Using Economics for Public Policy, 2025 Fall ECON 130 101 DIS 101

This course explores how economics can be used to understand and evaluate public policies. We will use both economic theory and empirical evidence to study the varying impacts and incentives created by public policies. An emphasis will be placed on the application of economic tools to policy questions. The course will provide an overview of key research in several policy areas, including inequality and opportunity, the social safety net, education, criminal justice, tax policy, climate change and the environment, health care, and structural barriers to racial equity. The course will also provide an introduction to empirical techniques common in economics and policy analysis, including regression, cost-benefit analysis, and causal inference.