In this course topical issues in the social-economic policy domain are addressed. Situated at the end of the academic year, this course gives students the opportunity to apply core tools and concepts learnt from the Economic Policy curriculum to practical real world policy issues, varying from the effectiveness of activation policies to reduce welfare dependency, social security and labour market reform proposals to cost-benefit analyses of public investments. We discuss the role of evidence-based policy, to what extent implemented policies are based on research and how this can be improved.
Learning objectives
At the end of the course the student is able to:
- Evaluate public policies in terms of the main issues and problems addressed;
- Identify the main policy-advising institutions;
- Acquire an overall perspective of the role of economic theory and insights of other disciplines in a number of topical policy issues;
- Translate existing theoretical knowledge in a consistent and coherent way to a specific practical policy issue.
Format
Lectures (guest lectures and discussion groups)
Assessment method
Teams of students choose a topical public policy issue. Using their technical skills and knowledge from the master curriculum, they perform a policy analysis: ‘how, why and to what effect governments pursue particular courses of action’ culminating in a final presentation of a public policy topic that will be graded.
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