The course aims at providing students with the theoretical framework and the practical ability to investigate already existing social and labour market regulations as well as to contribute to the design of innovative and comprehensive approaches to them. The course introduces to a number of topics in labor economics, from both a theoretical and an empirical perspective. Students will know about the debate on most policy issues in labour economics (wage profiles and differentials, minimum wages, discrimination in the labor market, unemployment benefits etc.).

Students will acquire an in-depth knowledge of European and international social policy and labour market systems and actors, with specific reference to government structures, political and decision-making organization at international, EU, national, regional and local level. Students will have a comparative and diachronic knowledge of European countries as well as of their social and employment policy systems; they will be able to appraise the role of each social and employment policy instrument within the framework of national politics as increasingly influenced by globalization. Students will have a thorough knowledge of the EU institutional architecture and of its social and employment decision-making process and of the Member states. Students will be able to intervene into the decision-making processes of international institutions, knowing how to analyze social and employment political and juridical systems as well as to critically assess the opportunities and the limits of the decision-making process within the governance system in Europe. Students will know how to comprehend the main concepts of social and employment policy assessment and, at the same time, they will be aware of and will know how to apply methods and techniques of impact assessment of those policies. Students will know about the debate on most policy issues in labour economics (wage profiles and differentials, minimum wages, discrimination in the labor market, unemployment benefits etc.).

The course will investigate social and labour market regulation and several topics in labour economics in international supranational, and national (comparative) perspective, according to the lectures program as detailed below.

E. Ales, The State, Industrial Relations and Freedom of Association: A History of Functional Embeddedness, in A. Perulli, T. Treu (eds.), The Role of the State in Industrial Relations, Alphen aan den Rijn: Kluwer Law International B.V., 2020, 187-209. E. Ales, The European Pillar of Social Rights: an ambitious ‘soft-law guide’ to efficient employment and social outcomes, in R. Singer, T. Bazzani (eds.), European Employment Policies: Current Challenges, Berliner Juristische Universitätsschriften, Band 76, Berlin: BWV, 2017, 43-63. E. Ales, The European Employment Strategy as Enhanced Coordination: A holistic Approach to EU Social Commitment, in European Labour Law Journal, 2017, 122-132. T. Boeri – J. van Ours, The Economics of Imperfect Labor Markets, Princeton University Press.

Teaching will be organized in 24 units. The EA 2 hours units are structured as follows: analysis of the theoretical aspects of the topic at stake (50 minutes); Q&A (10 minutes); interactive analysis of a policy document related to the topic at stake (45 minutes). elaboration & presentation in groups of a policy statement (15 minutes).

50% of the assessment will be based on two group presentations (25% each) organized by students and delivered one in Unit 12 and one on the day of the exam on topics dealt with during classes. Active individual contribution is required. 30% will be awarded to active interaction in analyzing policy documents during classes; 20% will be referred to the policy statements the groups will send at the end of each EA class. Non attending students have to prepare the exam on the texts listed above.

Constant and active participation to the classes.