What Is Law and Economics?
September 10-12
How Do We Evaluate Laws & Legal Institutions?
September 13-20
M. Radin, Contested Commodities, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996. Chapters 1 & pp. 66-68 of Chapter 5. On E-Reserve as "ECON325 Contested Commodities-Radin"
You will need to decide which criteria you will use for your Final Presentation?
What Methods Do We Use to Analyzing Laws and Institutions?
You will need to use one or more of these methods and statistical techniques that you learned in Econ103 & Econ203 for your Final Presentation.
September 21-October 1
1. Example of Efficiency Analysis--Analyzing the Efficiency of Alternative Laws
2. Examples of Effects Analysis--Analyzing the Effects of Law and Legal Institutions on Behavior
J. Myron & E. Tetelbaum, "Does Minimum Legal Drinking Age Save Lives," NBER Working Paper W13257. Available at: http://papers.nber.org/papers/w13257
3. Example of Comparative Institutional Analysis --Analyzing the Relative Efficiency of Alternative Institutions (e.g., the free market, rate of return regulation. price caps)
Read one of the following
R. Coase, "The Problem of Social Cost," Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 3, (October, 1960), pp. 15-44--Available from JSTOR.
Alternative Sources of Law, Alternative Legal Systems, etc.
October 4 -October 5
S. Spurr, op.cit., Chapter 3 & pp. 179-182.
PROPERTY LAW & AN EXAMPLE OF CASE LAW
Note: There will be no class on October 7
October 6-October 15
S. Spurr, op.cit., Chapters 4-6.
LEGISLATION & ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (Social Welfare Legislation with an Excursion into Tax Law)
October 18-28
CONTRACTS
November 1-November 4
S. Spurr, op.cit., Chapter 7.
Wikipedia Foundation Inc., "Employment Contract," last modified August 24, 2008 Retrieved August 31, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_contract
A. Vandenberghe, "Labor Contracts," Encyclopedia of Law & Economics (1999): 541-60 from <http://encyclo.findlaw.com/5510book.pdf>. Date Accessed: 10/15/2009.
LAW AND THE FAMILY
November 8 -November 11
B. Stevenson & J. Wolfers, "Marriage and Divorce: Changes and Their Driving Forces," NBER Working Paper W12944, March 2007. Available at http://www.nber.org/papers/w12944
D. Spar, The Baby Business: How Money, Science, and Politics Drive the Commerce of Conception, Cambridge, MA: HBS Press, 2006, Chapters 1 & 7. On reserve at Knapp. You will need to read Chapter 1 at Knapp. Chapter 7 is on E-Reserve under the title "Econ 326 Baby Business Ch 7."
CRIME AND CRIMINAL LAW
November 15-November 22
Seminar Assignment (Due on or before November 23)
S. Spurr, op.cit., Chapter 10.
A. Dills, J. Miron & G. Summers, "What Do Economist Know About Crime?," NBER Working Paper W13759, January 2008. Available at http://www.nber.org/papers/w13759
Final Presentations
November 29-December 9
Commentator Assignment (Due on or before 5PM, December 11)
© Ann Dryden Witte 1997