Allan M. Feldman
Professor
emeritus of economics
Research Interests:
Welfare economics and social choice, law and economics, and the value of life.
Recent Research Topics:
Comparative Vigilance, American Law and Economics Review, 2009, with Ram Singh, is an exciting new paper about a tort liability rule that punishes negligence when both parties to an accident are negligent, rewards vigilance when both parties are vigilant, is continuous, and is efficient. Comparative Vigilance: A Simple Guide, 2008, with Ram Singh, is a non-mathematical version of the comparative vigilance paper. It has one exaple, and no proofs.
Welfare Economics and Social Choice Theory, 2nd Edition, published by Springer in 2006, was co-authored with Roberto Serrano. A table of contents is available, as are selected chapters: Contents; Ch. 4 -Welfare Properties of "Jungle Exchange"; Ch. 11 - Life and Death Choices. We also recently published a short and simple paper on Arrow's theorem, which grew out of our book chapter on Arrow. The paper is Arrow's Impossibility Theorem: Two Simple Single-Profile Versions, available in the Harvard College Mathematics Review, 2008. A shorter version of the paper, with just one single-profile theorem, is: Arrow's Impossibility Theorem: Preference Diversity in a Single-Profile World.
The Hand Rule and United States v. Carroll Towing Co. Reconsidered, with Jeonghyun Kim, appeared in American Law and Economics Review, Fall 2005. This is a reexamination of the liability formula invented by Judge Learned Hand many years ago, and adopted as a fundamental principle by subsequent scholars of law and economics. We argue that the interpretation of the formula common in the literature is inconsistent with what Judge Hand wrote in his often-quoted opinion.
Victim or Injurer, Small Car or SUV: Tort Liability Rules Under Role-Type Uncertainty, with Jeonghyun Kim, appeared in International Review of Law and Economics, 2006. In this paper we develop a model of liability rules and accidents, where a party's role in an accident (victim or injurer), is not known in advance. We extend the model to vehicle collisions, where the size of one's car affects the probability that one is the victim.
Current Teaching:
In recent years I have taught the following courses: investments (econ. 1710), economics and the law (econ. 1380), and welfare economics (econ. 1170).
Curriculum Vitae:
There are two versions of my curriculum vitae. My academic CV describes appointments, publications, services, honors, etc. My consulting CV is very similar, but also includes a brief description of consulting activities.
Research, Teaching, and Service: Following is a brief description of recent research, teaching, etc., as required by the university: Statement on research, teaching & service.
Last updated: March 9, 2009.
Contact:
Office: Robinson Hall 212
Office Hours: By appointment
Phone: 401-863-2415
Fax: 401-863-1970
Email:
allan feldman@brown.edu
Mailing Address:
Department of Economics, Box B
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
USA
