Program Overview

Economics of Social Justice Program

Introduction

The Economics of Social Justice program is an elective course offered by the Albert-Ludwigs-Universit酹 Freiburg, specifically designed for students of the M.Sc. Economics program, M.Sc. VWL program, M.Sc. BWL program, and Diplom-Students. Exchange students are also welcome to participate.

Target Group and Language

• This course is designated for students of the M.Sc. Economics program (economics and politics), the M.Sc. VWL program, the M.Sc. BWL program, and Diplom-Students.
• Exchange students are equally welcome to participate.
• If students of other programs and faculties (e.g., political science) wish to participate, they should contact the tutor by email before the third week of the semester.
• Recommended prerequisites: Good knowledge of microeconomics, preferably knowledge from the courses "Economic Policy and Public Choice" (winter terms) and "Constitutional Economics" (summer terms).
• This module is entirely taught in English.

Credits

• M.Sc. Economics: Internal Elective for profiles 'Economics and Politics', External Elective for profiles 'Finance', and 'Information Systems and Network Economics'.
• M.Sc. VWL (PO2014): "Constitutional Economics and Competition Policy", "Public Sector Economics and International Taxation", "Corporate Governance and Business Ethics".
• M.Sc. VWL (PO2011): "Wirtschaftspolitik (Ordnungspolitik)".
• M.Sc. BWL: "Public Sector Economics", "VWL".
• Diplom VWL: "Wirtschaftspolitik (Ordnungspolitik)", "Ordnungs- und Wettbewerbspolitik", "Sozialpolitik".
• 4 ECTS: lecture
• 6 ECTS: lecture and tutorial.

Schedule

Lecture: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Neum酺ker

• 27.10.2022 09.02.2023
• Do 10:00 12:00 am c.t., HS 1009 (Kollegiengeb酳de I)

Tutorial: Marcel Franke

• 31.10.2022 06.02.2023
• Mo 12:00 14:00 pm c.t., R 4 (Peterhof)

Outline and Introductory References

Practical policy choices involve sacrificing the well-being and the means of some for the benefits of others, as compared with alternatives that could have been chosen. Even if it is not the only thing that matters, the problem of distributive justice is essential, omnipresent, and inevitable. Economists not only have failed to answer the questions of the just distribution, but have tried harder to avoid the problem than to solve it. They have a great deal to say about efficiency and potential compensation, but they are nearly silent concerning meaningful principles of justice and their effects on economic policy. One has to integrate the following normative and positive aspects of justice into the analysis of economic policy:

• Is social justice equality? Why (or why not)? Among whom?
• Is equality to each according to her abilities, her work, or her consumption?
• Or else is it equality of opportunities, liberties, powers, and/or rights?
• Do we need a just process or a just outcome of policy making?
• What are the most important elements of a just constitution?
• How is the reason of just rules applied to daily economic policy?

Course Structure

1. Introduction
2. Basic Issues and Theoretical Foundations
3. Modern Concepts of Economic Justice
4. Applications

References

• Binmore, K.: Natural Justice, Oxford et al. 2005.
• Kolm, S.-C.: Modern Theories of Justice, Cambridge/MA 1996.
• Mueller, D.C.: Public Choice III, Cambridge 2003.
• Roemer, J.E.: Theories of Distributive Justice, Cambridge/MA 1996.
• Sabbagh, C., Schmitt, M.: Handbook of Social Justice Theory and Research, New York, Springer 2016.
• Young, H.P.: Equity in Theory and Practice, Princeton/NJ 1994.
• Tomasi, J.: Free market fairness, Princeton 2012.