English 195ec. Growth, Technology, Inequality, and Education

Instructor: James Engell and Benjamin Friedman
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm | Location: Harvard Hall 101
Course site

An economist and a humanist, together with professors from the natural sciences, analyze familiar conceptual and policy-relevant issues from viewpoints of their respective disciplines. For example, how do we measure inequality, and at what point does it become problematic (and how do we know)? How then should it be addressed (e.g., tax code, minimum wage)? What are the best policies to confront job losses from technology? What does sustainable growth mean? The goal is not merely to examine four intertwined issues “growth, technology, inequality, and education” but also to understand the distinct concerns and methods of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

 Sections will separately accommodate concentrators in English/Humanities and Economics/Social/Natural Sciences/SEAS. Jointly offered as Econ 1000a/b

This course satisfies the English Concentration "Diversity in Literature" requirement for students on the “Common Ground” curriculum.