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Public Economics

Module Code: ECP77554

• ECTS Credit: 5
• Semester/Term Taught: Second Semester (Hilary)
• Contact Hours: The module will be delivered through a combination of lectures (10 hours) and tutorials (5 hours)
• Module Coordinator: Professor Barra Roantree

Aims

The module will introduce students to the field of public economics, which studies the role of the government in the economy.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Identify and understand key issues related to the field of public economics;
2. Formulate a balanced, critical judgment on the status of the debate around these issues;
3. Confidently discuss papers in the field of public economics;
4. Critically evaluate contributions to the field of public economics.

Module Content

It is envisaged that the module will cover a range of topics in the field of public economics, including:

• Introduction: What is public economics and why should you care?
• Rationales for government intervention (including insurance)
• (Social) insurance: unemployment, sickness and disability
• Public goods and externalities
• Commodity Taxation
• Income Taxation
• Taxation and the limits of redistribution

Reading

There are two core textbooks for this module:

• Hendricks and Myles (Intermediate Public Economics, 2e)
• Barr (Economics of the Welfare State, 6e)

Additional readings will be provided during the module.

Assessment

Assessment will be through a combination of coursework (50%) and a final exam (50%).

Module Website

Lecture materials will be made available via tcd.blackboard.com