* Being able to analyse a wide range of social phenomena from an economic point of view
* Understand how economic theory explains individuals' behaviour, institutions, and society in general
* Being able to read and evaluate empirical research analysing these issues
* Understand basic econometric tools with which empirical claims about causality can be established

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHOD(S) USED IN THIS COURSE IS WITH RESERVATION. A RE-EMERGENCE OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND NEW COUNTERMEASURES BY THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT MIGHT FORCE COORDINATORS TO CHANGE THE TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHODS USED. THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEACHING/ASSESSMENT METHOD(S) WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE COURSE SYLLABUS.

Discrimination, crime, marriage, fertility, education or religion are all examples for key parts of our societies. The behaviour of people and the design of institutions in these social contexts has major consequences for the society (including policy and the economy as a whole). Economists claim that the economic approach is useful in explaining human behaviour and social interactions in such settings and hence helps to better understand the functioning of societies. This in turn will help to design policies helping to achieve societal goals. This course will analyse different social phenomena through the lens of economists. It trains students to understand and analyse a wide range of social phenomena from an economic point of view and to investigate and interpret these issues empirically. In particular, students are given a thorough understanding of how social phenomena can be analysed from an economic perspective and they get an introduction to econometric tools with which empirical claims about causality can be established.

A selection of academic articles.

Basic understanding of economic theory and quantitative methods, an advanced level of English.