Major Field of Study Subject Subject in Charge Public Finance & Regional Study Studies in Labor Economics Katsuhiko Arai This class will focus on theoretical analysis of contemporary employment and unemployment. Labor economics achieved a rapid theoretical evolution in the 1960's, and is considered the front runner in modern economics. With the introduction of the Phillips curve, the axis of research tilted towards a theory-based approach. The large number of labor economics theories introduced in the 1970's are considered to have created the background for the complex unemployment problems of modern times. In this class, by looking at various theories, we will study how far today's employment and unemployment problems can be investigated.