Public Economics

⊕ Instructor
Dr. Ryan Safner
118 Rosenstock
safner@hood.edu
@ryansafner
Office hours: MW 3:15–5:00PM

Course
MW
January 15–May 8, 2020
2:00–3:15PM
317 Rosenstock
Slack


This site contains the syllabus, schedule, and assignments for ECON 410: Public Economics, held during Spring 2020 at Hood College.

Transition to Online

This course is now online for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. Please read this update for more information on course changes and accessibility.

Last Update: 14:53:20 Sat May 16 2020

By the end of this course, you will:

• Understand the incentives of different participants in a liberal democracy, particularly voters, politicians, bureaucrats, regulators, and special interest groups
• Understand the processes by which actual public policy gets made by actual people
• Understand the difference between constitutional-level rules and political rules and the importance of each
• Explain current events and public policies in terms of individuals accomplishing separate political goals through political exchanges
• Recognize the analytical and practical similarities and differences between individuals acting in markets and non-market institutions
• Understand and explain real world differences in outcomes and in operations between political, cultural, economic, and social institutions in different societies
• Overcome the nirvana fallacy

Given these objectives, this course fulfills two of the learning outcomes for the George B. Delaplaine, Jr. School of Business Economics B.A. program:

• Apply economic reasoning and models to understand and analyze problems of public policy […]
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communications skills for personal and professional success[…]