Entry requirements

At least 52.5 credits from Economics A and B and 15 credits in statistics.

Learning outcomes

The goal of the course is to present basic labour market theory with empirical applications for the Swedish labour market.

After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:

• Explain basic labour market theory in a verbal, graphical and mathematical way.
• Analyse the consequences of different kinds of public policy for the labour market
• Apply labour market theory to the Swedish labour market.

Content

The labor market is of great importance for people's living conditions. Wages, employment and unemployment are determined by a complex interaction between individuals, companies, organisations and public authorities. Labor economics is the area of ​​economics where this interaction is studied.

The course presents modern labor market theory and in-depth examples from Swedish and international research. We discuss, among other things:

• Why is there unemployment, and what determines workers´ wages? How do social insurance, income taxes and education systems affect who wants to work and how much they want to work?
• What factors determine how many people a firm wants to hire? How, for example, is demand affected by minimum wages and payroll taxes? Will computers and robots take over our jobs?
• How will different types of policies affect individuals and companies, and how does the labor market work as a whole? How does immigration affect the labor market, and what controls how well migrants succeed?

The course also addresses social issues closely linked to the labor market such as social mobility, school, health, crime and family formation.

Instruction

The instruction consists of lectures.

Assessment

The assessment consists of a written exam.