ECONOMICS 280 Development Economics

Two out of five people worldwide lack access to a toilet. One out of six does not have access to safe drinking water. Inadequate access to water and sanitation contributes to two million child deaths a year.

Welcome to

ECONOMICS 280

Development Economics

Fall 2008: (C) MWF, (D) MWF – Huntley 321
Instructor: Jim Casey
Contact Info: Holekamp 214, Ext. 8102, Email: Caseyj
Office Hours: : MWF 9:10-10:00 and W 12:15-1:15
Prerequisite: Economics 101, 102

Quick Overview:

This class serves as an introduction to the study of Development Economics. The course will be divided into four sections.

The first section provides an overview of Development Economics and asks the following kinds of questions: What is development economics? What is the difference between "growth" and "development"? What is the current state of affairs in the world of development? What does it mean to be poor? How do we measure poverty? What is the HDI and what can it tell us?

The second section introduces specific theories of growth and development. This is the "history of thought" section and leads to current ideas related to “endogenous growth,” “the end of poverty,” “unfreedom” and ecological and institutional economics.” In this section of the course we will pose the following types of questions: What are the main constraints to growth? Is it good enough to simply grow? Why do some countries grow faster than other countries? Does growth entail development? What does it mean to be free? How does growth effect the environment?

Section three deals, primarily, with the factors of production: physical, human and natural capital. We will spend a significant amount of time discussing the role of human capital and how it is inseparable from discussions of physical and natural capital. Here we might ask questions like the following: What is the relationship between income and health or income and education? Why do some countries invest heavily in human capital while others do not? How important are natural resources as inputs to production? What is the role of agriculture in the process of development?

The last part of the course, section four, is reserved for “global issues.” Here we will ask: What is the role of the IMF and World Bank? What is trade liberalization? Why were there protests in Seattle, Genoa, and Washington D.C.? Is free trade good for growth? Is it good for the poor? How will climate change affect development?

Readings:

(1) (H&R) Hess, Peter and Clark Ross. 1997. Economic Development: Theories, Evidence, and Policies. The Dryden Press.

(2) Sen, Amartya. 1999. Development as Freedom. Random House.

(3) Selected Online Reading Assignments

Requirements

10% of your grade will be based on the service project - assignment TBA.	10 points
60% of your grade will be based on three exams.	60 points
10% of your grade will be class participation	10 points
20% of your grade will be based on weekly quizzes.	20 points