Delivered at:: Department of Demography (Vishnevsky Institute of Demography)

Course type:: Compulsory course

When:: 2 year, 1-3 module

Instructor

Ermolin, Ilya

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course introduces the students with the basic concepts of economic and human development, problems of inequality and basic demographic challenges. It combines some theoretical models with broad empirical evidence. Within the discipline students can realize the interconnections between social and economic development and demographic behavior The discipline is an obligatory three modules course for first-year students of the Master Program with specialization at ‘Population and Development’ at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The discipline is taught in English. The prerequisites are the basics knowledge of geography, economics, history, social sciences and statistics.

Learning Objectives

The aim of the course is to explain students the demographic and social economic aspects of the human development. Within this course the connections between demographic, social economic and political processes are observed as well as their influence on social and human development and possible causal mechanisms. In the first part, we will take a look at the contemporary differences in various development outcomes across nations. Once we realize that these differences were (and indeed had to be) in the making since at least a couple of centuries, and possibly way more, it becomes imperative to turn our attention to possible answers to the two fundamental questions: (1) Why are contemporary societies so much richer than their distant ancestors? (2) Why are some nations so much wealthier than others today? In the second part of the course, we will briefly discuss the history of global economic growth and the history of divergence between rich and poor nations, with particular emphasis on the Industrial Revolution and various hypotheses on its causes. Next, we will consider individual factors of economic development, like geography, human capital and institutions, and analyze how they contribute to economic development and to the observed between-country economic inequality, using both historical and contemporary material. Finally, we will examine topics especially salient for the developing countries, like coping with advantages and challenges of ethnolinguistic and religious diversity; the resource curse issues; the debate on long-run benefits of international development aid.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Additional useful for the academic paper writing skills
The student can find the most suitable methods of research, data sources, develops hypotheses and the ways to test it
The student can organize the predefence of the paper as a public presentation
The student is able to summarizes and groups knowledge from the research literature
The student is able to write texts of different genres
The student know the basic elements and stages of academic research

Course Contents

Introduction of acedemic research
Research proposal
Literature review
Academic paper writting skills ractical guide
Predefences
Academic writting
Introduction to anthropology
Economy of happiness
Public administration

Assessment Elements

Literature review
Methodology for studying migration
Methodology of the study of fertility
Methodology of studying innovations
Practical aspects of the application of R
Sociological methods of analysis
Semi-structured interview and other qualitative methods
Discussion of the Proposal
Introduction to Anthropology
The Economics of Happiness
Public administration

Interim Assessment

2023/2024 4th module
0.1 * Discussion of the Proposal + 0.1 * Discussion of the Proposal + 0.3 * Literature review + 0.3 * Literature review + 0.1 * Methodology for studying migration + 0.1 * Methodology for studying migration + 0.1 * Methodology of studying innovations + 0.1 * Methodology of studying innovations + 0.1 * Methodology of the study of fertility + 0.1 * Methodology of the study of fertility + 0.1 * Practical aspects of the application of R + 0.1 * Practical aspects of the application of R + 0.1 * Semi-structured interview and other qualitative methods + 0.1 * Semi-structured interview and other qualitative methods + 0.1 * Sociological methods of analysis + 0.1 * Sociological methods of analysis
2024/2025 3rd module
0.3 * Introduction to Anthropology + 0.3 * Introduction to Anthropology + 0.3 * Public administration + 0.3 * Public administration + 0.4 * The Economics of Happiness + 0.4 * The Economics of Happiness

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

6, P., & Bellamy, C. (2012). Principles of Methodology : Research Design in Social Science. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications Ltd. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=595703
Bischoping, K. (2005). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches/The Practice of Social Research. Teaching Sociology, 33(1), 95–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X0503300110
Contemporary academic writing. A comprehensive course for students in higher education : Course book, Sowton, C., 2016
Presentation skills for students, Emden van, J., 2004
Research methods : the basics, Walliman, N., 2018
Research proposals : a practical guide, Denscombe, M., 2012
Silvis, C. A. (2015). Presentation Skills : One Hour Workshop. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning PTR. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=910374
Strengths and Limitations of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods. (2017). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.887088
Telling a research story : writing a literature review, Feak, C. B., 2009

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Developing a winning grant proposal, Orlich, D. C., 2013
Haber, R. J., & Lingard, L. A. (2001). Learning Oral Presentation Skills: A Rhetorical Analysis with Pedagogical and Professional Implications. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.E3B18106
Heck, R. H. (2004). Studying Educational and Social Policy : Theoretical Concepts and Research Methods. Mahwah, N.J.: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=113815
Ligia MUNTEAN JEMNA. (2016). Qualitative And Mixed Research Methods In Economics: The Added Value When Using Qualitative Research Methods. Journal of Public Administration, Finance and Law, (9), 154. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.aic.jopafl.y2016v9p154.167
Sandoval, I. S. (2016). Understanding Political Science Research Methods: The Challenge of Inference. Political Studies Review, 14(3), 451. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478929916655062
Successful presentation skills, Bradbury, A., 2006
The literature review : a step-by-step guide for students, Ridley, D., 2012
Theobald, T. (2019). Develop Your Presentation Skills : How to Inspire and Inform with Clarity and Confidence (Vol. Fourth edition). London: Kogan Page. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2175100

Authors

KUZNETSOV KIRILL VLADIMIROVICH
KOZLOV VLADIMIR ALEKSANDROVICH

Master’s Programme 'Population and Development'

Research Seminar "Population and Development"