Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2025 - POL 856 G100

Issues in Social and Economic Policy (5)

Class Number: 7304

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

COURSE DETAILS:

Do governments need to intervene to correct “market failures” or are “government failures” worse than the market failures governments seek to resolve? In answering this question, the course seeks to introduce students to a wide range of schools of thoughts and approaches. The ideas and insights of diverse thinkers (mostly economists) who theorized the role and place of state institutions in a market economy are examined, from Adam Smith's political economy to Marshall’s Neo‐classical economics to Keynes and neo-Keynesians, to Hayek and “Austrian economics,” as well as radical critics of market economics. Particular attention is paid to the normative questions that underpin these theoretical reflections and their relationship to political thought and ideologies, including classical liberalism, libertarianism, egalitarianism, feminism, and so on. Students will have opportunities to think about how these theoretical themes can help make sense of contemporary policy issues, e.g., , economic inequalities, causes of business cycles, the return of protectionism, inflation, etc.

The weekly seminars include a two-hour lecture and a one-hour discussion period.

Note:  This course is combined with POL 455.

Grading

  • Research paper 50%
  • TWO short papers (20% each) 40%
  • Participation 10%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Dobuzinskis, Laurent. 2022. Moral Discourse in the History of Economic Thought. London: Routledge.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Dobuzinskis, Laurent. 2023. Economic Growth and Inequalities: The Economists’ Dilemma. London Routledge.

(The hard copies of these titles are rather expensive and, for this reason, will not be ordered by the SFU Bookstore, but they are available from online vendors who also offer Kindle versions; free digital copies can be downloaded from the SFU Library website).


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.