Advanced Macroeconomics II (first half)

Spring 2010 (3d term 2009/10)

Syllabus (with links to the readings)

The second half of this course (from May 10 onwards) is taught by Jordi Gali and will follow his book.

Lectures and practice session:

Monday, 15 - 17:00, room 20.179 (practice session)

Tuesday, 9 - 11:00, room 20.049

Wednesday, 9 - 11:00, room 20.049

Note: From May 10 onwards, lectures will be on Mondays and Tuesdays, 9 – 11:00. The practice session will stay on Mondays.

Office hours:

Wednesday afternoon, by email appointment (tvanrens@crei.cat).

Problem sets:

Problem set 1 – posted: Wedn April 7, due: Mon April 12 by 3pm

Problem set 2 - posted: Wedn April 14, due: Mon April 19 by 3pm

Suggested answers for question 3 on variable effort

Problem set 3 – posted: Wedn April 21, due: Mon April 26 by 3pm

Problem set 4 – posted: Wedn April 28, due: Mon May 3 by 3pm

Supplementary lecture notes:

On log-linearization

Matlab codes for solving the RBC model with Dynare

Slides on business cycles: data and facts

The crisis has inspired some self-reflection among macroeconomists:

NEW Ricardo Caballero on the Pretense-of-Knowledge Syndrome

Robert Solow, Sidney Winter, Scott Page, David Colander and V.V. Chari on Building a Science of Economics for the Real World

Olivier Blanchard on The State of Macro

Paul Krugman. How Did Economists Get It So Wrong? NY Times Magazine, September 6, 2009

Letters replying to the article

Mulligan, Casey B. (2009). Is Macroeconomics Off Track?, The Economists' Voice: Vol. 6 : Iss. 10, Article 6

Da Silva, Sergio (2010). Comment on Casey Mulligan: Keynes in Both Fresh and Salt Water, The Economists' Voice: Vol. 7 : Iss. 2, Article 1

Barbera, Robert J. (2010). If It Were a Fight, They Would Have Stopped It in December of 2008, The Economists' Voice: Vol. 7 : Iss. 2, Article 3

Mulligan, Casey B. (2010). Comment on Barbera: Your Gift Will Make You Rich, The Economists' Voice: Vol. 7 : Iss. 2, Article 4

Midterm:

The midterm will take place on Monday May 10 from 15 to 17:00 in room 20.179.