Economics of Development

Description

In this course we will explore key topics in development economics. The course has two primary objectives. First, it discusses the concepts of economic development and provides an overview of what we know about key topics of global development. We will analyse trends about poverty around the world, inequality, access to education and healthcare, international migration, credit markets, gender, social norms, and the impact of colonialism. The aim is to understand the central question in this field: What are the drivers of inequality? Why does poverty persist? What tools can help to alleviate poverty? Second, the course equips students with practical tools to critically assess data and statistical claims related to global development issues -- skills that are essential for informed and evidence-based policy thinking across disciplines. We will tackle questions such as: How can we rigorously evaluate the impact of a policy? And how can we make informed choices between policies when resources are limited?