and economic prosperity. In particular, it deals with the effects of the distribution of economic resources on macroeconomic developments and on uneven possibilities regarding policy impact. Methodological advances have permitted the recent empirical as well as theoretical literature to move beyond the (often implicit) assumptions of averages and representative agents as the standard approach. The module intends to give an overview of the current state of the socio-economic debate regarding distribution and inequality. The field is divided into four broad pillars, which cover the field of inequality research:
1) Micro-level data analysis and empirical findings of inequality research.
2) Macro-economic relationships between distribution and growth, both empirical and theoretical.
3) The relationship between environmental and distributional issues.
4) Political economic aspects of distribution and power from a multi-paradigmatic and interdisciplinary perspective.
In parallel to the lectures, the seminar deepens the discussion around these issues, as well as introducing Stata (alternatively: R) and teaching the basics of microeconometrics required for writing an empirical paper. Starting with data processing and descriptive statistics, linear models and common econometric applications in distributional research will be covered.
First semester students of the MA Socioeconomics receive all necessary information about their course collected by the IfSO study coordination. It is therefore not necessary to register for the course in LSF in the first semester. |
