Advanced Development Economics - Macro Aspects

Course content

The course covers three broad themes:

 

Theme 1. Historical development

Accounting for the vast differences in income and development we observe across the globe today requires a solid understanding of the process of economic development in a historical perspective. In this part of the course we illustrate how history matters to understand economic development, by examining the forces that kept economies in a long period of slow growth during pre-modern and pre-industrial times, and the mechanisms that enabled some economies to exit stagnation and ultimately embark on a path of sustained economic development.

 

Theme 2. Fundamental determinants of differences in economic performance

In this part of the course we ask in more detail how and why history matters for economic development. We go beyond answers at a proximate level, and study reasons and mechanisms that explain differences in economic performace at a deeper level. For this, we rely on the most recent research literature on the impact of historical events on comparative development, and on the economic impact of differences in fundamental characteristics across countries and subnational regions. For example, we examine whether specific dimensions of climate and geography, certain characteristics of culture and institutions, or the coevolution and interdependence between these different types of fundamental determinants, can explain why some economies have been able to build larger stocks of human and physical capital, innovate and adopt new technologies faster, and maintain a trajectory of sustained development more effectively than others; and whether this type of analysis can also illuminate on the reasons behind underdevelopment.

 

Theme 3. Policy debates

By the end of the course we explore recent policy debates related to the main topic of the course. Examples of these debates are the effectiveness of development policy tools such as foreign aid, the role of industrial policies and active state interventions to promote economic development, and the causes, consequences, and policy demands to address different types of inequality.

 

 

Education

MSc programme in Economics – elective course

 

The PhD Programme in Economics at the Department of Economics  - elective course with resarch module. PhD students must contact the study administration and the lecturer in order to write the research assignment.

Learning outcome

After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:

 

Knowledge

  • Describe the global pattern of economic development, from a historical and a modern perspective.
  • Account for theoretical models and arguments related to the historical process of development, and the empirical evidence accompanying them.
  • Identify and account for specific causes of differences in the development path that different economies have followed, and relate them to fundamental drivers of economic development.

 

Skills

  • Provide the basic economic intuition behind central mechanisms in theoretical models explaining differences in economic performace from a macro perspective.
  • Assess the capacity of theoretical models and arguments to generate empirically testable predictions, and evaluate the extent to which empirical evidence supports theoretical predictions.
  • Present a comprehensive overview of the recent research literature relevant to understand the process of economic development in a historical and comparative perspective.

 

Competences

  • Appreciate some of the key debates in development economics, understand how they relate to contemporary policy issues, and discuss the effectiveness of policies aimed at promoting growth and economic development.
  • Apply our expertise as economists to understand and assess quantitative analyses carried out in the context of less developed regions.
  • Work effectively as a trained economist analyzing problems of both developed and less developed countries as a researcher in an academic institution, an international organization, a business environment, a non­governmental organization, or a governmental institution.

 

Lectures and exercises, in which students will work individually and in groups, analysing specific topics covered in the course and engaging in discussion.

Discussion forums, group work, classes and feedback can include online learning material and methods.

Students will also have the possibility to engage individually or in group with the teacher during weekly office hours.

The course uses book chapters, recent journal articles, and recent working papers.

It is strongly recommended that participants have followed Development Economics, Macro I (regarding long-run macro) and Econometrics I (regarding simple regression analysis and instrumental variables) from the Bachelor of Economics, University of Copenhagen.

Students will benefit from having followed courses in Economic History, Economic Growth, and Applied Econometric Policy Evaluation.

Schedule:
3 hours lectures a week from week 36 to 50 (except week 42).

Schema:
The overall schema for the Master can be seen at KUnet:
MSc in Economics => "Courses and teaching" => "Planning and overview" => "Your timetable"

Timetable and venue:
To see the time and location of lectures please press the link under "Timetable"/​"Se skema" at the right side of this page. E means Autumn.

You can find the similar information partly in English at
https:/​/​skema.ku.dk/​ku2021/​uk/​module.htm
-Select Department: “2200-Økonomisk Institut” (and wait for respond)
-Select Module:: “2200-E20; [Name of course]”
-Select Report Type: “List – Weekdays”
-Select Period: “Efterår/Autumn – Weeks 31-5”
Press: “ View Timetable”

Oral
Individual
Collective

 

The lecturer gives collective oral feedback at the questions and comments the students make in the lectures and exercises.

 

ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment, 12 hours
individual take-hom exam. The students are not allowed to communicate about the given problem-set.
The exam assignment is given in English and must be answered in English.
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Aid

All aids are allowed for the regular written exam.

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Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
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Criteria for exam assessment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the course.

 

To receive the top grade, the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.

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Single subject courses (day)

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 152
  • Exam
  • 12
  • English
  • 206