Good Economics for Hard Times

Why are some countries poor, and some countries rich? Should the United States trade more or less with China? Should the United States have a universal basic income? What can we do to mitigate climate change? Why does racism persist and how can we fight it?

Economics shows you how to think about some of the toughest problems facing society – and how to use data to find solutions. In this course, taught by Nobel-prize winning MIT professors Abhijit Banerjee and Eshter Duflo and based on their book Good Economics for Hard Times, we will examine cutting-edge research to answer pressing public policy questions. The course is designed to be accessible for many audiences, and provides a broad survey of applied economics literature.

For those who have not taken introductory economics courses that teach analytical tools and models, this course provides an accessible and intuitive introduction to how economic analysis is applied to current issues, and what those analyses find.

For those who have studied the core abstract tools, concepts, and methods common in economics, this course provides a strong motivation for these concepts and allows learners to see how core tools are applied by current economic researchers.

The course is free to audit. Learners can take a proctored exam and earn a course certificate by paying a fee, which varies by ability to pay. Please see our FAQ articles for more information on the certificate and audit track features as well as more information on the pricing structure. Enroll in this course by selecting the "enroll now" button at the top of the page.

This course can be completed by itself or as part of the MITx MicroMasters program in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP), which provides a path toward the master’s in DEDP at MIT.