10/25/22, 9:48 AM Econ477-Fall2022- MAIN SYLLABUS PAGE

Population Economics 01:220:477:01

Rutgers University, Professor Ira N. Gang, Email: gang at rutgers.edu Include 477 in the
subject line
Prerequisites: Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Econometrics
Updated: 26 August 2022
Lecture Schedule, Exam Dates, Readings, Etc. There is no
warranty on the dates, order or topics.
Fall 2022 Please read all files in the Syllabus Webpages folder under the Files
Mon+Wed 2:00 - 3:20pm tab; these include detailed instructions and descriptions about the
Murray Hall 212 exams, grading, etc. No text or other purchases are required for this
class. All other material is free, online and most (maybe all) is in
Canvas.
The course management software we will be using is Canvas. Please
familiarize yoursef with it. All readings and related materials are
under the Files tab. Videos are either under the Kaltura Course
Gallery tab or under the Big Blue Button (BBB) tab. Exams will be
Canvas online, under the Quizzes tab. Office Regular online office hours held
by our TA will be on Zoom; the link will be available in Files in an
appropriately named folder. All communications will be to your official
Rutgers email. For tech help with Canvas, please visit
https://it.rutgers.edu/help-support.
Except on a few occastions, this term I will hold class (mainly
lecture) in-person in Murray Hall 212 CAC. There are three ways
you can enjoy these: (1) in-person in the classroom; (2) live
streaming using Big Blue Button (BBB) on our Canvas site (click on the
appropriate meeting listed); (3) recorded which will be posted in the
evening under the BBB tab (again, click on the appropriate meeting).
In-person attendance is not required. If attending in-person, masks
are mandatory. If you are live streaming, please enter with your
Lectures
microphones and video turned off. Note I will not be able to respond
to chat, but you are welcome to set up your own chat and carry out a
discussion among yourselves. Whichever way you choose to enjoy the
lecture, you are also welcome to send our teaching assistant Fernando
Letelier, fal49 at economics.rutgers.edu, or me <gang at
rutgers.edu> questions/issues on the material. Please try to do so by
then next lecture, so the issue can be addressed before we continue
on.
Pandemic Matters These are fluid times with best practices rarely agreed upon and
rapidly changing. The nature of an active pandemic requires that we,
as a class, be prepared for sudden changes during the term while
ensuring academic standards are maintained in a safe environment.
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Masks must be properly worn during in-person class meetings. Our

classroom, Murray 212, is quite cozy, especially when approaching the
legally allowed number of persons. I plan on keeping the window
nearest me fully opened and encourage the opening of the other
windows in the classroom. If you are not feeling well please do not
come to the live class; instead, either live stream the class or watch
the recording that will be posted under the BBB tab when you are well
enough. If you cannot keep up with the work, please let me know
Teaching Assistant Fernando Letelier, fal49 at economics.rutgers.edu
Office Hours: OH with our TA, Fernando Letelier, fal49 at
economics.rutgers.edu, will be online from 11:00AM to noon on
Mondays. If you are not able to make it at this time please email him
and arrange a mutually convenient time. Please come to office hours
Office Hours :
having gone over the material and with, if possible, specific questions.
You may also email Prof. Gang <gang at rutgers.edu> with questions and
to set up online appointments. For further information on TA office
hours go to: TA Office Hours Info in the Files folder.
1a. Exam 01a (aka Exercise 03) on population pyramids. Due by 4PM on
Sunday, 25 Sept, via email to fal49 at economics.rutgers.edu.
1b. Exam 01b on "Population: an Introdoction to Demography". Monday
Graded Elements of 03 October on Canvas (about 30 multiple choice type questions)
Course 2. Exam 02. Monday 14 November on Canvas (about 30 multiple choice
type questions)
3. Exam 03 (Final Exam), Wednesday 21 December on Canvas (30-60
multiple choice type questions)
For this class, I post selected lecture slides (Canvas -> Files -> Key
Slides) prior to the class and suggest you review them prior to the
Important lectures, adding to them duirng the lectures. The posts are
designed highlight the main points and will offer a good picture when
combined with your class notes.
Unless otherwise stated (e.g., as for Exam 01b) relevant: (i) Lectures,
Required Elements for (ii) Exercises, (iii) Questions in Practice Exam, (iv) Key Slides.
Exams Everything else is supportive. These are located in Canvas->Files.
Note: Exercise 03 is the only exercise handed in.
Please watch four FOUR CLASS LECTURES ONLINE - I will be unable to be present
class lectures and for classes on Sept 26, Oct 05, Oct 10, & Oct 17 (classes #06, #09,
other (short) videos #10 & #12, respectively). For continuity & to help establish a strong
at the appropriate foundation on the course material, I am recording and posting the
points in material. All appropriate lecture for each of these days. These four videos "count"
are under the Kaltura as if I delivered them in-class in-person.
Class 06: will be posted at appropriate time
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Course Gallery tab on Class 09: will be posted at appropriate time

the left hand side of Class 10: will be posted at appropriate time
our Canvas home Class 12: will be posted at appropriate time
page. They are listed
here under the PART ONE: POPULATION ECONOMICS OVERVIEW -The videos in
relevant course topics. Part One, Part Two and Extra Topics are not required. They are for
The four class your use and I think they will be helpful in developing and expanding
lectures are required; your understanding of population economics.
Introduction:
others are supportive,
Hans Rosling on global population growth (10 Minutes)
unless otherwise
Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes (5 Minutes)
indicated.
Very recently I came across a series of 5 short (total time ~2 hours)
lectures on demographic measurement that I found to be quite good.
The web page describing them and further materials is
POPGROUP The five videao are in Kaltura Course Gallery 1.1-1.5
Demographic Concepts (Introduction, Fertility, Mortality, Migration,
Population Projections).
Mortality:
Economics of Death (12 Minutes)
HansRosling_2009_480 HIV (11 Minutes)
Fertility:
HansRosling_2007_4Best Stats you've Ever Seen (21 Minutes)
Migration:
Economics of Immigration, Crash Course (12 Minutes)
Migrant Express (I have combined 7 separate short episodes into one,
44 Minutes)

PART TWO: TOPICS -The videos in Part One, Part Two and Extra
Topics are not required. They are for your use and I think they will be
helpful in developing and expanding your understanding of population
economics.
Data:
India's Census History (14 Minutes)
History of Census Timeline 2011 (mainly British, 7 Minutes)
History of the Census and Census-Taking Around the World by
Population Reference Bureau (3 minutes)
Brigadoon - Finding Bible Scene
Female Labor Force Participation
Stefania Albanesi |The Gender Unemployment Gap: Trend and Cycle
(49 minutes)
Rohini Pande | Women and Work in India (1 hour 15 minutes)
Decoding Declining Labor Force Participation of Women in India
Missing Women
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Siwan Anderson | 2019 Fisher Lecture - Missing Women, (54 minutes)

Kaivan Munshi | South Asian Studies Annual Indu Bhatt
Lecture: Missing Girls (1 hour 35 minutes)
Population Economics of Abortion
Abortion and the Economics of Fertility
Migration
David Card | Labor Market Impacts of Immigration (1 hour 14
minutes)
Harvest of Shame
Disease, Epidemics and Pandemics
Epidemics in Western History
Economic Lessons from Past Pandemics

EXTRA TOPICS
Demographic Transition and Development (1 hour 32 minutes)
Food Security in Less Developed Countries (10 minutes)
PART ONE POPULATION ECONOMICS OVERVIEW
Objectives: Introduction. The vocabulary.
Readings: [01] Mark Mather, Linda A. Jacobsen, and Paola
Scommegna, "Population: An Introduction to Demography," Population
Bulletin 75, no. 1 (2021). a simple, straightforward introduction to the
Wednesday 07 Sept
major concepts & measures used in population studies. You should
Class 1
study this article very carefully -- line by line. Also, see the
"vocabulary" guide in Exercise 02.
Exercises: 01, 02, 03
Reference: Math Review http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/
Objectives: Introduction. The vocabulary. Overview of the Overview
Part I
Readings: [02-0] Alene Gelbard, Carl Haub, & Mary M. Kent, “World
Monday 12 Sept
Population Beyond Six Billion,” Population Bulletin vol. 54, no. 1
Class 2
(Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, March 1999).
Reference: [04] PRB's Population Handbook, 6th Edition
(Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 2011)
Wednesday 14 Sept Objectives: Introduction. The vocabulary. Overview of the Overview
Class 3 Part II
Objectives: The Demographic Transition
Readings: [05-1] Demographic Transition: An Historical Sociological
Monday 19 Sept Perspective [05-2] Timothy W. Guinnane, "The Historical Fertility
Class 4 Transition: A Guide for Economists," Journal of Economic Literature,
2011; [50-3] Bloom; [50-5] Clements; [50-10] Thakoor [50-14] Young
Continent

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Wednesday 21 Sept Catch up, Push forward.

Class 5
Exam 1a. (also known as Exercise 03) on population pyramids is due by
Sunday 25 Sept
4PM via email attachment to Fernando Letelier, fal49 at
Exercise 03 Due by
economics.rutgers.edu. Subject line should say: 477 Exer03 Your
4;00PM
Name. See instructions in Canvas ->Files ->Exercises ->Exercise03
Monday 26 Sept
Class 6
Objectives: Mortality & Malthus
No in-person lecture.
Readings: [06] David Cutler, Angus Deaton & Adriana Lleras-Muney.
Watch class 06 lecture
“The Determinants of Mortality.” The Journal of Economic
in Kaltura Course
Gallery. Perspectives, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Summer, 2006), pp. 97-120 [50-9]
Looking Up
Wednesday 28 Sept
Class 7
Exam 1b. Required material for the exam is very specific:
Exercise 02 and Exercise 03. In other words this first exam
expects you to thorougly understand the population pyramid
(Exercise 02) and the material in the article: Population: an
Introdoction to Demography, PRB Population Introduction to
Demography - -Vocabulary.The exam will be taken on Canvas. It is
Monday 03 Oct open everything except you must not consult with others. You
Class 8 can take the exam any time on Monday 03
Exam 01b Octoberfrom 2:00PM until 11:55PM. Once you click "Take the
Quiz," you will have 90 minutes or until 11:55 PM whichever is
earlier to complete this assessment. It will be submitted after
90 minutes or at 11:55 PM regardless of whether you have
answered all the questions. You can submit this assessment
one time. Please see relevant web page on how to take exams.
NO LECTURE.
Wednesday 05 Oct Objectives: Fertility
Class 9 Readings: [07] Warren C. Robinson. “The Economic Theory of
No in-person lecture. Fertility Over Three Decades.” Population Studies, Vol. 51, No. 1
Watch class 09 lecture (Mar., 1997), pp. 63-74 [08] John Bongaarts. Demographic
in Kaltura Course Consequences of Declining Fertility. Science 16 October 1998: Vol.
Gallery. 282. no. 5388, pp. 419 – 420. [50-12] Strange Case of Missing Baby
Monday 10 Oct [50-13] World Has Problem03
Class 10
No in-person lecture.
Watch class 10 lecture

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in Kaltura Course
Gallery.
Wednesday 12 Oct
Class 11
Monday 17 Oct
Class 12
Objectives: Migration
No in-person lecture.
Readings: [10] Some Short Notes on Migration, tutor2u [11] Does
Watch class 11 lecture
Germany Need More Migration?, HWWI
in Kaltura Course
Exercises: 04
Gallery.
Reference:[12] The Economics of Immigration: Theory & Policy by Örn
Wednesday 19 Oct B. Bodvarsson, Hendrik van den Berg - 2009
Class 13
Exam 01 in 439

PART TWO TOPICS

Monday 24 Oct Objectives: Data in Population Economics

Class 14 Readings: [13} History of US Census. [14] Mark Mather, Kerri L.
Rivers, & Linda A. Jacobsen, “The American Community Survey,”
Wednesday 26 Oct Population Bulletin 60, no. 3 (Washington, DC: Population Reference
Class 15 Bureau, 2005). [15] U.S. Census 2010 [50-7] Honey I Lost the Kids
Objectives: Female Labor Force Participation, Impact of Women's
Monday 31 Oct LFP, Changes in Woman's LFP in India
Class 16 Readings: [17] Saul D. Hoffman. “The changing impact of marriage &
children on women’s labor force participation.” Monthly Labor Review.
February 2009, Vol. 132, No. 2 [34] Elizabeth Brainerd, "Uncounted
Wednesday 02 Nov Costs of World War II: The Effect of Changing Sex Ratios on
Class 17 Marriage & Fertility of Russian Women," March 2008 [50-8]
Kinoshita
Objectives: Missing Women, More Missing Women, Missing Girls
Monday 07 Nov Readings: [21] Stephen J. Dubner & Steven D. Levitt. “The Search
Class 18
for 100 Million Missing Women: An economics detective story.” Slate.
May 24, 2005. [22-0] Tina Rosenberg. “The Daughter Deficit.” Times
Wednesday 09 Nov Magazine, Published: August 19, 2009 [22-1] Bride trafficking fuelled
Class 19 by India's gender imbalance _ Anu Anand _ Global development _ The
Guardian [22-2] child_sex_ratio in India [xxxx]
Monday 14 Nov Exam 02. The exam will be taken on Canvas. It is open
Class 20 everything except you must not consult with others. You can
Exam 02 take the exam 2:00PM until 11:55PM. Once you click "Take the
Quiz," you will have 90 minutes or until 11:55 PM whichever is
earlier to complete this assessment. It will be submitted after

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90 minutes or at 11:55 PM regardless of whether you have

answered all the questions. You can submit this assessment
one time. Please see relevant web page on how to take exams.
Exam 02 will most likely cover the material since the beginning
of the term and at least through Migration, though I hope to
include Data in Population Economics & Female Labor Force
Participation. NO LECTURE.
Objectives: Economics of Abortion
Readings:
Video: Abortion and the Economics of Fertility
Wednesday 16 Nov
Objectives: Child Labor and Human Trafficking
Class 21
Readings: [30]Examine web page on child labor at International Labor
Organization; explore links; [31-1] N Report on Human Trafficking in
India
Objectives: Distributional Impacts of Immigrants
Monday 21 Nov
Readings: [25] Immigration & the Labor Market: Theory, Evidence, &
Class 22
Policy By Will Somerville & Madeleine Sumption; [50-6 ]Economics
Exam 02 in 439
Migration Systems
Wednesday 23 Nov
Friday class schedule.
No class.
Thursday 24 Nov, Friday
25 Nov Thanksgiving Break
No classes
Objectives: Herds and Networks
Readings: [26] Thomas Bauer, Ira N. Gang & Gil S. Epstein. What are
Migration Networks? (revised version published as "Measuring ethnic
linkages among migrants" in: International Journal of Manpower, 2009,
Monday 28 Nov
30 (1+2), 56-69)
Class 23
Objectives: Unauthorized Immigration
Readings: [23] Jeffrey S. Passel & D’Vera Cohn. Trends in
Unauthorized Immigration:Undocumented Inflow Now Trails Legal
Inflow. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center, October 2008
Objectives: Immigrants & New Jersey
Wed 30 Nov
Readings: [24] Ira N. Gang & Anne Morrison Piehl, Destination, New
Class 24 Jersey: How Immigrants Benefit the State Economy, Eagleton
Institute, Rutgers University, December 2008
Mon 05 Dec Objectives: Remittances
Class 25 Readings: [27]Explore Migration Policy Institute webpages on
remittances
Wednesday 07 Dec Objectives: Disease, Epidemics and Pandemics
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Class 26 Readings: [18] Ian R.H. Rockett, “Population & Health: An

Introduction to Epidemiology,” 2d ed., Population Bulletin, vol. 54, no. 4
(Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, December 1999). [19]
"Plague & Economics." Economist. December 23, 1999. [20] Elizabeth
Brainerd, “The Economic Effects of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic,”
(with Mark Siegler, California State University, Sacramento), CEPR
Discussion Paper 3791, November 2003.
Monday 12 Dec
Objectives: Disease, Epidemics and Pandemics
Class 27
Wednesday 14 Dec
Objectives: Disease, Epidemics and Pandemics
Class 28
Final Exam. Comprehensive. It will cover the entire
semester's work. Once you begin you have 3 hours to complete it.
The exam will be taken on Canvas. It is open everything except
you must not consult with others. The exam is available for
Wednesday 21 you to take on our officially scheduled exam day Wednesday
Decemder 21 December, 4:00PM until 11:55PM. Once you click "Take the
Exam 03 Quiz," you will have three (3) hours or until 11:55 PM
(Final Exam) whichever is earlier to complete this assessment. It will be
submitted after three (3) hours or at 11:55 PM regardless of
whether you have answered all the questions. You can submit
this assessment one time. Please see relevant web page on how
to take exams.
International Migration Outlook 2021
Additional Material if
An economist’s view on migration & refugees
you are interested
Responding to crises: What can we do? What’s next?
Objectives: Caste, Discrimination & Affirmative Action
Readings: [32] Economic & Political Weekly June 17, 2006
Objectives: Refugees Readings: [50-1] When Migrants Spoil the
Joke
Objectives: Marriage & Divorce Readings: [33] Explore data available
through US Census links on Marriage & Divorce Statistics
Topics if Time Allows Objectives: Empowering Women in Agriculture Watch: video on
Ralitza Dimova's web page http://www.ralitzadimova.net/
Objectives: Health & Population Listen to: Real Costs of Gun
Violence · Philip J. Cook, Duke University Readings:[35-0] Angus
Deaton Global Patterns of Income & Health
Objectives: Disease & Development Readings: [35-1] [35-2] [35-3]
Objectives: Informal Economy Readings: [28] [29]

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