Description:

In this course, we examine key concepts and methods used in the evaluation of family and social policies. Policy evaluation is central to empirical economics, as it allows us to assess whether policies achieve their intended objectives and to understand their broader economic and social impacts (e.g., on labor supply, income, health, and child outcomes).

We study both ex post evaluation methods such as difference-in-differences and randomized controlled trials and ex ante approaches, including microsimulation and structural modeling. Throughout the course, we engage with real-world policy applications, ranging from parental leave programs to education and welfare policies.

A key goal is to understand the strengths and limitations of different evaluation strategies, the data requirements they impose, and the challenges researchers face when identifying causal effects in practice. The course integrates economic theory, data analysis, and econometric techniques, and equips students to critically assess empirical research at the policy frontier.

Contents

1. Motivation and role of evaluation in economics

2. Types of evaluation (ex post vs. ex ante)

3. Difference-in-differences approaches

4. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)

5. Ex ante policy analysis

6. Microsimulation techniques

7. Structural modeling and behavioral responses

8. Policy counterfactuals

9. Policy design and objectives

10. Evaluation under real-world constraints

11. Data limitations and methodological trade-offs

Material:

• Syllabus_Current_Topics_in_Empirical_Economics_family_and_social_policy_eval.pdf (135 KB, Last change 10th Apr 2026)