Syllabus

Title
2158 Specialization Course - Economics of Distribution
Instructors
Franziska Disslbacher, PhD, MSc, BSc, Dr. Sofie Waltl, B.Sc.
Type
PI
Weekly hours
4
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
09/13/22 to 09/19/22
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Friday 10/21/22 01:00 PM - 04:30 PM TC.4.02
Friday 10/28/22 01:00 PM - 04:30 PM TC.4.02
Friday 11/04/22 01:00 PM - 04:30 PM TC.4.02
Friday 11/11/22 01:00 PM - 04:30 PM TC.4.02
Friday 11/25/22 01:00 PM - 04:30 PM TC.4.02
Friday 12/02/22 01:00 PM - 04:30 PM TC.4.02
Friday 01/20/23 10:00 AM - 06:00 PM TC.3.10
Saturday 01/21/23 10:00 AM - 05:30 PM TC.3.10
Contents

The course provides a comprehensive overview about research in inequality and research methods applied. Students will acquire skills to critically assess and discuss research articles in this domain, design and carry out empirical analyses using the statistical software R, and receive an introduction to survey methodology.

The course consists of four blocks:

  1. General Introduction
  2. Introduction to Programming with R
  3. Survey Methodology
  4. Topics in Inequality Research
  5. Student Presentations

 

 


Learning outcomes
  • A good command of using the statistical software R to perform empirical analyses using survey data

  • A good understanding of the advantage and disadvantages of survey data for research purposes

  • A good understanding of current lines of research in the domain of inequality

  • The ability to understand research articles and critically assess research designs and results

Attendance requirements

Attendance strictly required

Teaching/learning method(s)

The course mixes lectures, practical sessions where students work with data and statistical software packages, as well as student presentations during the final workshop in december.

Assessment

35% Student presentation of their R project

35% Assignments at home (two R assignments and one survey assignment)

20% Quizzes

10%  Active participation in discussions and attendance

 

(Approximate Weights)

Prerequisites for participation and waiting lists

Enrollment is based on the usual ‘first come – first serve’ principle. If you are registered but not able to participate, de-register via LPIS during the registration period so your place is available to students on the waiting list.

Readings
1 Author: Biemer, P.
Title:

Total survey error: design, implementation, and evaluation


Publisher: Public Opinion Quarterly
Edition: 74(5), 817-848
Year: 2010
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Content relevant for diploma examination: No
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Journal
2 Author: Cowell, F. A., and Van Kerm, P.
Title:

Wealth inequality: A survey.


Publisher: Journal of Economic Surveys
Year: 2015
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Journal
3 Author: Blanco, M. A., Bauluz, L., and Martínez-Toledano, C.
Title:

Wealth in Spain, 1900-2017: A Country of Two Lands.


Publisher: The Economic Journal
Edition: 131(633), 129-155
Year: 2021
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Journal
4 Author: Roine, J., Vlachos, J., and Waldenström, D.
Title:

The long-run determinants of inequality: What can we learn from top income data?


Publisher: Journal of Public Economics
Edition: 93​(7-8), 974-988
Year: 2009
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Journal
5 Author: Chetty, R., Hendren, N. and Kline, P. and Seaz, E.
Title:

Where is the Land of Opportunity? The Geography of Intergenerational Mobility in the United States.


Publisher: Quarterly Journal of Economics
Edition: 129 (4), 1553-1623
Year: 2014
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Journal
6 Author: Piketty, T. and Zucman, G.
Title:

Capital is back: Wealth-income ratios in rich countries 1700–2010


Publisher: The Quarterly Journal of Economics
Edition: 129(3):1255–1310
Year: 2014
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Journal
7 Author: Clark, A. E., D'Ambrosio, C. and Ghislandi, S.
Title:

Poverty Profiles and Well-Being: Panel Evidence from Germany


Publisher: Measurement of Poverty, Deprivation, and Economic Mobility (Research on Economic Inequality)
Edition: 23
Year: 2015
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Journal
Availability of lecturer(s)

 franziska.disslbacher@wu.ac.at; sofie.waltl@wu.ac.at

 

Additional (blank) field

Students are required to bring their own laptop (with R or R Studio installed) to all R tutorials; students can rent a notebook at the Library and Learning Center.  

Deadlines are strict; no extensions will be granted.

Last edited: 2022-11-25



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