This course discusses topics in economic policy. We will draw on policy evaluations and studies in applied microeconomics that focus on consumers’ and households’ (and, to a lesser extent, firms’) responses to governmental interventions.
We will first examine fiscal stimulus policies, such as Germany’s temporary VAT cut, or car-scrapping or subsidy programs (such as the US’ “cash-for-clunkers” programme or the German counterpart, “Abwrackprämie”). Using results of the environmental impact of car-scrapping programmes as our point of departure, we will then study “green stimuli” before we focus on policy interventions to regulate the market for mobility. Lastly, continuing in an urban, city-level perspective, we will discuss evidence from the US and Germany on the role of rent regulations and price control policies. We will assess which actors on the housing market (if any) ultimately benefit from (which) housing-policy interventions.
Throughout the course, all questions will be approached using research papers employing state-of-the-art empirical tools that are common in quantitative impact assessments and policy analyses. We will reserve specific session slots that are devoted to policy discussions. In some of these discussions, we aim to bring in practitioners and applied researchers working on these policy topics.
This course is for 2nd year MIA, MPP and MDS students only.
Instructor
- Christian Traxler , Professor of Economics
