Photo credit: Anna Logue
Spring 2023
-
Economics
E801: Advanced Microeconomics II5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: core courseCourse Number: E801Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS-Credits and Grades
One final examination of 120 min. A prerequisite for the admission to the examination is the regular participation in class, submission of problem sets, good performance in exercise sessions.
Course Content
The course provides an advanced introduction to the theory of general equilibrium. This is a subject that is technically demanding and typically taught only superficially in more elementary classes. It builds in particular on the introductory microeconomics class E702, but also uses the mathematical tools provided in E700, and builds on themes developed in macroeconomics in E701. It is related to the advanced macroeconomics classes, but develops the conceptual sides of the equilibrium problem in more detail than those classes.
The course treats the following topics:
1. Aggregate Demand, 2. Production Theory, 3. Exchange Economies, 4. Production Economies, 5. Uncertainty and Arrow-Debreu Equilibrium, 6. Basic Asset Pricing.
The course teaches the fundamentals of economic equilibrium theory and thus lays the foundations for almost all aggregate theories in economics, such as macroeconomics, international trade, finance, environmental economics, etc. It is complemented by intensive problem-solving work by the students and exercise sessions.
Teaching Method: Lecture (4 SWS) + Exercise (2 SWS)
Competences acquired
After taking this class, students are supposed to know the core concepts of general economic equilibrium, such as the Law of Demand, contingent markets, Walrasian equilibrium, the core, arbitrage-free allocations, market incompleteness, etc.
They are able to analyze problems involving these concepts independently and apply them to issues arising in various fields of economics, such as international trade, macroeconomics, public finance, and others. Special emphasis is put on the technical competence in applying these concepts.
After taking this class, students should understand the role of the price mechanism in different economic contexts and analyze its functioning for the research questions they are studying. They can distinguish a competitive problem from a game-theoretic or decision-theoretic problem and use the corresponding formal and conceptual tools with confidence and competence.
They can assess the scope of equilibrium arguments and decide whether an equilibrium-theoretic approach to a certain research question is appropriate. They understand the common structure of economic equilibrium models and can use this knowledge to transfer insights from one subfield to another.
Professor: Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden, Phone: (0621) 181 – 1915; email: vthadden@uni-mannheim.de; Office: 3.19, VWL-Building; Office hours: upon appointment.
Teaching Assistant: Chang Liu
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 13.02.23 – 13.02.23 Monday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 14.02.23 – 14.02.23 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 room 211, B6, 30–32 Lecture 16.02.23 – 16.02.23 Thursday 08:30 – 10:00 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 27.02.23 – 13.03.23 Monday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 28.02.23 – 28.02.23 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 room 211, B6, 30–32 Lecture 02.03.23 – 02.03.23 Thursday 08:30 – 10:00 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 07.03.23 – 07.03.23 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 room 211, B6, 30–32 Lecture 14.03.23 – 14.03.23 Tuesday 15:30 – 18:45 room 211, B6, 30–32 Lecture 16.03.23 – 23.03.23 Thursday 08:30 – 10:00 P 044, L7, 3–5 Exam 27.03.23 – 27.03.23 Monday 10:00 – 12:00 Palace, Room O 148 Tutorial Tutorial 16.02.23 – 20.03.23 Thursday 12:00 – 13:30 009, L9, 1–2 E802: Advanced Macroeconomics II5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: core courseCourse Number: E802Credits: 5Prerequisites
Prerequisites: E700, E701, E702, E703
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS-Credits and Grades:
Final examination, solutions to problem sets, and participation in exercise sessions.Course Content
Goals and Contents of the module:
This course covers basic methods useful for dynamic economic modeling under rational expectations.- Linear Rational Expectations (RE) Models: linearizing economic models and solving linear RE models: determinacy, indeterminacy, and 'sunspot' equilibria
- Linear RE models and Vector Auto-Regressions (VARs): state space representation of economic models, VAR representation of observables, invertibility problems, identification of economic shocks
- Linear Quadratic (LQ) Dynamic Programming: solving LQ problems: Ricatti equation, invariant subspace methods, stochastic problems and certainty equivalence
- Introduction to the New Keynesian Model and its Linearized Form
Competences acquired
After the course students will be able to apply and understand the basic tools used in business cycle analysis and will be able to follow the recent literature on dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models. They also learn how these techniques could be applied in other fields concerned with dynamic decision making.
Teaching Assistant: Bjarne Horst
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 15.02.23 – 22.03.23 Wednesday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 15.02.23 – 15.03.23 Wednesday (different lecture times on February 22 and March 8 and 22, 2023) 13:45 – 15:15 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 22.02.23 Wednesday 12:00 – 13:30 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 08.03.23 Wednesday 12:00 – 13:30 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 22.03.23 – 22.03.23 Wednesday 12:00 – 13:30 P 044, L7, 3–5 Exam 29.03.23 – 29.03.23 Wednesday 08:00 – 10:00 Palace, Room O 148 Tutorial Tutorial 13.02.23 – 20.03.23 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 P 044, L7, 3–5 Tutorial 24.03.23 – 24.03.23 Friday 15:30 – 17:00 B6, 30–32, Room 211 Tutorial 27.03.23 – 27.03.23 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 B6, 30–32, Room 309 E803: Advanced Econometrics II5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: core courseCourse Number: E803Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703
Course Content
The course provides an introduction to semi- and nonparametric estimation methods in microeconometrics, as well as to bootstrap theory and treatment effect evaluation.
Competences acquired
On successful completion of the module, students are expected to attain the following competences:
Attain advanced theoretical knowledge in econometrics in the specific topics the module covers at a high technical and mathematical level.
Be familiar with current theories and recent developments in the specific topics of focus for the module.
– Attain a higher/advanced level of analytical capability.
Be in a position to take on follow-up advanced theoretical and applied econometrics modules.
Attain the level of competence that permits independent undertakings in search of new knowledge in the specialist areas the module covers.
Attain the level of competence required to carry out (theoretical) research-oriented projects independently.
To be in a position to exchange information, ideas, and solutions with experts of the field on a scientific level as well as with laymen.
To be able to communicate and to work effectively and efficiently with people and in groups.
Graduates are able to communicate precisely in the English specialist language.
Prof. Yoshiyasu Rai, PhD, yraimail.uni-mannheim.deLiterature/
recommended textbooks
Bruce E. Hansen (2019), Econometrics, Manuscript, University of Wisconsin.
A. W. van der Vaart (1998), Asymptotic Statistics, Cambridge University PressSchedule
Lecture Lecture 14.02.23 – 21.03.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 P 044, L7, 3–5 Tutorial 17.02.23 – 24.03.23 Friday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 Exam 31.03.23 – 31.03.23 Friday 10:00 – 12:00 Palace, Room O 145 E804: Advanced Microeconomics III5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: core courseCourse Number: E804Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703, E801, E802, E803
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS-Credits and Grades: Written Exam
Course Content
The goal is to provide an introduction to the role of private information and its strategic use in various environments including markets, contracts, negotiations, regulation, communication, political processes, and expert advice.
Summary of Contents:
I. Adverse Selection.
II. Signaling.
III. Screening.
IV. Moral Hazard.
V. Mechanism design.Competences acquired
Successful participants’ understanding of the role of private information in strategic environments is at the forefront of current research. They are ready to begin developing their own research questions in this field of study, can synthesize their knowledge with the study of economic problems in other fields, and are able to find solutions to practical problems concerning beneficial regulatory interventions in various contexts of market failure. Crucially, successful participants understand the fundamental tension between private information and achieving social goals. This understanding enlightens their judgment of conflict and cooperation in a wide range of social situations beyond the narrow context of economics.
Teaching Assistant: Chang Liu
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 17.04.23 – 29.05.23 Monday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 18.04.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 Exam 05.06.23 – 05.06.23 Monday 00:00 – 00:00 tba Tutorial Tutorial 18.04.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 12:00 – 13:30 P 044, L7, 3–5 E805: Advanced Macroeconomics III5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: core courseCourse Number: E805Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703, E801, E802, E803
Requirements for the Assignment of ECTS Credits and Grades
There will be quizzes, problem sets and one final exam. The course grade is based on your performance in the quizzes (10%), problem sets (10%), and the final exam (80%).
Course Content
The focus of this course is on heterogeneity in macroeconomics. In doing so, this course introduces basic tools of modern macroeconomics and discusses various applications.
The topics of this course are:
Consumption/
savings: permanent income hypothesis, self insurance, incomplete market economies and policy implications, aggregate uncertainty and solution methods Investment: neoclassical theory, Tobin’s q theory, partial capital adjustment, lumpy capital adjustment, uncertainty, misallocation
Teaching Method: Lecture (2 SWS) and Exercise (1 SWS)
Competences acquired
Students acquire a deeper understanding of the mathematical methods used in modern macroeconomics. In particular, they learn about the scope and limitation of each mathematical method. The discussion of various applications in class and during TA sessions prepares students for conducting independent research on their Ph.D. (or Master) thesis. Though this course is mainly about macroeconomics, students are also able to apply the mathematical techniques (i.e. dynamic programming) to problems in other fields of economics. The generality of the mathematical/
theoretical framework allows students to connect seemingly unrelated problems and issues. Students not only formulate and solve advanced scientific problems, but also learn how to communicate their results effectively. Teaching Assistant: Carl-Christian Groh
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 17.04.23 – 29.05.23 Monday 08:30 – 10:00 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 17.04.23 – 29.05.23 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 02.05.23 – 02.05.23 Tuesday 08:30 – 10:00 room 211, B6, 30–32 Lecture 02.05.23 – 02.05.23 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 room 211, B6, 30–32 Lecture 30.05.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 08:30 – 10:00 room 211, B6, 30–32 Lecture 30.05.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 room 211, B6, 30–32 Exam 09.06.23 – 09.06.23 Friday 00:00 – 00:00 tba Tutorial Tutorial 19.04.23 – 31.05.23 Wednesday 13:45 – 15:15 P 044, L7, 3–5 E806: Advanced Econometrics III5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: core courseCourse Number: E806Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703, E801, E802, E803
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS-Credits and Grades: Written exam and assignments
Course Content
In Part I we first reconsider extremum estimators, with a focus on M-estimation, then discuss the three main testing principles (LR, LM, WALD) and, finally, introduce the bootstrap in relation to testing. While Part II is devoted to basic analysis of panel data (models), Part III deals with time series analysis. The latter part is somewhat more detailed but still just focusses on stationary time series set-ups.
Competences acquired
Mathematical argumentation, Ability to read scientific texts
Literature:
- Cameron, A.C. and Trivedi, P.K. (2005), Microeconometrics: Methods and Applications, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Hamilton, J.D. (1994), Time Series Analysis, Princeton: Princeton University Press.
- Hayashi, F. (2000), Econometrics, Princeton: Princeton University Press.
- Horowitz, J. L. (2001), The Bootstrap, in J. J. Heckmann & E. bE. Leamer (eds), Handbook of Econometrics, Vol. 5, North-Holland, Amsterdam.
- Lütkepohl, H. and Krätzig, M. (2004), Applied Time Series Econometrics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Wooldridge, J.M. (2010), Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data, Cambridge: The MIT Press.
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 19.04.23 – 31.05.23 Wednesday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 Lecture 20.04.23 – 01.06.23 Thursday 08:30 – 10:00 P 044, L7, 3–5 Exam 13.06.23 – 13.06.23 Tuesday 00:00 – 00:00 tba Tutorial Tutorial 20.04.23 – 01.06.23 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 P 044, L7, 3–5 E800: CDSE Seminar (2nd & 3rd year)12 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E800Credits: 12Prerequisites
2nd and higher year Ph.D. students from the Center for Doctoral Studies in Economics (CDSE)
2nd year students from the Master of Economic Research
Course Content
Method (hours per week): Colloquium (2 h)
Duration of the module: 4 semesters
ECTs awarded after each semester: 3 ECTs
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 14.02.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 15:30 – 17:00 001, L7, 3–5 E8004: Reading Course Environmental Economics (3rd & 4th year)2.5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8004Credits: 2.5Prerequisites
Presentations
Course Content
Students will read, present and discuss papers in environmental economics.
Competences acquired
- Presentation skills
- Participation in scientific discourse
- Absorption of recent research in environmental economics
- Acquisition of a reading routine
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 13.02.23 – 29.05.23 Monday, every two weeks 13:45 – 15:15 002, L9, 1–2 E8008: Doctoral Colloquium (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8008Credits: 5Schedule
Colloquium Colloquium 16.02.23 – 01.06.23 Thursday 13:45 – 15:15 002, L9, 1–2 E8010: Econometrics Research Seminar (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8010Credits: 5Course Content
This seminar provides a forum for internal and external speakers to discuss their recent research in econometrics. Students working on either econometrics or an empirical project with a substantive econometric component are welcome to present. Please contact the instructor to set up a date.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 16.02.23 – 01.06.23 Thursday 15:30 – 17:00 002, L9, 1–2 E8013: Search Theory and Labor Markets (2nd year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8013Credits: 5Prerequisites
Successful completion of the first year sequence.
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS Credits and Grades: Take home exam/
homeworks and student presentations Course Content
We will cover search theoretic models and their applications to labor markets. In addition to learning several generations of search models, we will also discuss related empirical labor market papers.
The class will consist of lectures where search theoretic models are presented and discussed. These will comprise amongst others:
- The McCall search model
- The Diamond-Mortensen-Pissarides model
- Random and directed search models
- Block-recursive equilibria
- Stock-Flow matching
- Search models with two sided heterogeneity with sorting.
In addition to providing the theoretical foundations, we will also study a number of applications of these models to mostly labor market questions. These include sources of wage inequality, earnings losses of displaced workers, minimum wage laws, optimal unemployment insurance amongst others.
Through student presentations, we will get to know recent published and working papers related to labor markets and search theory. The selection of the papers will be mostly related to labor markets, but can be tailored towards the interests of the students.
Competences acquired
Upon successful complete, students will be familiar with the cutting edge search models commonly used in a variety of economic fields ranging from labor economics, monetary econ, finance and family econ amongst many others. Students will be familiar with papers at the research frontier and potential avenues for future research
Literature/
recommended textbooks - Ljungqvist and Sargent. Recursive Macroeconomic Theory, third edition, 2012
- Christopher A Pissarides. Equilibrium unemployment theory. MIT press, 1990
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 16.02.23 – 30.03.23 Thursday 15:30 – 18:45 003, L9, 1–2 E8014: Quantitative Macroeconomics with Heterogeneous Households (2nd year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8014Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703; some familiarity with a programming language of your choosing (e.g. Python, Fortran, Julia, C, MATLAB)
Grading and ECTS credits: problem sets and presentations
Course Content
This course will discuss how the household heterogeneity affects the economy and how the macroeconomic policy and existing market frictions underlie the level of inequality. To this end it will introduce the standard incomplete-markets model, an arguable workhorse of modern macroeconomics, in which households face uninsurable income risk and use risk-free assets to smooth the marginal utility of their consumption. This will be extended to: (1) models with overlapping generations and a life-cycle component and (2) two-asset models. Next, we will recast the standard framework in continuous time to achieve greater computational performance than traditional discrete-time methods.
Course roadmap:
1. Optimal stochastic growth model and income fluctuations problem.
2. Solving DP problems with exogenous and endogenous labor supply using value function iteration.
3. Root-finding procedures (covered only bisection but can cover Newton methods as well).
4. Policy function iteration.
5. (One-dimensional) approximation: (a) piecewise linear approximation; (b) Chebychev polynomials.
6.Different types of grids: (a) equispaced; (b) exponential grid; (c) power-space grid.
7. Endogenous gridpoints method (EGM) (Carroll, EL 2005).
8. Discretization of income process: (a) Tauchen (EL, 1986); (b) Rouwenhorst (Cooley, 1995); (c) Random walk in finite horizon.
9. Simulations: how to generate random numbers from an arbitrary distribution.
10. Standard incomplete markets model. Saving motives. Computing invariant distribution.
11. Lifecycle incomplete market economy with OLG structure. Different earnings dynamics: (a) Guerrieri-Lorenzoni (QJE, 2017); (b) Castañeda et al. (JPE, 2003).
12. Two-asset SIM model with discrete adjustment (Kaplan and Violante, Ecta 2014). EGM for the two-asset problem. Multidimensional piecewise linear approximation.
13. Heterogeneous Agent Economies in Continuous Time (Achdou et al., 2017).Competences acquired
The students gain knowledge and understanding how to use numerical methods to solve dynamic programing problems.
Contact Information: Krzysztof Pytka; email: pytka@uni-mannheim.de; phone: (0621) 181–181-7; Office: L7 3–5, room 2.09, Office hours: by appointment.
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 15.02.23 – 29.03.23 Wednesday 12:00 – 15:15 P 043, L7, 3–5 E8032: Inequality and Economic Policy (2nd year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8032Credits: 5Prerequisites
Formal: 2nd and higher year Ph.D. students from the Center for Doctoral Studies in Economics (CDSE).
2nd year students from the Master of Economic Research.Requirements for the assignment of ECTS Credits and Grades
• Presentation 80%
• Discussion 20%Course Content
The course will discuss current research that analyzes the effect of economic policy on growth and inequality using the tools of modern macroeconomics.
Competences acquired
Students will gain a deeper understanding of the effect of economic policy on growth and inequality.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 15.02.23 – 31.05.23 Wednesday 15:30 – 17:00 room 410, L7, 3–5 E8036: Research Seminar in Applied Economics (3rd & 4th year)2.5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8036Credits: 2.5Course Content
The seminar will adapt to the interests of the participants as it is meant to help them start on their path to their own research. Participants will be asked to present their ideas and projects, which could be in a very preliminary state, as well as papers that relate to their ideas and projects. We will try and identify open research questions and empirical strategies that can answer these questions.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 15.02.23 – 31.05.23 Wednesday, every two weeks 13:45 – 15:15 002, L9, 1–2 E8038: Public Economics II (2nd year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8038Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703, E801, E802, E803, E805, E806 or equivalent, Public Economics I highly recommended
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS-Credits and Grades: Presentation of short research proposal and referee reportCourse Content
The course is intended to provide insights into current research in the area of public economics, covering fiscal competition and mobility of tax bases, firm taxation, property taxation, tax evasion, place-based policies. Compared to Public Economics I (taught in the fall semester), the course is more empirically oriented but also covers the standard theoretical models for the respective topics
Competences acquired
Ability to understand current academic research at the frontier; critical evaluation of literature; first steps towards formulating own research questions; improvement of research writing and presentation skills.
Responsible teacher of the module: Arthur Seibold
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 13.02.23 – 29.05.23 Monday 15:30 – 17:00 P 043, L7, 3–5 E8041: Environmental Economics Research Seminar (3rd & 4th year)2.5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8041Credits: 2.5Course Content
In this seminar, internal and external speakers discuss their recent research in environmental economics. Students working on an empirical or theoretical project that is related to environmental economics are welcome to present. Please contact the instructor to set up a date.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 21.02.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday, every two weeks 12:00 – 13:30 002, L9, 1–2 E8048: Environmental Cost Benefit Analysis and Behavioral Environmental Economics (2nd year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8048Credits: 5Prerequisites
Prerequisites: E700-E703. Recommended: E8038 (can be taken simultaneously)
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS-Credits and grades:
10-page research proposal: 40%
One assignment: 20%
Two 30-minute presentations: 2 x 15%
Class participation: 10%
Course Content
The objective of this course is twofold: First, to introduce the main concepts and empirical tools used in environmental cost benefit analysis. Second, to discuss recent developments in behavioral environmental economics.
The course will thus cover a range of current topics in environmental, energy, and climate policy. The basic structure of the course will involve presentation and discussion of papers that should be read in advance. Selected topics:
- Revealed preferences
- Hedonic pricing
- Housing market valuation of amenities
- Equilibrium sorting models
- Wage hedonics: Valuation of statistical life
- Climate Change
- Measuring effects of climate change
- Agriculture
- Mortality
- Optimal design of corrective taxes and informational interventions
- Behavioral failures in making energy-related choices
- Informational interventions and nudging
- Optimal internality and externality taxation
Competences acquired
Thorough understanding of the key topics, ability to critically evaluate empirical research in environmental economics that employs both structural and reduced-form econometric methods. Ability to apply state-of-art research methods. Presentation skills.
Further Information
Students will be given a list of required and recommended readings that includes journal articles, working papers, and handbook chapters. The recommended textbook for background reading is D. Phaneuf and T. Requate (2017). A Course in Environmental Economics. Cambridge University Press.
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 16.02.23 – 01.06.23 Thursday 10:15 – 11:45 P 043, L7, 3–5 E8049: Research Seminar in International Economics (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8049Credits: 5Prerequisites
Core PhD courses, PhD International Trade
Grading and ECTS credits
Grades are based on active participation, presentation of research project: participation in class (50%), presentations (50%).
Course Content
This is a research seminar for 3rd and 4th year students who are writing their thesis in the field of international economics. Students present their own research projects and we discuss relevant papers in international economics.
Competences acquired
The aim of the course is to follow and guide students during the thesis writing process. The acquired competences will be to develop and structure research projects in international economics, to improve academic writing and presentation skills.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 15.02.23 – 31.05.23 Wednesday 10:15 – 11:45 P 043, L7, 3–5 E8050: Reading Group in Microeconometrics (2nd, 3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8050Credits: 5Prerequisites
This group is aimed at students interested in modern microeconometric theory and its applications in empirical economic research.
Course Content
Students will read, present, and discuss current research papers.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 13.02.23 – 22.05.23 Monday 13:45 – 15:15 P 043, L7, 3–5 E8055: Trade and the Environment2.5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8055Credits: 2.5Prerequisites
E700-E703. Recommended: E891 [International Trade] and E8004 [Reading Course in Environmental Economics] can be taken simultaneously
Grading
30-minute presentation (50%), Participation in class (10%), 3 Assignments (40%)
Course Content
This course covers the recent academic literature on the link between trade and the environment. A particular focus lies on the shift to the micro-level both in the theoretical and empirical work. The course content will be adjusted according to the interests of participating Ph.D. students.
The course is based on presentations and discussions of research papers that should be read in advance and are covered by assignments.
Competences acquired
Ability to understand current academic research on trade and the environment.
Ability to critically evaluate theoretical and empirical research in environmental economics.
Improvement of presentation and academic writing skills.
Basic readings
Cherniwchan, Jevan M. and M. Scott Taylor (2022). International Trade and the Environment: Three Remaining Empirical Challenges. NBER Working Paper Series 30020
Copeland, Brian R., Joseph S. Shapiro and M. Scott Taylor (2021). Globalization and the Environment. NBER Working Paper Series 28797
Cherniwchan, Jevan, Brian R. Copeland and M. Scott Taylor (2017). Trade and the Environment: New Methods, Measurements, and Results. Annual Review of Economics 9(1): 59–85
Contact: Prof. Dr. Philipp M. Richter, e-mail address: tba; office hours: by appointment (meetings on-site or in zoom)
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 23.02.23 – 01.06.23 Thursday, every two weeks 15:30 – 17:00 S 031, L7, 3–5 E8056: Topics in Theoretical Industrial Organization (2nd year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E8056Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700 – E703, E801 – E806
Grading
Oral exam (30mins; 80%), class participation (20%)
Course Content
PhD-level course on selected topics at the frontier of research in industrial organization.
Competences acquired
Acquisition of a deep understanding of selected key topics at the frontier of research in industrial organization. The course helps enable students to engage in advanced research in industrial organization.
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 14.02.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 002, L9, 1–2 Lecture 21.02.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 Lecture 21.03.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 002, L9, 1–2 Lecture 25.04.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 002, L9, 1–2 Lecture 02.05.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 201, L9, 7 Lecture 09.05.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 002, L9, 1–2 Lecture 30.05.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 13:30 201, L9, 7 E821: Topics in Empirical Development Economics (3rd and 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E821Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700, E701, E702, E703, E801, E802, E803, E805, E806, successful completion of first two years of PhD programme
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS Credits and Grades
A written seminar paper on a topic of own choice and a presentation in class.Course Content
Research seminar where Ph.D. students, who have completed their course work, present their own research and receive feedback. (Topics in empirical development economics with microeconometric methods. Development economics can be subdivided into three branches: Macro, micro theory and empirical with micro data. We only cover the last area. Macro and micro theory have been the driving forces of development economics initially, but with the increasing availability of microdata for Africa, Asia and Latin America in the last two decades, the foundation of the J-PAL network and the Nobel Prize in 2019, empirical development economics has been gaining attention.)
Competences acquired
Doctoral Students will know how to
– identify a research question,
– put a research question into context of the relevant literature,
– present their current stage of research to their peers in a seminar environmentSchedule
Seminar Research seminar 17.02.23 – 02.06.23 Friday 12:00 – 13:30 P 044, L7, 3–5 E839: Topics in Macroeconomics (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E839Credits: 5Prerequisites
First and second year PhD courses.
Requirements for the assignment
Presenting of Research Projects
Course Content
Research seminar where Ph.D. students, who have completed their course work, present their own research and receive feedback. Occasionally we will also have an outside speaker.
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 16.02.23 – 01.06.23 Thursday 12:00 – 13:30 P 043, L7, 3–5 E846: Reading Course in Industrial Organization (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E846Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700-E703, E801-E806
Requirements for the Assignment of ECTS Credits and Grades
Presentation (100 %)
Course Content
This seminar is aimed at PhD students writing their dissertation in Industrial Organization. It is intended to guide students at all stages of dissertation research. The emphasis be on presentation and discussion of material by students.
Competences acquired
Doctoral students will know how to
- identify a research question,
- put a research question into context of the relevant literature,
- present their current stage of research to their peers in a seminar environment.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 15.02.23 – 31.05.23 Wednesday 12:00 – 13:30 002, L9, 1–2 E866: Research Seminar in Economic Policy (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E866Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700-E703, E801-E806
Grading
At least one presentation. Students who wish to obtain ECTS credits should sign up for the course, students who do not wish to obtain credits should not sign up for the course.
Course Content
Students present and discuss policy related economic research.
Competences acquired
Students learn to apply economic theory and quantitative methods to policy problems.
Further information: Students who would like to participate should contact Hans Grüner before the beginning of the semester
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 13.02.23 – 29.05.23 Monday 17:15 – 18:45 P 043, L7, 3–5 E873: Research Seminar in Public Economics (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E873Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700-E703, E801-E806
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS-Credits and Grades
Oral presentation of own reserach, contribution to discussion of other perticipants' reserach; only pass/
fail. Course Content
Presentation and discussion of current research in public economics (external and internal speakers)
Competences acquired
Improve presentations skills, obtain feedback to improve research paper.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 14.02.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 12:00 – 13:30 P 043, L7, 3–5 E878: Advanced PhD Seminar in Experimental Economics (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E878Credits: 5Prerequisites
E700- E703, E801- E806
Grading and assignment of ECTS credits:
Presentation and active participation
Course Content
In this seminar participants present and discuss their current research as well as ideas for future research. An important goal of the seminar is to provide a forum for students working on projects that use experimental methods or relate to themes in behavioral economics.
Further information
If you are interested in the seminar, please contact Henrik Orzen.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 14.02.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 13:45 – 15:15 P 043, L7, 3–5 E898: Reading Group in Empirical Industrial Organization (3rd & 4th year)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: E898Credits: 5Prerequisites
All first year PHD courses
Requirements for the assignment of ECTS Credits and Grades:
Presentation 100%
Course Content
This seminar is aimed at PhD students writing their dissertation in Empirical Industrial Organization and related fields. It is intended to guide students at all stages of dissertation research. The emphasis is on presentation and discussion of research by doctoral students.
Competences acquired
Doctoral students will know how to 1) identify a research question 2) put a research question into context of the relevant literature 3) present their the current stage of their research to their peers in a seminar environment.
Schedule
Seminar Seminar 14.02.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 10:00 – 12:00 P 043, L7, 3–5 MET 931: Topics in Advanced Sampling Methods: Design and Causal Inference5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: MET 931Credits: 5Prerequisites
The reading course is aimed at Ph.D. students in or beyond their second year to support them during their research phase. 1st year PhD students are welcomed to attend the class as well.
Recommended: Knowledge of basic statistics and prior experience with R or Stata is helpful, but not necessary.
Course Content
This reading course provides a hands-on and paper-based approach to understanding and analyzing data. For many projects, collection of new data or experimental designs are the only way to answer a research question or to provide the decisive complementary evidence. Different ways to collect data can have important implications for model estimation and evaluation, parameter inference, and policy conclusions. Standard econometric methods start from assumptions about the sampling procedure and try to cope with the limitations of a given dataset. Instead, we start at the design stage and examine the interplay between sampling and experimental methods, statistical inference and estimation of causal effects. We will use the German Business Panel as point in case and implement cutting-edge methods to gain insights into the causal mechanisms behind reported outcomes. In each session, one of the participants will present a research paper, which we will discuss in light of concrete implementation at trial scale. Participants are encouraged to present research that is valuable for their own thesis or may be assigned to present a topic.
In addition to presenting a paper and participating in the discussion, students are expected to write a short technical report that summarizes the methods and implications in a way useful for peers who want to use the newly collected data or learn about experimental results.
Learning outcomes:
The specific applications cover a broad set of skills with a focus on design of questionnaires and survey experiments, data analysis and quantitative methods, classification, inference, writing of own reports, and opportunities for own research.
- Analytical Skills/
Problem-Solving: Students will effectively visualize, conceptualize, articulate, and solve or address problems, with available or newly generated information, through experimentation and observation, mainly using statistical and programming tools. - Critical Thinking: Students will apply empirical analysis to everyday problems in data collection and analysis helping them to understand events, evaluate specific methods, compare arguments with different conclusions to a specific issue, and assess the role played by assumptions.
- Quantitative Reasoning: Students will understand how to design collection and analysis of empirical evidence. Specifically, they may obtain and/
or collect relevant data, develop empirical evidence using appropriate statistical techniques, and interpret the results of such analyses. - Specialized Knowledge and Practical Application: Students will develop deeper analytical, critical, and quantitative skills in specialized areas by applying programming skills and statistical concepts to real world situations.
- Interdisciplinary Knowledge: Participants will broaden their knowledge by studying methods used in economics, sociology, political science, and other fields.
- Communication and Leadership: Participants will build presentation and discussion skills, ensuring they are prepared to navigate diverse audiences and situations. Collaborations of participants prepares joint projects.
- Preparation of Own Research: Projects will be valuable for own research projects; applications provide best practice examples.
Form of assessment: Paper (technical report) (optional), Presentation (50 %), Class Participation (50 %)
The course is also part of the TRR 266 Accounting for Transparency
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 14.02.23 – 30.05.23 Tuesday 10:15 – 11:45 B 144, A5, 6 – B RES: Financial Economics of Climate and Sustainability (Bridge Course)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: RESCredits: 5Prerequisites
The course will assume that participants have a background in core graduate‐level finance. The course will cover topics from a variety of subfields in finance (asset pricing, financial intermediation, household finance, corporate finance). The introductory block of three classes is intended to orient students to the science of climate change as well as to refresh key concepts from economics and finance; the remaining classes will dive into detail on current research in different subfield. We will conclude with a discussion of open topics in this field. We expect that the course will be useful to doctoral students in finance, economics, and accounting. As a global class, we will largely be on Zoom. Beyond weekly preparation and participation, students will be expected to write a paper either laying out a potential research topic or synthesizing a set of related papers that were not discussed in class.
Course Content
The purpose of the course is to (a) introduce graduate students to questions and methods in the rapidly evolving fields of climate/
sustainable finance; (b) connect researchers from across the globe interested in this topic to stimulate more rigorous, relevant, and collaborative work. Addressing climate change demands changes in natural, social, and economic systems and will require greater collaboration. In that spirit, this course is being offered by a team of professors from different schools and universities across the globe. Each instructor will deliver one or more lectures and there will be students from a number of different schools. Our teaching group consists of current and former AFA and EFA presidents and some of the leading climate finance scholars, including Laura Starks (current AFA President), Patrick Bolton (former AFA President), Stefano Giglio, Marcin Kacperczyk (former EFA President), Caroline Flammer, Geoff Heal, Stefan Reichelstein, Ben Caldecott and Peter Tufano.
Assessment
Beyond weekly preparation and participation, students will be expected to write a paper either laying out a potential research topic or synthesizing a set of papers related to Climate Change and Sustainability that were not discussed in class.
This course starts early (January 24), please make sure to register until December 20, 2022!
Schedule
Lecture Lecture 24.01.23 – 11.04.23 Tuesday 17:00 – 19:00 online (Zoom) RES: New Perspectives on Economics and Politics (Bridge Course)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: RESCredits: 5Course Content
We live in interesting times both, economically and politically. Many observers point to crises and uncertain developments in the economic and political world. Making sense of the nature of these challenges and pointing toward economic and political solutions for the future requires new perspectives. This is a course about the big and bold questions in economics and politics. How can or should economics and politics be organized to best serve society? What does it mean to put humans as they really are at the center of economic and political thinking? What role do morals and values, or dignity and respect, play for the way economics and politics work? What are the implications of digitalization for capitalism and freedom?
We will try to come to grips with these questions by reading and discussing four key books on various new perspectives at the intersection between economics and politics. The aim of this course is to go as deep as we can and to get as much out of an in-class discussion of the material as possible. Willingness to acquire and read the books is a must. If you are unsure about whether or not you would want to take on the commitment of reading four books in one semester then this course is probably not the right one for you.
Students need to be willing to read books, form their own opinions on them, and elaborate on and defend their own views in group discussions and a final essay.Required Readings
Friedman, M. (1963). Capitalism and Freedom. University of Chicago Press.
Greene, J. (2015). Moral Tribes. Atlantic Books.
Sandel, M. J. (2020). The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?. Penguin UK.
Zuboff, S. (2016). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. PublicAffairs.
Schedule
Seminar 24.02.23 – 24.02.23 Friday 13:45 – 15:15 D002 in B6, 27–29 21.04.23 – 02.06.23 Friday 10:15 – 13:30 D002 in B6, 27–29 RES / IntRes: Interdisciplinary Research in the Economic and Social Sciences (Bridge Course)5 ECTSLecturer(s)
Course Type: elective courseCourse Number: RES / IntResCredits: 5Prerequisites
This course is exclusively geared towards students who are currently doctoral students at the GESS of the University of Mannheim. It is intended for beginning as well as advanced doctoral students. This course is an elective course and counts as a 'Bridge Course'. Maximum number of participants is 15. If the course is not fully booked, non-GESS students from Business, Economics, or the Social Sciences or from other related disciplines can enroll. As a necessary requirement you need to make a working paper draft available to all of us that you present in our ‘Mini Research Day’.
Course Content
This course will introduce students to interdisciplinary research and aims at initiating projects of an interdisciplinary nature, thereby fostering the interdisciplinary spirit of the graduate students at the GESS. This year, the course will be given by one senior researchers from each center of the GESS, i.e., you will have the unique opportunity to receive truly interdisciplinary feedback on your work from three different angles.
The course consists of four core building blocks:
1. Kick-Off & Introductory Session: What is interdisciplinary research.
After a short introduction on the nature and success of interdisciplinary research as well as the structure of the course by the instructors, each participant will shortly (max 5 min, 2–3 slides per person) present the core idea of an interdisciplinary paper published in a top journal in her field. Please browse the recent issues of the most important journals in your field to find such a paper. Note that interdisciplinarity can have various aspects in this context (e.g., methods developed for a specific purpose in one field being used in another context, using a theoretical framework from one area to better understand a research question in another, using data generated in another context for a research project, ...). Your presentation should make clear, what the interdisciplinary innovation of the paper is. Alternatively, you can also present a dataset or a methodology and highlight how students from other GESS centers might take advantage of it.
2. Mini-Research-Day
The second component of the course is a ‘Mini-Research-Day’ which is intended to introduce the kind of topics you are working on to other course participants. You will give a presentation on a current working paper or research project of yours and you will discuss a paper/
presentation from one of your fellow students from another field (10 min presentation, 5 min discussion, 10 min Q&A). 3. Science Speed Dating
The science speed dating event – organized by your student representatives – involves short bilateral talks between participants with the later possibility to match research interests. All course participants will participate in the speed dating event and are asked to develop at least one collaborative research proposal with a student from another field (preferably from our course).
4. Project Presentations & Writeups
This proposal will be presented by groups of 2 (in exceptional cases 3) students in a final meeting about four weeks after the speed dating event. Each research team will also prepare a short write-up of their proposal (max. 5 pages, incl. references) explaining the intended contribution to the literature, the interdisciplinary aspects of the project and the proposed procedure how to implement the project to be handed in two weeks after the presentation. Moreover, you will also discuss another team project.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will
- have gotten in touch with a variety of disciplinary research methods and perspectives from different fields.
- critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these research methods.
- identify and develop an interdisciplinary research proposal and communicate their ideas clearly in both, a presentation and in writing.
- have received feedback from senior researchers from all three centers.
- have practiced to present their work to a critical, interdisciplinary audience and to discuss other students work in a format closely resembling that of most academic conferences.
Assessment
This is a pass/
fail course. To successfully pass the course, each student has to: - Give a short paper presentation in the introductory session.
- Present, discuss, and participate in the ‘Mini Research Day’. An extended abstract and the set of slides that will be used for the presentation or (preferably) a working paper draft needs to be provided by each presenting student to the assigned discussant a week before the research day.
- Participate at the science speed dating event.
- Present your interdisciplinary research proposal (group of two students) and subsequently hand in a write-up.
- Full and active participation in all four building blocks is necessary to pass the course.
- The best interdisciplinary proposal will win a prize.
Please register by the registration deadline given below, by sending a title and an abstract of the research project/
topic you would like to present during the ‘Mini Research Day’ to gess.registrationuni-mannheim.de. Please indicate in your e-mail your fields of interest and mention up to three broad other fields (e.g. Marketing, Macroeconomics, Social Psychology, Political Science) you would like to collaborate with. Please note that the course is limited to a maximum of 15 participants, and seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Course dates
- January 31st, 2023 – Course Registration Deadline
- February 15th, 2023, 10:00 – 14:00 – Kick-Off Meeting, Room 212 (building B6, 30–32)
- February 23th – Deadline to send paper to discussant (and in cc to: gess.office@uni-mannheim.de)
- March 2nd, 2023, 10:00 – 19:00 – Mini Research Day, Room 212 (building B6, 30–32)
- March 30th, 2023, exact time TBA – Science Speed Dating event, Room 212 (building B6, 30–32)
- May 25, 2023, 10:00 – 19:00 – Presentation of Research Proposal, Room 212 (building B6, 30–32)
- June 8th, 2023 – Deadline to hand in interdisciplinary research proposal (to: gess.office@uni-mannheim.de)
Competences acquired
Upon successful completion of this course, students will
- have gotten in touch with a variety of disciplinary research methods and perspectives from different fields
- critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these research methods
- identify and develop an interdisciplinary research proposal and communicate their ideas clearly in both, a presentation and in writing.
- have received feedback from senior researchers from all three centers.
- have practiced to present their work to a critical, interdisciplinary audience and to discuss other students work in a format closely resembling that of most academic conferences.
Seminar Series: Open Science Office: Research Skills Seminar Series0 ECTSCourse Type: elective courseCourse Number: Seminar SeriesCourse Content
Interested in learning about Open Science, reproducibility, and transparency in research and all things related to research data management? Then don’t wait, join our Research Skills Seminar Series and learn the skills needed to create an optimised and transparent research workflow that is embedded in Open Science and facilitates research data management. From conceptual issues like the replication crisis, to learning skills like pre-registration and wrangling data in R, this seminar series has got you covered and is here to support you.