This course introduces the measurement and analysis of income and wealth inequality, with a strong emphasis on its practical application. The course will cast a wide view of the evolution of income distributions around the world, but it will take a closer look at inequality in Canada, the United States, and other OECD countries. The course covers the measurement of inequality in income and wealth. It will delve into the causes and consequences of inequality, as well as public policies toward redistribution as potential remedies. The course will be divided into five broad topics: 1) measurement of inequality in income and wealth, including trends in the bottom (poverty) and top incomes; 2) wealth inequality; 3) intergenerational mobility; 4) decomposition methodologies; and 5) redistribution through tax and transfers. The goal of this course, however, is not to resolve the issues of income and wealth inequality but to demonstrate their complexity. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to apply their learning in real-world scenarios, becoming stronger analytical and critical thinkers and much more adept at assessing the meaning and limits of arguments based on statistics. Restricted to M.A. ECON, Ph.D. ECON. External students may request permission to take this course from the ECON graduate program office.
This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.