University of Nevada, Reno
Department of Economics
ECON 493/693 – Special Topics: Economics of Population and Demography
(Tuesday & Thursday 4:00 – 5:15, AB 108)
Spring 2008
Mehmet S. Tosun
Office: 319F
Phone: 775-784-6678
Email: tosun@unr.edu
Homepage: http://www.coba.unr.edu/faculty/tosun
Office Hours: W 3:00 – 5:00 pm
or by appointment.
Course Objectives: This is a course in population economics and demography. Topics
include: world population growth and the elements of formal demography; the causes of
population growth (analysis of the demographic transition); consequences of population
growth (Malthusian theory, Malthusian versus modern economic growth, population
aging, interaction of population and environment); and population and migration policies.
The course will put a strong emphasis on public policy issues surrounding population and
demography.
Specific objectives are to:
1. Understand world, regional and sub-regional population trends and future
projections.
2. Learn the theories of the economics of demography and population.
3. Discuss issues related to population such as population aging and international
migration.
4. Explore public policy responses to population and demographic issues.
Required Book:
Weeks, John R. 2007. Population: An Introduction to Concepts and Issues, Tenth
Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Recommended Books:
Livi-Bacci, Massimo. 2007. A Concise History of World Population, Fourth Edition.
Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Malthus, T.R. 2004. An Essay on the Principle of Population. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press. (original published in 1798).
Myers, Dowell. 2007. Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the
Future of America. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
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WebCT: There is a class web site available through the University WebCT (Blackboard
Learning System). To access the class page through WebCT, go to
https://webct.unr.edu/webct/ and login using your UNR NetID for the username
and your NetID password for the password. You should be able to see this course
in the course list after you login. I’ll put course related material (Powerpoint
slides, assignments, announcements, interesting articles, etc.) on the web site so
you should check this site regularly.
Reading Assignments: These will be provided to students on the class web site
(WebCT) or as handouts during class.
Background and Reference Texts:
Diamond, Jared. 2005. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. London,
England: Penguin Books.
International Monetary Fund. 2004. World Economic Outlook: The Global Demographic
Transition (September). Chapter 3. Washington, D.C.: IMF.
Rosenzweig, M.R. and O. Stark. 1997. Handbook of Population and Family Economics.
North-Holland.
Yaukey, David, D.L Anderton and J.H. Lundquist. 2007. Demography: The Study of
Human Population, Third Edition. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc.
Grading: The course grade is based on two homework assignments (10% each), a policy
essay (30%), class participation (10%), and a take-home final exam (40%).
Attendance to all class sessions is mandatory.
Late Assignments and Missed Exams: Students are expected to complete the
assignments by the announced due dates. Failure to do so will result in zero credit
for that assignment. There will be no make-up exams without prior approval
except under extremely unusual circumstances.
Policy Essay: The objective here is to provide students with a basic research
experience on the public policy aspect of population and demographic changes in
a world region, country or a sub-region within a country. More information on the
policy essay will be provided during the course. The writing of such an essay
normally includes the following four steps:
Brainstorming: Come up with three policy ideas that interest you the most.
You can discuss these with me during my office hours. You will then
choose one of these ideas as a research project for this semester.
Proposal: Write a one-page proposal explaining your policy question. You should
explain why you chose that specific question and why it is of policy
interest.
Outline: Combine your proposal from the previous stage with a detailed outline
that includes a preliminary list of references.
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Presentation: Present your essay to the class for comments. The draft should be
distributed in class one week before the presentation.
Special Class Sessions: I plan to bring guest speaker(s) to complement our regular
class sessions. One scheduled so far is Jeff Hardcastle who is the State
Demographer for Nevada.
Class Courtesy: Late arrival should be an exception. When necessary sit on entering
side; do not disturb class. Early departure should be an exception – only in an emergency
or with prior consultation. Early preparation for departure – please don’t. Talking – with
everyone or with no one.
Students with Disability: If you have a disability and will be requiring assistance,
please contact me or the Disability Resource Center (Thompson Building Suite 101) as
soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
Academic Integrity: Honesty and personal integrity are key facets of the University of
Nevada community. The issue of academic integrity is taken very seriously at the
University and College of Business Administration. Since the majority of students take
pride in total academic integrity, it is hoped that you, as a student, will take action to
influence the practice of integrity in academic community. I understand that students feel
pressure to perform well in their classes, and I will do everything that I can to ensure that
you have the resources necessary to succeed. However, cheating on exams and course
assignments will not be tolerated, and students who fail to comply with the University’s
honor code (www.unr.edu/stsv/acdispol.html, www.unr.edu/stsv/nsop/dishones.htm) will
be subject to the maximum university penalties. Please visit the university website if you
are unfamiliar with the actions which constitute academic dishonesty.
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Course Outline:
1. Introduction to Population and Demography
Week 1 – Week 4 (January 22 – February 12)
Introduction to Demography: Weeks Chapter 1
Global Population Trends: Weeks Chapter 2; Livi-Bacci Chapter 2; IMF Chapter 3
Demographic Perspectives: Weeks Chapter 3
Demographic Data: Weeks Chapter 4
2. Causes of Population Growth
Week 4 – Week 8 (February 14 – March 11)
Fertility Transition: Weeks Chapter 6
Health and Mortality Transition: Weeks Chapter 5
Migration Transition: Weeks Chapter 7
3. Consequences of Population Growth
Week 8 – Week 12 (March 13 – April 8)
March 25, 27, Spring Break – No Classes
Age Transition: Weeks Chapter 8
Population Aging: Weeks Chapter 8; IMF Chapter 3
Malthusian Theory: Malthus Chapters 1-3
Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Higher or Lower Growth: Livi-Bacci
Chapter 3
4. Population, Demography and Public Policy
Week 12 – Week 16 (April 10 – May 6)
Population and the Environment: Weeks Chapter 11
Population and Government: Weeks Chapter 12, Myers Chapter 7-12
Population and Migration Policies: Weeks Chapter 12
Future Changes: Weeks Chapter 12
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Additional Readings:
1. Introduction to Population and Demography
Population Reference Bureau. 2007. “Population: A Lively Introduction,” Population
Bulletin, (March). 62 (1).
Population Reference Bureau. 2007. “World Population Highlights: Key Findings from
PRB’s 2007 World Population Data Sheet,” Population Bulletin, (September). 62 (3).
International Monetary Fund. 2004. World Economic Outlook: The Global Demographic
Transition (September). Chapter 3. Washington, D.C.: IMF.
2. Causes of Population Growth
International Monetary Fund. 2004. World Economic Outlook: The Global Demographic
Transition (September). Chapter 3. Washington, D.C.: IMF.
Martin, Philip and Jonas Widgren. 2002. “International Migration: Facing the
Challenge,” Population Bulletin, 57 (1).
3. Consequences of Population Growth
Kahanec, Martin and Mehmet S. Tosun. 2007. “Political Economy of Immigration in
Germany: Attitudes and Citizenship Aspirations,” (November). IZA Discussion Paper
No. 3140. http://ftp.iza.org/dp3140.pdf
Myers, Dowell (Chapter 1).
Razin, Asaf, Efraim Sadka and Phillip Swagel. 2002. “The Aging Population and the Size
of the Welfare State,” Journal of Political Economy 110 (4): 900-918.
Tosun, Mehmet S. 2003. “Population Aging and Economic Growth: Political Economy
and Open Economy Effects,” (December). Economics Letters 81 (3): 291-296. (also
forthcoming in the Elsevier Volume New Developments in the Economics of Population
Ageing, edited by John Creedy and Ross Guest)
Tosun, Mehmet S. 2005. “Global Aging and Fiscal Policy with International Labor
Mobility: A Political Economy Perspective.” (July). International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Working Paper WP/05/140. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2005/wp05140.pdf
Tosun, Mehmet S. 2006. “Externalities from International Labor Migration: Efficacy of a
Brain Drain Tax in the Euro-Mediterranean Region,” (December). UNR Economics
Department WP-06007.
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Tosun, Mehmet S. 2007. “Endogenous Fiscal Policy and Capital Market Transmissions in
the Presence of Demographic Shocks.” Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control
(forthcoming).
Tosun, Mehmet S., Claudia Williamson and Pavel Yakovlev. 2007. “Population Aging,
Elderly Migration and Education Spending: Intergenerational Conflict Revisited,”
(August). UNR Economics Department WP-07003.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 2002. Population Ageing and Development:
Social, Health and Gender Issues. Population and Development Strategies Series, Issue
3.
4. Population, Demography and Public Policy
Kahanec, Martin and Mehmet S. Tosun. 2007. “Political Economy of Immigration in
Germany: Attitudes and Citizenship Aspirations,” (November). IZA Discussion Paper
No. 3140. http://ftp.iza.org/dp3140.pdf
Schiff, Maurice. 2007. “Optimal Immigration Policy: Permanent, Guest Worker or Mode
IV?” (December). IZA Discussion Paper No. 3083. http://ftp.iza.org/dp3083.pdf
Tosun, Mehmet S. 2006. “Externalities from International Labor Migration: Efficacy of a
Brain Drain Tax in the Euro-Mediterranean Region,” (December). UNR Economics
Department WP-06007.
Tosun, Mehmet S. 2007. “Endogenous Fiscal Policy and Capital Market Transmissions in
the Presence of Demographic Shocks.” Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control
(forthcoming).
Tosun, Mehmet S., Arzu Sen, Claudia Williamson and Pavel Yakovlev. (2007). “Retirees
and Economic Development in West Virginia.” In Pavel Gordeev (ed.), Demographic
Economics Research Perspectives. Nova Science Publishers (forthcoming).
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