AØKK08339U Seminar: Globalization & Labor Markets

Volume 2015/2016
Education

M.Sc. of Economics
The seminar is primarily for students at the MSc of Economics

Content

The aim of the seminar is for students to get experience in doing research and working independently on a project related to Globalization and Labor Markets. In particular the students are expected to get experience in how to approach a new topic or research question, find and synthesize existing knowledge on this topic, as well as possibly making an independent contribution to the field. The seminar could serve as good preparation for students wishing to write an empirical or theoretical Masters’ Thesis in the field.

Learning Outcome

“Globalization & Labor Markets” is meant to cover various cross-border activities that influence the functioning of domestic labor markets such as trade in final goods, offshoring, import competition, and labor mobility. The student will acquire up-to-date and in-depth knowledge on a research topic of their choosing in the intersection of International Economics and Labor Economics. Hence, topics could deal with (combinations of the following research fields):

  • Labor demand
  • Labor supply
  • Wage formation
  • Bargaining and minimum wages
  • Flexicurity and employment protection
  • Import competition
  • Multinationals and foreign direct investments
  • Trade liberalization
  • Preferential trading agreements
  • Trade in services
  • Trade patterns and the Heckscher-Ohlin model
  • Heterogeneous firms and international trade

A longer and more specific list of suggested topics and relevant readings will be provided at the first meeting. The students are, however, expected to think about a possible topic prior to the seminar starts and start searching for relevant academic articles themselves.

B.Sc. of Economics
Recommended: Graduate courses in labor economics and/or international trade (as Labour Economics and "Advanced International Trade").
Relevant theories and models that can be read during the required work for the seminar:
- For Labor Economics: Cahuc and Zylberberg “Labor Economics”. MIT Press. (Textbook for the course Labour Economics at the University of Copenhagen)
- For International Trade: Feenstra, R. “Advanced International Trade: Theory and Evidence”. Princeton University Press. (Textbook for the course Advanced International Trade at the University of Copenhagen)
- For Econometrics: Angrist J. and Pischke J. “Mostly Harmless Econometrics”. Princeton University Press. (Good for recap on the applied microeconometrics that should be sufficient for this seminar)
The main component of the seminar is that each student will give a presentation and write a report on a topic of their choosing. The presentation and report should review and compare existing literature. If interested, some students may also want to include a minor independent analysis, either empirical or theoretical. An example of this may be a replication of an existing empirical study or a minor extension of an existing theoretical model.

We will meet during the first week of classes to briefly discuss the seminar outline, the choice of topics and other practicalities. By the third week of classes, students should submit 1 page describing their topic and their plan for the rest of the semester. Next, students will work independently on their report and presentation, supported by small study groups.

Each participant must present, discuss another student’s work and hand in their own report. The teacher will form peer groups based on the 1 page handed in during the first week of classes (see Schedule). Students are encourage to meet and discuss during the process of working with the report. The teacher will assign each student to be the discussant of another student’s presentation at the mini-workshop. The feedback from the teacher will be given as part of the discussion after each presentation. Students should then improve the paper and incorporate feedback before the final report is due.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Project work
  • 200
  • Seminar
  • 6
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
A written seminar paper.

Included in the seminar is an oral presentation for the others participans at the seminar of 25 minuts oral presentation and 10 minuts discussion.
Exam registration requirements

Attendance on the seminar. The mandatory commitment paper and seminar paper have been handed in at deadline.

Students will be graded on their final report. In order to be allowed to hand it in, however, active participation is required in all of the activities in the seminar. In particular, full participation during the mini-conference is mandatory.

Aid
All aids allowed

Al aids for the written seminarpaper.

For the oral presentation: No restriction, students can organize their presentation as they prefer. 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
up to 20 % censorship at the seminarpaper
Exam period

Deadline commitment paper:

The first draft of the paper is due on April 29th, 2016.

Mini conference: Saturday April 30th and Sunday May 1th 2016, 9-17

Deadline final paper: May 30th . 2016

Dates can be discussed at the first meeting.

For enrolled students more information about examination, exam/re-sit, rules etc. is available at the student intranet for Examination (English) and student intranet for Examination (KA-Danish).

Re-exam

Submission of a written assignment and an oral exam in which you may be examined in the presentations of the other students participating in the seminar during the enrolment period in question.

Criteria for exam assesment

The student must in a satisfactory way demonstrate that he/she has mastered the learning outcome of the course.