Economic Development

Econ 112

Spring 2010

San Jose State University

DMH 348 – MW 13:30 – 14:45

 

 

Professor: Dr. Colleen Haight

Office: DMH 219

Phone: 408-924-5422 office; 650-580-1998 cell

E-mail: colleen.haight@sjsu.edu (best way to contact me)

Office hours: MW 10:30-11:30 and M15:00-1600 Please make an appointment

Web site: www.chaight.com

 

Course Description and Objectives:

The primary purpose of this course is to acquaint you with the economics of developing countries. We will start by determining what is meant by development and will critically discuss the various theories and evidence relevant to understanding why some countries are wealthy and others are not. This class will cover a range of topics including capital accumulation, globalization, the role of geographic factors, the legacy of colonization and income distribution.

 

Textbooks:

The Elusive Quest for Growth, William Easterly (ISBN 0262550423)

Why Globalization Works, Martin Wolf (ISBN 0300102526) Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen (ISBN 0385720270)

The End of Poverty, Jeffrey Sachs (ISBN 1594200459)

The World's Banker, Sebastian Mallaby (ISBN
1594200238)

Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond (ISBN 0393317552)
From Subsistence to Exchange, Peter Bauer (ISBN 0691006679)

 

Additional reading material will either be distributed in class or made available for download from my web site.

 

Requirements and Grading Policy:

Students' grades for the course will be determined by scores on two mid-term examinations, a final examination, and a series of quizzes. Exams and quizzes will cover both reading assignments and additional material covered in class. Final grades will be determined as follows:

 

Quizzes:                        10%

Video Project:                15%

Mid-term Exams:          25% (each)

Final Exam:                  25%

 

Class attendance is not mandatory, however, students will be held responsible for all information presented in class, as well as the information in the readings, and any presentations. In some cases, the lectures will cover material different from the reading, using the reading more as a point of reference from which to depart. Students who miss lectures should bear this in mind.

 

NO MAKE-UPS:  Students often overcome tremendous obstacles to complete the assignments listed above.  They may, for example, hire an expensive baby-sitter, antagonize their boss (or worse yet, their spouse), miss out on a potentially great date, or hijack a car to get to an exam or turn in their work.  I am not in a position to weigh one personÕs obstacles relative to others.  Therefore, there are no make-up assignments, quizzes or exams. 

 

Academic Integrity:

Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at

San Josˇ State University and the UniversityÕs Academic Integrity

Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work.

Faculty are required to report all infractions to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.pdf


SJSU Events and Resources:

 

The Barstool Economists:

All econ majors are automatically members of the Barstool Economists group they just need to subscribe (it's free!).  The listserve provides announcements, reminders, updates, and economic conversation. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thebarstooleconomists/

 

The David S. Saurman Provocative Lecture Series:

The Economics Department hosts a wonderful lecture series each semester, bringing guest lecturers to our campus who work and do research in unexpected and compelling areas. There are usually 3 such lectures per semester. Dates and times will be announced in class, and flyers are posted around DMH. Students may obtain extra credit by attending these lectures. Generally, the Barstool Economists congregate at a local restaurant/bar near campus after the lecture.

 

 

 

 

Course Outline:

 

Week

Date

Discussion Topic

Corresponding Reading

Notes

 

1

27-Jan

What is Development?

Easterly 1, Sen 1-4

 

2

1-Feb

The Solow Growth Model

Easterly 2-3, Sachs 1-4

 

 

3-Feb

 

 

 

3

8-Feb

Population, fertility, mortality and Demographics

Easterly  5, Sen 9, Bauer 3-4

Last Day to drop: Feb 5

 

10-Feb

 

 

 

4

15-Feb

No Class – Furlough Day

 

Last day to add: Feb 12

 

17-Feb

Human Capital

Easterly  4, Sen 2-4

 

5

            22-Feb

 

 

 

 

24-Feb

Midterm

 

 

6

1-Mar

Technology

Easterly 9

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

8-Mar

Culture

Easterly 8-10, Bauer 6-7, 10-11

 

 

10-Mar

 

 

 

8

15-Mar

Democracy and Development

Sen 6-7, Wolf 3 and 5

 

 

17-Mar

 

 

 

9

22-Mar

Government and Institutions

Easterly Chp 11-13, Sen 5,11, Mallaby 7-8

 

 

24-Mar

No Class - Furlough

 

 

10

29-Mar

No Classes

Spring Break

 

 

31-Mar

No Classes

Spring Break

 

11

5-Apr

Globalization and Trade

Wolf 2, 10-11, Bauer 1

 

 

7-Apr

 

 

 

12

12-Apr

Midterm Exam

 

 

 

14-Apr

No Class - Furlough

 

 

13

19-Apr

Income Inequality

Sen 4,

 

 

21-Apr

 

 

 

14

26-Apr

International Financial Institutions

Easterly 6-7, Mallaby 1-2 (through p49 top), 9-13, Sach 11-14, Bauer 5-6 and 8

 

 

28-Apr

 

 

 

15

3-May

Foreign Aid

 

 

 

5-May

 

 

 

16

10-May

Geography and Environment

Sachs 3-4, Diamond 4-5,9, and 11

 

 

12-May

 

 

 

17

17-May

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24-May

Final

12:15

 

 

 

This schedule is merely a tentative plan and may be changed as the course progresses. Additional reading material will be distributed in class or made available online.