Inequality in America.

Catalog description

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Today economic inequality in the United States is higher than at any point in the past century. This course is an introduction to the latest research on various aspects of inequality, including: What are the origins of inequality in employment, income, wealth and health? How is inequality related to age, sex, race, education, geography and technology? How does equality of opportunity differ from equality in outcomes? What are the consequences of inequality for individuals, families and the economy as a whole? Which policies would have the largest impact on inequality, and what will happen to inequality in the future? As students explore these questions, the class will also cover important scientific techniques which will improve the ability to read data, test theories and make predictions. These will include key economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity costs, prices, supply and demand, equilibrium, and compensating differentials.