Economics: Econ 348 Essay 2024

Topic 1:

South Africa has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world with an estimated Gini coefficient in the region of 0.67. Write an essay in which you address at least one of the following points:

• Consider the traditional ways in which inequality is measured. Is income necessarily the best way to measure inequality or should we look at a broader set of measures?

Suggested keywords:

• "income inequality" AND measurement
• (income OR lifetime OR wealth OR opportunity OR consumption) AND inequality AND measurement
• "income inequality" AND measurement AND "South Africa"
• (income OR lifetime OR wealth OR opportunity OR consumption) AND inequality AND measurement AND "South Africa"

• Consider the relationship between poverty and inequality. If income is redistributed so that it is more equal, will this necessarily mean a decline in poverty rates? Conversely, will a decline in poverty rates necessarily lead to a more equal distribution of income?

Suggested keywords:

• inequality AND poverty
• income AND inequality AND poverty
• income AND inequality AND poverty AND reduction
• income AND inequality AND poverty AND reduction AND "South Africa"

• Discuss the contributing factors to income inequality in South Africa. These could be historical or contemporary.

Suggested keywords:

• “income inequality” AND (factors OR causes)
• "income inequality" AND “South Africa” AND (factors OR causes)
• income AND inequality AND (factors OR causes)
• income AND inequality AND “South Africa” AND (factors OR causes)

• Discuss the contributing factors to income inequality in South Africa. These could be historical or contemporary.

Suggested keywords:

• "income inequality" AND Brazil
• "income inequality" AND Brazil AND “South Africa”
• "income inequality" AND (developing OR emerging OR middle income) AND countries

Topic 2:

“Depression and anxiety disorders are together responsible for 8% of years lived with disability globally. Contrary to widely held preconceptions, these are not diseases of affluence. Within a given location, those with the lowest incomes are typically 1.5 to 3 times more likely than the rich to experience depression or anxiety.

Recent research has established a bidirectional causal relationship between poverty and mental illness. Researchers have begun to isolate the underlying mechanisms, which can guide effective policies to protect the mental health of those living in poverty.”

The above extract comes from Ridley et al.2020. Poverty, depression, and anxiety: Causal evidence and mechanisms. Science370,eaay0214(2020).DOI:10.1126/science.aay0214
Download the PDF of the article at the following link: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aay0214
Then write an essay in which you choose ONE of the mechanisms listed in the article showing the causal pathway of mental ill-health on poverty OR the causal pathway of poverty on mental ill-health.
Using this mechanism as the focus of your essay, discuss:

• The existing evidence for the existence of this mechanism in the South African context; and
• The possible policy interventions which have been shown to be successful in breaking this mechanism of the poverty-mental ill-health cycle.

Suggested keywords:

• poverty AND “mental illness” AND “South Africa”
• poverty AND “mental health” AND “South Africa”
• “economic condition” AND “mental illness" AND “South Africa”
• “economic condition” AND “mental health” AND “South Africa”

Suggested databases to search:

• Google Scholar
• Sabinet African Journals 
• EBSCO Host (Academic Source Premier, Africa Wide Information, Business Source Premier and EconLit)
• JSTOR

Topic 1: The macroeconomic effects of decarbonisation: The case of South Africa

Study the ongoing decarbonisation policies in South Africa, such as government investment  and/or carbon taxes, and their effects on the local economy, focusing on output growth, private consumption, employment, inflation, and other macroeconomic indicators, etc.

Suggested keywords:

• (Decarbonisation OR “low carbon” OR green OR sustainable) AND economy AND (impact OR effect)
• (Decarbonisation OR “low carbon” OR green OR sustainable) AND economy AND (employment OR inflation OR gdp)
• (Decarbonisation OR “low carbon” OR green OR sustainable) AND economy AND (employment OR inflation OR gdp AND “South Africa”

Topic 2: Price stability and debt sustainability: The coordination of fiscal and macroprudential policy

Study the coordination fiscal and macroprudential policy and its impact on price stability and debt sustainability. Students can do a general study or a case study on South Africa.

Suggested keywords:

• (fiscal OR macroprudential) AND policies AND “price stability”
• (fiscal OR macroprudential) AND policies AND “debt sustainability”
• (fiscal OR macroprudential) AND policies AND “price stability” AND "South Africa"
•  (fiscal OR macroprudential) AND policies AND “debt sustainability” AND "South Africa"

Suggested databases to search:

• Google Scholar
• EBSCO Host (Academic Source Premier, Africa Wide Information, Business Source Premier and EconLit)
• JSTOR

Topic 1: AGOA: PROGRESS AND PROSPECTS FOR SOUTH AFRICA UNDER RENEWAL

Start here for context and key issues: https://www.tralac.org/publications/article/16476-the-agoa-renewal-and-improvement-act-of-2024-key-features-proposed-changes-and-implications.html

Suggested keywords:

• AGOA AND renewal
• (AGOA OR African Growth and Opportunity Act) AND renewal

Topic 2: Green trade policy: a developing country perspective

Start here for context and key issues: https://www.imf.org/-/media/Files/Publications/Fandd/Article/2023/June/Bataille.ashx

Suggested keywords:

• "climate change" AND policies AND (international OR global) AND trade
• "climate change" AND policies AND (international OR global) AND trade AND (emerging OR developing) countries

Suggested databases to search:

• Google Scholar
• EBSCO Host (Academic Source Premier, Africa Wide Information, Business Source Premier and EconLit)
• New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics
• JSTOR

Topic 1:

Economic and social consequences of exposure to conflict: a case of Russia- Ukraine on SA economy. Focus more on key economic and social indicators. You may also refer to other countries like SA.

Suggested keywords:

• political AND conflict AND exposure AND economic AND social AND (impact OR consequences)
• political AND conflict AND exposure AND economic AND social AND (impact OR consequences) AND Ukraine
• political AND conflict AND exposure AND economic AND social AND (impact OR consequences) AND "South Africa"

Topic 2:

Gendered effects of electricity shortages in South Africa? Make sure to focus on both the production and consumption side of the economy.

Suggested keywords:

• (gender OR women) AND electricity AND shortages (effect OR impact) AND "South Africa"
• (gender OR women) AND (electricity shortages OR loadshedding) AND (effect OR impact) AND "South Africa"

Suggested databases to search:

• Google Scholar
• Sabinet African Journals 
• EBSCO Host (Academic Source Premier, Africa Wide Information, Business Source Premier and EconLit)
• ABI/Inform Collection
• JSTOR

Topic 1: Stricter regulations and penalties should be implemented to reduce distracted driving.

Discuss the potential effectiveness of such measures and their impact on road safety by addressing the costs and benefits associated with implementing stricter regulations and penalties. You may also touch on how such measures might affect public spending on emergency services, healthcare, and law enforcement.

Suggested keywords:

• distracted driving AND (regulations OR penalties) AND (effect OR impact)
• distracted driving AND (regulations OR penalties) AND economy AND (cost OR benefit)
• distracted driving AND (regulations OR penalties) AND public services AND (cost OR benefit)
• distracted driving AND (regulations OR penalties) AND (government OR public) AND (service OR finance OR spending)

Topic 2: Cities should implement congestion pricing to reduce traffic and pollution.

Do you agree with the statement? Discuss the potential economic benefits and drawbacks of congestion pricing, providing examples from cities that have adopted this policy.

Suggested keywords:

• (pollution OR traffic congestion) AND pricing
• (pollution OR traffic congestion) AND pricing AND (city OR cities)

Suggested databases to search:

• Google Scholar
• Sabinet African Journals 
• EBSCO Host (Academic Source Premier, Africa Wide Information, Business Source Premier and EconLit)
• JSTOR

Topic 1:

According to a recent UNU-WIDER report, South Africa is on the wrong side of the Laffer curve. Write an essay to explain this phenomenon, why National Treasury has not decreased tax rates in the recent past and what you would expect to see in the next Budget given these findings.

Suggested keywords:

• "tax rate" AND "south africa"
• "tax rate" AND revenue AND "south africa"

Topic 2: Budget competition essay:

Current exchange rate policy in South Africa: Will it be conducive to economic growth post Covid-19? (Given the economic challenges post Covid-19, argue for or against continuing with the status quo regarding exchange rate determination in South Africa.)

Suggested keywords:

• "exchange rate" AND policy AND covid-19 AND "South Africa"
• "exchange rate policy" AND covid-19 AND "South Africa"

Suggested databases to search:

• Google Scholar
• EBSCO Host (Academic Source Premier, Africa Wide Information, Business Source Premier and EconLit)
• Sabinet African Journals
• JSTOR