Instructional goals
This course aims to provide the methodological and theoretical tools to understand how the economies work and to explain the past and current economic developments. We will focus on the stylized facts of business cycle fluctuations and economic growth, the determinants of unemployment and inflation. We will also discuss whether and to what extent policy can improve macroeconomic performance.
Prerequisites
Microeconomic Principles
Intended learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
This course aims to provide the methodological and theoretical tools to understand how the economies work and to explain the past and current economic developments. We will focus on the stylized facts of business cycle fluctuations and economic growth, the determinants of unemployment and inflation. We will also discuss whether and to what extent policy can improve macroeconomic performance.
Applying knowledge and understanding
The students will be able to
Apply a wide range of economic models to analyze contemporary and historical macroeconomic events, and propose appropriate macroeconomic policies
Making judgements
We expect students to be able to critically examine macroeconomic policies and use the appropriate economic models to critically demonstrate the scope and challenges of macroeconomic policies.
Communication
This course will give the students the possibility to acquire and understand major macroeconomic language and terminology in order to communicate their ideas, proposals, analysis and critical reasoning in the most effective and appropriate way with specialists and non-specialists.
Lifelong learning skills
This course will train the students to apply abstract thinking applied to complex economic system. This course will give students the tools to formulate and evaluate macroeconomic policy.
Course Contents
Part I:
Introduction to Macroeconomics; The Big Questions; The story of macroeconomics
Part II:
Good Markets
Financial markets: I
IS-LM model
Financial Markets: II
Openness in Goods and Financial Market
Budget Deficits
Part III:
Facts of Growth
Saving, Capital Accumulation, and Output
Technological Progress
Technological Progress II
Reference Books
Blanchard, Amighini, and Giavazzi. Macroeconomics, A European Perspective. Pearson. Third Edition (2017).
Teaching Methods
Lectures and written exercises based on the problem set which will be made available few days before the class. The solutions of the problem set will be made available on the Luiss learn platform
Assessment Method
Written exam & problem sets handed in during the course.
The exam is based on the topics covered during the lectures and classes, the chapters of the textbook and on selected supplementary readings assigned during the course.
Thesis assignment criteria
Interview with the lecturer, interest in the subject
Week 1 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Introduction to Macroeconomics;
The big questions;
The story of Macroeconomics
Ch. 1 and Ch. 2, and 24
Week 2 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
The goods market
Ch. 3
PS 1 Quiz 1
Week 3 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Financial markets: I
Ch. 4
Quiz 2
Week 4 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
IS-LM Model
Ch. 5
PS 2 Quiz 3
Week 5 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Financial markets: II
Ch. 6
PS 3 Quiz 4
Week 6 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Openness in Goods and Financial Markets
Ch. 17
Quiz 5
Week 7 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Budget Deficits
Ch. 22
PS 4 Quiz 6
Week 8 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Facts of Growth
Ch. 10
Week 9 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Mock Exam (from home)
The students will be asked to solve a mid - term test (mid -term mock exam). The mid - term mock exam will be solved at home. As the problem sets, the mock exam will be graded out of 2 points. The score will be used to determine the overall final grade of students who attend the course regularly and take the exam in the Spring session (May-June).
Week 10 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Saving, Capital Accumulation, and Output
Ch. 11
PS 5 Quiz 7
Week 11 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Technological Progress: I
Ch. 12
PS 6 Quiz 8
Week 12 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Technological Progress: II
Ch. 13
PS 7 Quiz 9