Master
2021/2022
Global Political Economy
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Elective course (Political Analysis and Public Policy)
Area of studies:
Political Science
Delivered by:
Public Policy Department
Where:
Faculty of Social Sciences
When:
1 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Master’s programme:
Political Analysis and Public Policy
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
5
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course introduces basic concepts and approaches to global political economy with the focus on global economic development. We will discuss the state of global inequality and consider such possible explanations of striking differences between countries in terms of well-being as geography, human capital, institutions, and culture. A group discussion will be held to analyze comparative importance of each of these factors in global economic relationships. We will discuss complex development problems like the resource curse problem and the international aid dilemma. Students will also be required to submit their essays on contemporary issues in global political economy. Finally, the aforementioned concepts would be applied to examine possible reasons of development success and failures. The course is built on rigorous econometric evidence and also gives basic understanding of topics like causal inference applied to policy evaluation.
Learning Objectives
- To examine at an advanced level with the contemporary issues in global political economy, theoretical frameworks and research approaches to analyze the issues of global political economy.
- To comprehend the key issue around which the course develops its subject matter is international cooperation in various policy areas
- To describe the role of international institutions in facilitating global governance of global issues such as trade, finance, development, climate change, and other social and macroeconomic policies.
- To overview basic theories on origins of global economic disparities
- To consider the roles geography, human capital, institutions, and culture play in creating cross-country differences in economic development
- To examine origins and potential solutions of applied political economy problems like management of natural resource revenues and distribution of international aid
- To offer explanations and policy solutions for individual country cases of development successes and failures
Expected Learning Outcomes
- To apply the concepts from the course to development problems like management of natural resource revenues and distribution of international aid
- To suggest novel development strategies and solutions for development problems facing the global community basing on concepts from the course.
- To analyze comparative roles of geography, human capital, institutions, and culture in shaping global economic disparities
- To name basic theories and conceptual frameworks used to analyze international economic relations and global development
- To be able to work with primary data sources and literature on the unfolding dynamics of the global political economy
Course Contents
- Introduction into Global Political Economy. Global economic actors
- Global inequality
- Global labor migration
- Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Geography and natural resources
- Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Human capital.
- Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Governance and institutional quality.
- Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Culture
- State and business as global economic actors
- International aid and international governance
- NGOs as global economic actors
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Abhijit V. Banerjee, & Esther Duflo. (2009). The Experimental Approach to Development Economics. Annual Review of Economics, (1), 151. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.economics.050708.143235
- Abhijit V. Banerjee, & Esther Duflo. (2010). Giving Credit Where It Is Due. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 3, 61. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.24.3.61
- Acemoglu, D., Johnson, S., & Robinson, J. A. (2005). Institutions as a Fundamental Cause of Long-Run Growth. Handbook of Economic Growth, 385. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.h.eee.grochp.1.06
- Alberto Alesina, & Paola Giuliano. (2015). Culture and Institutions. Journal of Economic Literature, (4), 898. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.53.4.898
- Burnside, C., & Dollar, D. (2000). Aid, Policies, and Growth. American Economic Review, 90(4), 847–868. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.90.4.847
- Dani Rodrik, Arvind Subramanian, & Francesco Trebbi. (2002). Institutions Rule: The Primacy of Institutions over Geography and Integration in Economic Development. CID Working Papers.
- Dollar, D., & Alesina, A. (2000). Who Gives Foreign Aid to Whom and Why?
- Economic development, Todaro, M. P., 2011
- Guns, germs, and steel : the fates of human societies, Diamond, J., 1999
- John Luke Gallup, Jeffrey D. Sachs, & Andrew D. Mellinger. (1999). Geography and Economic Development. International Regional Science Review, (2), 179. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.sae.inrsre.v22y1999i2p179.232
- Milanovic, B. (2013). Global Income Inequality in Numbers: in History and Now Global Income Inequality in Numbers: in History and Now. Global Policy, 4(2), 198–208. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12032
- One economics, many recipes : globalization, institutions, and economic growth, Rodrik, D., 2007
- Pedro Carneiro, & James J. Heckman. (2003). Human Capital Policy. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.5D98E766
- Rajan, R. G., & Subramanian, A. (2008). Aid and Growth: What Does the Cross-Country Evidence Really Show? Review of Economics & Statistics, 90(4), 643–665. https://doi.org/10.1162/rest.90.4.643
- Ricardo Hausmann, Lant Pritchett, & Dani Rodrik. (2005). Growth Accelerations. Journal of Economic Growth, (4), 303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10887-005-4712-0
- The elusive quest for growth : economists' adventures and misadventures in the tropics, Easterly, W., 2002
- Underhill, G. R. D. (2000). State, market, and global political economy: genealogy of an (inter-?) discipline. International Affairs, 76(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2346.00166
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Making democracy work : civic traditions in modern Italy, Putnam, R. D., 1994
- Why nations fail : the origins of power, prosperity, and poverty, Acemoglu, D., 2012