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Course title |
Welfare Economics and Inequality |
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Semester |
113-1 |
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Designated for |
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS |
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Instructor |
CHEUK SHING LEUNG |
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Curriculum Number |
ECON3051 |
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Curriculum Identity Number |
303E33110 |
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Class |
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Credits |
2.0 |
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Full/Half
Yr. |
Half |
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Required/
Elective |
Elective |
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Time |
Wednesday 3,4(10:20~12:10) |
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Remarks |
The upper limit of the number of students: 50. |
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Course introduction video |
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Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning |
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning |
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Course Syllabus
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Please respect the intellectual property rights of others and do not copy any of the course information without permission
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Course Description |
This course offers an in-depth exploration of welfare economics, with a particular focus on the issues of inequality and distribution. Students will gain an understanding of economic theories, concepts, and tools that can be used to analyze and address social welfare and inequality issues. Topics covered include the foundations of welfare economics, measurement of inequality, poverty, redistribution, and the role of public policy. The course aims to enable students to critically evaluate economic policies and social institutions in order to promote a more equitable society. |
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Course Objective |
This course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of welfare economics and inequality, enabling them to analyze economic, social, and political factors contributing to disparities. Students will learn to critically assess the role of markets, institutions, and public policies in addressing inequality, and develop the skills to engage in informed discussions on potential solutions for a more equitable society. |
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Course Requirement |
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Student Workload (Expected weekly study hours before and/or after class) |
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Office Hours |
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Designated reading |
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References |
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Grading |
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Week |
Date |
Topic |
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第1週 |
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Course introduction and preview of syllabus
- Introduction to the course, expectations, and assessment |
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第2週 |
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Overview of Inequality and welfare
-The concept of social welfare
-Overview of inequality and its causes |
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第3週 |
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Foundations of Welfare Economics
- Pareto efficiency and the Pareto principle
- Social welfare functions |
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第4週 |
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Measuring Inequality
- Gini coefficient
- Lorenz curve |
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第5週 |
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Income and Wealth Inequality
- Sources of income and wealth inequality
- Capital accumulation and the distribution of wealth
- Intergenerational mobility |
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第6週 |
Oct 9 |
Exam 1 (tentative) |
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第7週 |
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Inequality between countries
- Cross-country comparison of inequality: income and wealth
- Causes and consequences of global inequality
- The impact of globalization and trade on inequality |
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第8週 |
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Gender and Racial Inequality
- Gender wage gap and labor force participation |
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第9週 |
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Welfare analysis
- Welfare effects of different economic policies
- The use of welfare measures in policy analysis |
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第10週 |
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Redistribution and Public Policy
- The role of government in redistribution
- The impact of taxes and transfers on inequality
- The balance between efficiency and equity |
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第11週 |
Nov 12 |
Exam 2 (tentative) |
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第12週 |
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Optimal Linear Income Taxation
- Theory of optimal income taxation |
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第13週 |
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Progressive taxation
- Definition and rationale for progressive taxation
- Effect of progressive taxation on inequality and economic behavior |
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第14週 |
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Social security and social insurance
- Role of social security and insurance in reducing inequality
- Design and effectiveness of these programs |
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第15週 |
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Exam 3 (tentative) |
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第16週 |
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Report Submission |