The Economics of Developing Countries (326-0-20)

Instructors

Jonas Jin

Meeting Info

University Hall 122: Mon, Wed, Fri 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

This course will develop your knowledge of the economic lives of people in low-income countries, with a focus on microeconomic issues. Topics include investments in education and health, saving and lending behavior, microfinance, insurance, gender, migration, political economy, foreign aid, and more. We will investigate questions regarding the effects of underdevelopment across the world, with a particular focus on interventions that improve the lives of the poor. In doing so, we will apply both theoretical models and empirical tools used to study important policy questions related to poverty, inequality, and development.

Registration Requirements

ECON 281-0, ECON 310-1

Teaching Method

Lecture: Two 80 minute lectures per week
Discussion section: one 80-minute TA session/week

Evaluation Method

Exam, final
Exam, mid-term
Problem sets: 4 problem sets

Class Materials (Required)

Problem sets will require use of Stata.
1. Poor Economics, Banerjee and Duflo, 2011, PublicAffairs, ISBN-13 978-1610390934
2. Development Economics, Ray, 1998, Princeton University Press, ISBN-13 978-0691017068

Class Materials (Suggested)

None

Class Notes

We will also cover individual readings beyond the textbooks within each topic

Class Attributes

SoC Individual and Social Behavior Distro

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-requisite: Students must have taken ECON 310-1 or MMSS 211-1 and ECON 281 or ECON 381-1 or MATH 386-1 or IEMS 304 or STAT 350 to successfully enroll in this course.