Description
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Economics of the Family is an elective undergraduate module for final year students who have a good grasp of tools and concepts of microeconomics. It is a module about the operation of the dating/marriage market and its interdependence with other markets, most notably the labour market. In terms of content, the module follows a natural sequence of topics, reflecting the progress of a relationship: it starts with matching models and conditions of dating market equilibrium, continues with the discussion of gains from relationships and the intra-household bargaining (including decisions about fertility, each partner’s labour supply and intra-household specialization) and ends with divorce. We also discuss the economics behind some less traditional arrangements, such as same-sex marriage, cohabitation and polygamy, and the interaction between marriage law and the economics of marriage. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with assigned papers and actively participate in the discussion. Throughout the module, each student develops a focus on a particular aspect of the marriage market by way of writing a critical review of an academic article. Coursework is done in groups.
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 19th August 2024.
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