Teaching

The Graying and Browning of America: The Politics and Policy of Demographic Change (PA 5490 section 002)

The first part of the course focuses on the history and politics of the US Census. Students will have a clear understanding of some of the major uses of census data; understand how historical events and policy debates have shaped the census overtime; and understand the concerns relating to undercounting, privacy, and debate about the citizenship question. Next the course focuses on the impact of demographic change on politics and policy, specifically voting behavior and party competition. Specific demographic trends of interest include population ageing, immigration, changes in US racial composition, and distribution/internal migration. Finally in the third section, we focus on policies that impact demographic behavior (for instance gender equality policies) and policies that manipulate/distort the impact of census counts such as gerrymandering and felony disenfranchisement.

Follow the class on Twitter @PoliDemog

Data Visualization: Telling Stories with Numbers (PA 5929)

The course illustrates how being able to summarize and create compelling – and honest – data visualization is almost as indispensable as good writing; and visualizing the right information is central to making decisions. The GIF below illustrates the clear types of visualizations that students will be able to create (no more pie charts).

giving talk at BlairGlobal and U.S. Perspectives on Health and Mortality (PA 8461)

The health of populations in developing and developed countries is very different. When crafting policies that aim to improve population health, it is crucial to know how to measure health and how to think about the health needs of the specific population in question. This course provides an overview to the factors driving health, mortality, and aging across different populations. In addition, students will learn the best sources of data and measures to use to describe the health status of a population.

 

Economics for Policy Analysis and Planning I (PA 5021)

The primary objective of this course is to improve your ability to apply microeconomic reasoning to public issues, policies and programs.

 

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