Seminar: Income and (Other) Measures of Wellbeing
Block Seminar: Friday and Saturday, June 21-22, 2024; Rooms: ZHG 1.140 (Fr) and Oec 0.169 (Sa)
Kickoff Meeting: April 11, 2:15pm, Room: Oec 0.168
Application: until April 18
Intro Lecture: April 24, 4pm, Room: Theo 0.135
Registration (FlexNow): April 18 -- June 13
Seminar Info: info
Course material for participants is available at the course material webpage
Introduction
In this seminar, we discuss how human well-being can be measured and how alternative measures of subjective well-being are related to personal income and GDP. We also discuss the role of time use, health, sustainability, and poverty in wellbeing research.
Themes
1. Gross national happiness as an answer to the Easterlin Paradox?
Reference: Di Tella, R., & MacCulloch, R. (2008). Gross national happiness as an answer to the Easterlin Paradox?. Journal of Development Economics, 86(1), 22-42.
2. Economic growth and subjective well-being: Reassessing the Easterlin Paradox
Reference: Stevenson, B., & Wolfers, J. (2008). Economic Growth and Subjective Well-Being: Reassessing the Easterlin Paradox. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 2008(1), 1-87.
3. The marginal utility of income.
Reference: Layard, R., Mayraz, G., & Nickell, S. (2008). The marginal utility of income. Journal of Public Economics, 92(8-9), 1846-1857.
4. Income and emotional wellbeing
References: Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 107(38), 16489-16493.
Killingsworth, M. A., Kahneman, D., & Mellers, B. (2023). Income and emotional well-being: A conflict resolved. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(10), e2208661120.
5. GDP as a measure of economic well-being
Reference: Dynan, K., & Sheiner, L. (2018). GDP as a measure of economic well-being. Hutchins Center Working Paper.
6. Health and wellbeing
References: Deaton, A. (2008). Income, health, and well-being around the world: Evidence from the Gallup World Poll. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 22(2), 53-72.
Steptoe, A., Deaton, A., & Stone, A. A. (2015). Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing. The Lancet, 385(9968), 640-648.
7. Troubling tradeoffs in the human development index
Reference: Ravallion, M. (2012). Troubling tradeoffs in the human development index. Journal of Development Economics, 99(2), 201-209.
8. International comparisons of living standards by equivalent incomes
Reference: Fleurbaey, M., & Gaulier, G. (2009). International comparisons of living standards by equivalent incomes. Scandinavian Journal of Economics, 111(3), 597-624.
9. Beyond GDP? Welfare across countries and time
Reference: Jones, C. I., & Klenow, P. J. (2016). Beyond GDP? Welfare across countries and time. American Economic Review, 106(9), 2426-2457
10. National time accounting: The currency of life
Reference: Krueger, A. B., Kahneman, D., Schkade, D., Schwarz, N., & Stone, A. A. (2009). National time accounting: The currency of life. In Measuring the subjective well-being of nations: National accounts of time use and well-being (pp. 9-86). University of Chicago Press.
11. Dissatisfied with life but having a good day: time-use and well-being of the unemployed
Reference: Knabe, A., Rätzel, S., Schöb, R., & Weimann, J. (2010). Dissatisfied with life but having a good day: time-use and well-being of the unemployed. The Economic Journal, 120(547), 867-889.
12. Sustainability and the measurement of wealth
Reference: Arrow, K. J., Dasgupta, P., Goulder, L. H., Mumford, K. J., & Oleson, K. (2012). Sustainability and the measurement of wealth. Environment and development economics, 17(3), 317-353.
13. The dynamic relationship between subjective wellbeing and sustainability indicators
Reference: Qasim, M., & Grimes, A. (2022). Sustainability and wellbeing: The dynamic relationship between subjective wellbeing and sustainability indicators. Environment and Development Economics, 27(1), 1-19.
14. Accounting for sustainable development over the long-run: Lessons from Germany.
Reference: Blum, M., McLaughlin, E., & Hanley, N. (2019). Accounting for Sustainable Development over the Long-Run: Lessons from Germany. German Economic Review, 20(4), 410-446.
15. Growth still is good for the poor
Reference: Dollar, D., Kleineberg, T., & Kraay, A. (2016). Growth still is good for the poor. European Economic Review, 81, 68-85.
16. Are the world’s poorest being left behind?
Reference: Ravallion, M. (2016). Are the world’s poorest being left behind?. Journal of Economic Growth, 21, 139-164.